Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-14
An Augusta Teacher Abroad---L Letter No. s.

plankS We're lOaveS upon loaves Of
Stole the national German food at the
Christmas season. The next night they
returned again with those same planks
but this time there We're all kinds Of
Nuchen or German cakes upon It, and
these in their turn We're stored in some
unknown portion of the house.
That Stole is kind of sweetened
bread and very appetiZing when fresh
but they make so many loaveS of i
that il lasts Il long time and the diet of
Stole becomes monotOnous. especial
as it gradually grows to resemble IWci-
bach rather than bread.
At last the all important day APP
preached and Christmas eve found both
families in u state of suppressed excite
ptcut. In that section OF Germany the
Christmas tree festivities occur i'll the
early morning while it is vet dark. We
haG been invited to both trees. and the
children went to bed early saying that
they would call US the next morning.
Herr and Frau Seferth invited me to
help them decorate their Christmas
tree ana wishing to see how it was
done ! MAS glad to be present a that
occasion. 1t was a unique process.
Visions Of a Christ-child at the top Of
the tree lowered before my eyes ana
was very much surprised to see Herr
Sciferth take Il gaudy tinscl ornament
and faSten it to the top of the tree in
place IF the sacred image. When the
tinsel was waving at just the desired
angle Herr Seiferth put the tree on a
table in the corner and the fun of
decorating commenced. Nuts. apples,
oil Ja{t IF 10
alphabet. and chocolate figures were
tied on the tree. Then we all stood off
at some distance and threw cotton
batting on to the branches to represent
snow. and after the appearance was as
real as possible, innumerable candies
were fastened all over the tree. There
were no presents upon 1t. Those were
placed around the room where they
could be seen most effectively by the
little SeiferthS.
Early the next morning We were
awakened by a loud knocking from the
children who were already up. | was
in time to witness the pleasure of the
little Seiferths when they saw their
gifts and the tree now brilliantly
lighted Then | went to the
were going into raptures over their
tree. After the first moment OF
surprise was over there came the
interchange of presents. | cannot say
that it was any great surprise when
We had two dainty little aprons
presented to US by Gredi and LEM, for
long before that they had informed US
that they We're making two aprons for
Arporinan uirIS
In every window that morning there
was a Christmas tree brilliantly
lighted. and in every house that morn
| ing the breakfast was Stole ana
coffee Both Frau Kirschner and Frau
Seiferth claimed us for breakfast so
| we had two. After breakfast however
, the dav passed like any other holiday.
| with the exception that every person
we mot displayed something new. All
| tbe christmas celebration seemed to
| consist in the elaborate preparations
| for on that day we did not hear one
| of those Christmas songs they had
| sung 81 often
| We had our dinner that day at
Mamma and in honor of the day my
friend ordered mushrooms and l hao
| an extra dish of purple cabbage.
MABEL FRANCES KNIGHT.
| (The ninth letter will be on tht
Christmas Fair and a Weeks Trip II
y Germany