The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-12-08

holiday ideas. tree twinkled i'm every place that
housed a German last year, and though the Bel
gians will not allow their Christmas to be German
lied, yet the trees appealed to them nightly. Ger
tanly the Christmas tree will be much more com
mon hcnceforth in Belgium whether the Germans
stay there not
Thousands of refugees waiting in England until
their country is redeemed will bring back with
them many ideas of the English holiday.
Until the marriage of Queen Victoria to the
prince consort, Christmas in England was chiefly
day of churchgOng, of merrymaking and of mighty
feasting. The prince brought with him from his
German home the customs of the Christmas tree
and of gift giving. The latter has never become
as firmly intrenched in England 1t is here, but
lighted tree loaded with decorations ana presents,
is established part of every English ceebra-
ton Christmas decorations of holly and mistletoe,
the ceremony of the Yue log and many of the tra-
ditional Christmas dishes, notably the plum pud-
ding, all owed to English custom.
But it is sadder and wiser England that ap-
proaches Christmas this year. Hundreds of thou
sands of young Engshmen have died to make
her so. Today every Londoner has had Il graphic
lesson in what powerful and resOurceful enemy
do in fright little, tight little island As
Il further object lesson, England will pay for the
raisins for her plum puddings something like 200
per cent more than she did last year. The war
with Turkey has done that To her.
England has had other black ChrstmaSes, but
they were farther away from home. The Christ
mas of 1899 in South Africa that she does
not like 10 recall, while the terrible Christmas of
1884, the Christmas of the Crimean war, when, as
a writer of the day put it, Thanks 10 General
Middle, things are about bad they can be-
was always a bitter memory to that generation
The year 1916 has not been Il good year for Eng
land, and she knows it, The knowledge has shat
tered her compacency and has strengthened her
determination. But she is not happy about 1t and
her Christmas celebration will be a chastened feast.
Christmas in the Latin countries has always been
of n religious festival than home celebra-
ton. In Italy ii is more customary to exchange
presents at New Years than ut Christmas. Lighted
trees are frequently seen, but they the luxury
of the prosperous and not the habit of the people.
The day before Christmas is more of an occasion
than the day itself
In the cities of southern Italy booths are erected
i'm certain streets before Easter for the sale of
odds and ends and sweetmeats; wheeled traffic is
barred and the people promenade slowly up and
down, exchanging greetings. Midnight mass is
said in all the churches In the churches too, are
exposed the famous cribs or presepi, representing
scenes of the birth and infancy of Jesus The be-
ginning of this custom is ascribed to st. Francis
of Assist
Christmas eve is the great feast of the season I'm
France. In the provinces il is celebrated with pro-
cesSons in the streets which originally
lgiouS in character, but which have become pro-
famed by the Gayety of the maskers. In Normandy
and in Provence there are elaborate puppet shows
of scenes in the life of the infant Christ. All the
street gayety terminates after in feasts in all
the homes.
In Paris there Christmas booths set up In
many of the borlevards. This year they will be
devoted to the sale of comforts for the soldiers.
Paris knows better than anyone just how black
Il wartime Christmas can he. She has never for
tI,a ,va Of For ,f,, ,;,vlt
days the Germans had battered at the city Every
sortie had failed miSerably The final lombard
ment inevitable. On Christmas eve 900 men
roze 10 death i'm the trenches just outside the city
Better, IL seems than any OF the other nations
did France realize from the beginning what this
present war would mean and, realizing she conse-
Grated herself utterly. She has made every sac
rifce, great and small TO giving up the crusty
rolls and light white bread that the breath
In her nostrils. When Il Frenchman. every French
man, eats without complaint grayish bread made
of n mixture of wheat and rice and entirely lack
ing in golden crust he has indeed exalted spirit.
Ii is small thing. perhaps. but ii is enormously
significant.
Last Christmas was n solemn festival in France.
A million gifts, gifts of wool, sent to the
in the trenches Every soldier had glass of
champagne. But there was no merrymaking.
Masses were said at open-air affairs erected back
of the battle lines" I'm the old church at Thanh in
Alsace a French Christmas celebrated for the
first time in forty four years But 1t a cele-
bration of prayer. not OF rejoicing.
This year. at least midnight masses will be said
In the churches Of Paris but afterward there will
be no gayety in the streets Ms I'm former years no
dancing pierrots. and harleauins leading the mask
ers, no brilliant round of restaurant suppers, the
beloved revcillon of the Partisan.
So Paris on Christmas will go home through
darkcned streets with prayer in her heart for all
those who have died for France and for all those
who must yet die.