The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-12-31
THE YCLETIDE IN
SPANISH TANnC

OF course, everyone knows that
! Christmas is Christmas all the world
! over, whether it's in the frost lands or
under the equator Because it's not
everyone who can have slighbells and
holly and mistletoe. but they can have
Just as good a time. Now We're going.
/ to country where the boys and girls
/ and some of the grown-ups. maybe.
/ have never seen snow.
| This picture is IN the hot colors of
the tropics we see binding sunlight
and white-walled houses cleaning in
the deep green of palm trees. for
were now in-oh, almost any city of
Spanish South America. II is getting
toward evening; the streets and
squares are crowded with men in
white suits and women i'm fluffy
things that don't look at all like
Christmas. There are droves of
asses going by, driven by brown
skinned, broad-hatted natives. some
loaded with fruit, and some with
sklnsful of thin, sweet wir, slung
across their backs. Here and there
along the street are ice stalls. where
people sit tanning and resting There
are booths full of toys and games.
where one can buy gaily-dressed little
images of the Virgin and her Son. and
miniature wooden managers with doll
ds long as your thumb-nail Graded in
a wisp of straw. Old women hobble
by with trays full of cakes and sweets:
the scene looks more like a summer
tair at home than Christmas celebra-
ton.
Darkness comes warm and soft.
with leaping stars. Flower-girls dart
in and out among the crowds, offering
their baskets of blooms; everywhere
one hears the murmur of liquid Span
lsh Guitars strum in the distance, ac-
complaining mellow tenor voices; min
gled with their rhythmic throbbing is
the unkle Of mandolins; once in
while the rattle of castanets. All the
houses are thrown open; in each are
dancing and feasting and the exchange
OF gifts. Dark-eyed senoritas lean
from their balconies, boldly serenaded
by caballeros in broad hats, silk shirts
and velvet trousers. Tonight everyone
Is a friend: the fun grows fast and
furious; confetti is thrown by the ton:
IN the corner OF the plaza a couple of
1.-the young peasants start a fandango.
and instantly crowd gathers to watch
and applaud.
In the midst of the racket. SO sud
denly as to be startled, the great bell
of the cathedral that bulIzs dark and
silent across the square, booms
hoarsely. Once-twice-twe times
On the stroke the throngs
are stilled; men cross themselves,
saying AYES.
The scene changes as if bv magic:
the crowds drift away, to file into the
churches, where the air is heavy with
incense. The streets are left deserted
while mass is said. This over, the peo-
pie disperse. Tomorrow, after the 9 |
o'clock mass, there will be games and
sports, and the bull fights will be the
best of the year
In Spain where Christmas customs
are much the same, it is the proper
thing to leave your shoes outside in |
the bushes for Santa Claus to fill with |
toys-not too well hidden, lest the |
saint should overlook them. And in |
Mexico, where Santa has equally orig |
lnal ideas, you and your brothers and |
sisters are blindfolded and given long
sticks, and told to strike at a large |
paper bag suspended from the ceiling. |
This is most exciting, for you are aptI
10 hit your brother or your brother will
nit you much sooner than you do the
bag But when you do make lucky
stroke, what shower of gifts descends
upon you!