The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-25

to their calendar, and the night before
it is customary for them to arrange
queer devices for telling their fortunes
thus In glass of water placed before
the lma~e of his patron saint, child
wlll drop the yolk of an egg. Then on
finds it to have formed picture in
which he thinks he reads his future. But
christmas day among these youthful
Slavs is mostly devoted to going to
their Greek churches, which are now
built In many of our Russian "colo-
MES. After attending services in the
morning and receiving visits from their
back to church Christmas night to enjoy
the distribution of gifts from the tree,
also songs, recitations and frequently q
Russian folklore play acted by Sunday
schoolmates in gay costumes. In reality
most of these miniature Russo Ameria |
cans now enjoy two Christmases. for
tnev share that of their American play |
mates a fortnight before their own
comes.
Three Xmases Each Year.
And three Christmases year. you
might similarly reason it, are enjoyed |
by your half brothers and half sisters
from Holland
They had the first visit from their
native "Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) |
three weeks ago tonight, for he always |
comes to them on the eve Of his birth. |
day, which is December 6. SO on the |
night Of the 5th, mounted on his fiery |
white horse, be rode over the roofs Of |
their houses, not stopping to crawl
through their chimneys, but throwing |
great handfuls down each as he hur-
ried past. While he is riding past the
children are downstairs singing his
praises, but when their parents tell |
1,nr, ko4 l,. la-
scampers up the steps to find the goodies
lying out upon the hearth, just where
they have dropped.
And the same night, when it is al
ways a rule that whatever is handed in
by neIghbor s servant must be ta ken,
all kinds and conditions Of surprises -
are brought to the door and opened
while every one laughs hilarionsly at
father as he spends half hour un-
winding miles of thread, to find very
comical thing hidden inside the ball,
or at mother as she opens very funny
efligy and after sitting its sawdust fill
ing discovers something equally ridcu-
luus.
Gifts Brought by Black Man.
Again st. Nick comes to these little
Dutch Americans, the next night-the
night of his birthday-this time with
his grinnlng black servant, "Jan.' who
comes into the house with n big bag,
from which he hands out the gifts.
Then The children recite poetry to him
and he goes out griDning more than
ever Three weeks then elapse until
those boys and girls from the land of
dykes gather around the Christmas trees
of their little playmates in their adopt
ed motherlaDd. You will not begrudre
our little Dutchmen these three Christ.
masses when | tell you that 1t was due
IN hot 4 |
cred America, back in the DAYS when
their people settled New York. He has
been the patron saint of all little chill.
drcp for centuries, and he is no other
than that good ST. Nicholas, who. 1000
years ago, when Bishop Of Myra. is
said TO have brought back to life three
little boys whom cruel thief had
chopped up into small pieces and thrown
into plckling vat. His name is also
spelled 'SaDt Nicldaas,' - whence some
thick tongues easily twisted il into
" Santa Claus
Five Strange Xmas Visitors.
No less than, five strange visitors
Knocked last night at the home of MANY
OF our little Norwegians. They were all L
boys in white mantles. the tallest carry.
ing large colored lantern, shaped like
The star OF Bethlehem, and another bear.
ing a glass box containing two very
pretty wax dolls, representing tho Vir-
gin Mary seated in chair and the In.
fant Jesus lying in cradle
The room is darkened and waxen
candle placed at the head OF the little
cradle, which is very skiIlfully moved
by a hidden wire. so that for all the
world the miniature mother seems to be
rocking her son to sleep At the same
time the star in the lantern is moved
from side to side over the little scene.
and the boys sing Christmas carols.
while the children in the house look on
with wonder and admiration. And after
the carol singers have departed for the
next house, the children receive their
presents left by st. Nicholas and the
Christ Child. and make merry around
the Christmas tree.
The Jul gran" is what the boys and {