The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12

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homo the customs of the Christmas
tree and OF gift giving. The latter
has never become as firmly i~ntrerched
in England as 1t is here. but a lighted
tree loaded with decorations and pres
ents is established as n pant of every
English ccle bration. Christmas deco
rations of holly and mistletoc. the cer-
emony of the Yule log and many of
the traditional Christmas dishes. no.
tably the plum pudding, are all owed
Ia English custom.
Last year was 4 typical feasting
merry Christmas in England. So far
AS the great mass of the people were
concerned the war had not yet moved
them even in their !m~nginotions. \
few things had happened tn make
thoughtful people more thoughtfui.
Many families were already in mourn
ing. But IA yet English cornpla-
cency was untouched. Whoever
pointed ont unpleasant facts was
dubbed unpatriotic. The greatest in
terest OF the people 40 far as The war
was concerned seemed. NJ has been
said. to get a plum pudding TO every
E,nglishman in France n Flanders.
But it IL a ssdder and wiser England
that approaches Christmas this year.
Hundreds of thousands OF young Eng
lishmen have died to make her 40.
Last year the Lusitania was "a Christ
mas ship. To-day she Is a tragic
memory. Last year the Zeppelins had
not sc. disturbed London. To-day
every Londoncr to whom the war
may have been little more than "A
headline in a newspaper has had Il
graphic lesson in what q powerful
and resourceful enemy can do even
in a right little. tight little island"
As a further object lesson England
will pay for the ralSins for her plum
buildings something like 200 per cent.
more than she did las year. The war
with Turkey has done that to her.
England has had other black Christ.
masses, but they were further away
from home. The Christmas Of 1899
in South Africa was one that she does
not like TO recall. while the terrible
Christmas OF 1854, the Christmas OK
the Cr!mean war, when. az q writer
Of tho day put IL. Thanks t. Den.
Middle, things are about as bad az
they can he" wa. always a bitter
Lue4iipiN W k4iAA e'sAVA"Ai'Hs
The year 1915 has NOT he@n n good
year for England. and she knows it.
The knowledge has shattered her COM
p!acency and has strengthened her
determination. But she IS not happy
about Il and her Christmas celebra-
ton will he a chastened feast.
Christmas in the Latin countries has
always been more ~ a religious fesii-
val than n home celebration. In Italy
IL is more customary 20 exchange pres
ents at New Years than az Christmas
Lighted trees arc frequently seen, bu,
they are the luxury of the prosperous
and not> the habit OF tho people. The
day before Christmas - more Of ar
occasion than the day Itself.
In the cities Of southern italy booth,
are erected ir certain streets, IA he'
fore Easter. for the salc Of odds an.
ends and sweetmeats: wheeled trail,
is barred II the people pIomenud.
slowly UP and down, exchanging greet,
ings. Midnight mass Is said in all tll'
churches. In the churches. too, "a,
exposed the famous cribs, or pressp!
representing scenes of the birth an,
infancy q. Jesus. Tit beginning .
this custom % ascrlbed To -. Francis
- OF Assist.
Although Italy has hren in :he VA
" less than a year. SHE already feels II
N pinch, I'VE car no longer have waf
iles.' writes an american married /!
: Italy. With charcoal n 80 cents 10
U a small, handful & is out OF the que-
ton. Tor she first time since ! cal
u remember we will no: have a poUn,
- ,-l L.. So ~ ,v,SsvN.E ~ a., nhfs
: flour is all gone"
Christmas eve - the great feast 81
the season in France. In the prov
inccs /, H. celebrated wi.A process sion
- in the streets. which were original
religious in character but which hav
u become profaned by the eayety Of N
maskers. In Normandy ard IN Pre-
! yence there are elaborate puppet show
y Of scenes in the life ~ the .nrar
Christ. Al the stree, sayoly term!
mates after mass in f.asts in al IN
y" homes,
u In Paris thcre are Christmas lDo...
set up in many oc The Boulevard.
" This Year, ~ las, they VIII be uerote
- to the sale - comforts for tll. soldier
rather than. us in previous Years,
y toys and k%uickEnacks.
p Paris knows better than any on
u Just how black "A wartime Christina
" can bc. She has never forgotten III
l. christmas OF 1870. For nincty-eigt
days the Germans had battered az ~
y" city. Every sortie had failed mise,
10 ably. The final hombardmeut was in
l. cvitabic. ON Christmas eve 400 me
y truze 10 death in the tT, inches 1ust on
side The city. ON sun lay. pecemhc
- -, L.. l.. washburn, the America
rs Minister. wrote in his diary:
" Never has a saddor Christine
III dawned on any city. Cold. hunEe
agony and despair sit cnthroncd {