Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-01-08

holiday ideas. tree twinkled In 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
tainly the Christmas tree will be much more COM
mon hencefOrth 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. q.
Until the marriage of Queen Victoria to the
prince cOnsOrt, Christmas I'm England was chiefly
day of churchgOing, 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
firmly intrenched In England 1t is here, but
lighted tree loaded with decorations and presents
is established as a part of every English celebra-
ton. Christmas decorations of holly and mistletoe,
the ceremony Of the Yule log and many of the ira
ditiOnal Christmas dishes, notably the plum pud-
ding, all owed to English custom.
But it is a sadder and wiser England that ap-
proaches Christmas this year. Hundreds Of thou
sands of young Englishmen have died to make
her Today every Londoner has had graphic
lesson in what a powerful and resourcefu enemy
do in right little, tight little island" AS
further object lesson, England will pay for the
raisins for her plum buildings 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 ChriStmaSes. but
they were farther away from home The Christ
mas of 1899 in South Africa that she does
not like to recall while the terrible Christmas Of
1854 the Christmas of the Crmean war, when, as
a writer of the day put 1t, Thanks to General
Middle, things about bad as they can be-"
was always bitter memory to that generation.
The year 1916 has not been a good year for Eng
land, and she knows it. The knowledge has shat
haS thaDad hor
determination. But she Is not happy about it and
her Christmas celebration will be chastened feast
Christmas in the Latin countries has always been
more OF a religious festival than a home celebra-
ton. In Italy it is more customary to exchange
presents at New Years than at Christmas Lighted
trees are frequently seen but they are 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
In 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
seid 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 in
France. In the provinces 1t is celebrated with pro-
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 mass In feasts In all
the homes.
In Paris there are Christmas booths set up in
many Of the bOulevards. This year they will be
devoted to the sale of comforts for the soldiers
Paris knows better than anyone just how black |
a wartime Christmas can be- She has never for !
gotten the Christmas of 1870. For ninety-eight
days the Germans had battered at the city. Every
sortie had failed miserably. The final lombard |
ment was inevitable On Christmas eve 900 men |
froze to death in the trenches just outside the city,
Better, 1t 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 |
rfce great and small, even to giving up the crusty
rolls and light white bread that as the breath
In her nOstrils. When Frenchman every French |
man. eats without complaint a grayish bread made |
of a mixture of wheat and rice and entirely lack
ing in golden crust he has indeed an exalted spirit
1t is a small thing, perhaps, but 1t Is enormously |
significant.
Last Christmas was a solemn festival in France |
million gifts, gifts of wool, sent 20 the men
In the trenches Every soldier had q glass Of |
champagne But there was no merrymaking
Masses were said at open-air affairs erected back |
of the battle lines. In the old church at Thanh in
Alsace French Christmas celebrated for the
first time in forty-four years. But it was a cee-
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 in former years, no
dancing pierrots and harlequins leading the mask
ers, no brilliant round of restaurant suppers the
beloved reveillOn of the Partisan
So Paris on Christmas will go home through
darkened streets with prayer in her heart for all
those who have died for France and for all those
who mus: yet die.