Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-12-29
TID|NCS FROM
SCANDINAVIA
Interesting News From Sweden,
Norway and Denmark
CHRISTMAS CHEER IS GENERAL

Everywhere In Sweden the Holiday
Spirit observation-disclosures OF
Norwegian-Amerieans Return for
Brief Visit to the Fatherland-Resi-
dents of Danish West Indies Anxious
for Annexation to United States.
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Perhaps N city in the world takes
on such a decided holiday spirit and
appearance as Stockholm. The stores
are ~profusely decorated and so are the
streets and statues. In the restau-
rants and cafes there is special music
and in every nook and corner there is
evidence that Christmas is nigh. In
cottage and palace "jul" is celebrated
like no other holiday throughout the
entire year. The heart and purse
strings are let loose and everybody
believes in having a good time. In
the country districts there is perhaps
greater preparations than anywhere
else for the great holiday There 1t is
the custom that the whole farm place
must be cleaned up for the great holi-
day. Even the cattle, the pigs and the
chickens are provided with extra bed
ding and the birds of the open air are
fed with sheaves of wheat, which are
raised on a long rail outside of the
Kitchen door. In the household there
presents itself the busiest kind of a
time before Christmas eve. The moth
er of the household Is leading 1t all
and her preparations during the pre-
holidays encompass such a variety in
the way OF pastries and delicious vic
tuals that it would be a fruitless Job to
attempt to describe 1t here. The Scan
dinavians celebrate Christmas eve
above all. Christmas in Sweden Is a
thorough going affair. 1t lasts for at
least twenty days and there is n
party after another. Friends and rela-
tives come together, enjoying the ma
tional songs and folk dances. There
are special services in all the churches
and from palace to cottage there is a
scene Of holiday ACTIVITY that places
the foreigner, who Is fortunate enough
10 visit Sweden at this time of the
year, in a perfect trance. Old stories
and sayings come into play as new
before and all these old customs are
so rigidly observed that it would be
impossible to dislodge them were a
hundred years to pass again. Amidst
II all reigns the good old Christmas
cheer and the one who is not happy In
Sweden during 'yuletide" is missing
his purpose al a human being.
1nasmuch as there has recently been
great speculation as to the real condi-
ton of King Gustaf's health the Alton.
bladet (Stockholm) has published a
long report regarding the exact condi.
ton of his majesty's health. There is
little doubt, too, that the king wanted
to have all rumors pro and con regard
ing his health set at rest and SO made
a statement to the aforementioned pa
per direct. The truth of the matter is
that the king during the past few
months has been gaining steadily in
strength and has eve been able to
take long tramps in the woods and e
Joyed hunting small game exceedingly
much. His health now" says the
Aftonbladet, Judging from what his
closest physicians have told US, is the
very best and he has not been as
strong as he is now for years."
A lady who desires to remain uniden-
titled has donated the sum of 500
crowns to the National Anti-Tuberculo-
sis society. She Is a Stockholm lady
and states in her letter to the board of
directors of the society that she hopes
to give the same amount annually, as
long as she lives. Sweden is certain
ly setting sn example in the work that
is being done to check the ravages of
consumption and to build up her SAM.
tariums. Almost every day there is
some money coming In. either in
large Vi suidii dusOunlSs anu Tie bale VI
holiday stamps by the Anti Tuberculo-
sis society last year amounted to over
$780, 900 crowns These are splendid
results indeed for a small country like
Sweden and other countries would do
we'll to follow suit.
At the recent state church conven
ton in Stockholm the well known DR..
waldenstrom moved that state authori-
ties take the necessary steps to pre-
vent Mormon missionaries. who are
not citizens Of Sweden, from carrying
on their propaganda in that country.
Il IL needless to say that the motion
mst with general approval and was
unanimously supported and adopted.
There are plenty of horses in the
Swedish capital In spite OF the fact
that automobiles have been increasing
in number at a rapid rate. There are
in all 5,595 horses, military and police
department horses excluded.
The women's Christian Temperance
union celebrated its tw~enty-ifth ami
versary in Stockholm Nov. 80. There
were present on this occasion over 500
prominent women from different parts
NJ tho country.