Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-12-07

tables under the trees ure the gifts
surprising gifts they would seem 10
some-a soap-rose, an artificial Hover
knitted lace. n Christmas cake, or a
sausage or cheese. Most of them nave
verses attached, written in curious me-
ter. Not until six o'clock In the V c
ming IRE the doors open for the res
tivlty of the trees. Tonight the horses
and cows of the German farmers nave
peculiar gifts. II is said that the cat
tie kneel on Christmas eve ana say
"A few animal prayers. It Is a very
great sin to listen to their conVersa'
ton, else II would be recorded mere
|. reindeer could talk on Christmas
eve, the ones that pull the iahlllS
slelghs of the Lapps of Lapland' what
wouldn't they tell of long journeys over
ice and snow for days before CHRIST
mas i'm order to have their masters
md the children at church ON CHRIST
mas morning! Miles over the snow
come the people of the North TO near
he familiar m%onotoned message OF
the birth of the Christchild from their
pastors. There is no lightness IN lhls
ceremony, nor any gifts for the emil
dren, nor gay music. The tent or nut
homes are filled with guests Tor the
Christmas holidays, so full that there
is no room for evergreens or clhules'
They take their Christmas with races
ms solemn as mummies and make the
attendant ceremonies as un1oytul as
possible. Marriages are performed our
ing the season, children are sent 10
school for a few weeks, babies are
christened. the dead are buried, ana
llouor is sent around with l~avishness.
This is Christmas for the Lapps. Who
will change with them?
NORWAY outside Of Lapland has n
more Joyous time of 1t. Norwegian
; children have Christmas trees and lit
tie gifts that are hidden in out-of-the-
= way corners for them to find. Every
bird in Norway must know of an mp
preaching Christmas, for the boys and
-, girls tie oats and corn on the trees,
the fences, the tops Of houses and
4 barns, and on high poles they erect In
their Yards so that the birds may feast
. with them. What Il chattering there
must be In Norway on Christmas morn
r ing! After n day of feasting anc
: church services, little boys with white
q nantes and star-shaped lanterns, car
n rying dolls to represent the Virgil
u Mary and the Chrlstchlld, sing carols
h in the homes. Strolllng musicians
serenade at twilight.
To be clean for Christmas Is thu
problem that haunts the Swedish
housewife. For days she scours n n
" scrubs and washes. Not a piece o
trimming or furniture Is left unpol
lshed. All dirt is sinful, and must no
be tolerated at this holy season. Will
'e the cleaning is going on, there is III
baking of Christmas breads, ring
shaped, that must dry under tn
beams for a week or two, and tn
brewing Of spiced drinks. A wine tina
t. the Swedish women make with a
n. monds and spices Is an aromatic qua
with a holiday smell. Never can ther
e. be a proper Christmas in Sweden with
he out homemade cheeses, especially tn
IT. sweet ones made of boiled sweet mil
III and nodded Enthusiastically. Santa Clau
ic appears in person to Swedish chlldre
i'll and distributes his sled of gifts. Whe
I'd he has disappeared rs mysteriously O
ch he came, they Join hands and sin
90 Christmas jlngles until they work u
Sc a fine appetite for Christmas musl
an Indispensable sweet-rlce boiled
long time in milk with cinnamon an
sugar, with blanched almonds for fl
St vor, to be eaten with Chris
ny mas fish I'm Sweden has the same shaI
e of responsibility hat rare roast be,
ng has IN England. II Is buried for dal
nd in wood ashes. then boiled and serve
with hot milk. Sled parties of fort
lie or fifty sleds each go to church {
es Christmas morning, with the ringtr
es Of long rows of sleigh bells and festi'
I'd. trappings. The day itself is one
err peace and quiet. But on the next di
the fun begins, and continues until O
I'm their four holidays are Over-ChTis
I'd mas, the day after, the twelfth da
ng and the twentieth. The ceremony
ng untrimming the tree Is as much OF
en- frolic as It's decoration. There are
a house green's to take down, becau
le- this is their sign of mourning, b
be- there are flowers If they can be q
On tained.