The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-14

Another method or learning Of the appearance 81
lover tthis time his featuresl would be to pour
melted lead into bowl Of water, and, from the
shape which The concealed metal took when ii
cooled. iInngine some one who appeared like that.
Christmas eve Ia Russia IL very busting
Time tRefnember, this means prewar and pre-
revolution times IN Rnssia) The peasants pre-
pare %, and eventually do form Into a procession
and march through the village. They are sure 10
pass the houses az the nobility, the mayor and
other ofcials, stopping az each 20 sing carols
and receive, IN return. copper. This habit OF
begging y called "Kocnda," masquerade fol-
lows the procession. and as the evening
star arises the supper u spread.
Paria INDUCES Ia one great fete the night before
Christmas II finds everyone eating d sumptu-
Gus dinner and the restaurants are taxed to their
greatest capacity. for on Christmas eve il at
no other time OF the year he has fun meal the
krenchman has Il then. At the Founding hos
fltni In Lyons practice is maintained which Gin
the light 81 recent statements about the decreas-
Ing birth rate In Franco IS somewhat humorous.
royal welcome & prepared for the first infant
received that day. This special honor, however,
has very beautiful meaning--it being Intended
e contrast the humble story Of our Savior with
that OF this founding
IN surny italy sumptuous banquet Is pre-
pared, consisting mainly Of fish cooked IN many
different ways. Fish Is eaten for week previous
60 Christmas and Its feast day The churches
are largely attended and the italian Is careful 10
their part OF the rejoicing in what Is called the
turn OF fate" In some receptacle, preferably an
urn, are placed written fortunes and tho chill
drcn aud their friends In tho order Of their ages
draw lots Great merrtment IS accustomed by
some Of the ludicTous results This is to them
what the Christmas tree ii to the American child
Peru presents scene of varied activity at this
time Of the year; people are busting 60 and fro
and having jolly good time; suddenly the
church bell rings. calling them to the midnight
mass The interest Of the next morning Christ
mas day. IL usually conferred about bun fight,
the most popular ono Of the year and one In
which II IL said the women take more interest
than the men. After tIs there Is a religious pro
From Germany we get the Christmas tree; San.
tn Claus from Holland; from Belgium and France
the Christmas stocking, aud Merry Christmas"
from England.
And d Merry Christmas 1t was with its ruddy
glow from the kindng Yule logs and the CLEAN
from the pearly berries Of the mlstletoe. There
nre early records Of the mlstietoe having been
used as decoration. and II was held In great
reverence by the Celtic nations,
The bringing 10 Of the Yule log had origin in a
really Interesting manner. In the days when
England was young It was the custom Of the serfs
70 bring fuel with them to the baronIal hall. The
ainner which they received there was to last as
long as the WOOD burned. This was called bring
Ing 'wet wheel" The wet wheel was usually
green branch or limb OF tree and Il is obvious
how, since their dinner depended upon the size
o. the stick furnished. the stick eventually be-
csma larger and larger until II assumed the pro-
portions Of log. The term "Yule" which Is pre-
Fixed 10 Il simply signifies that II is a log Of the
'Yuis" season.
In the old days the feast OF st. Martin, Noyem-
Der /, opened the Christmas season From that
time on mummery and merriment were king.
Eixahethan England. aud even England Of
later period. is rich in traditions and supersti-
ti0ns beliefs
Anyone turning a mattress on Christmas day
would die within the year: but the baking Of
bread was commended, and loayes baked on that
day would never grow moldy
fule cakes were supposed to have miraculous
power. and on them representations OF Jesus were
sometimes pressed
In some places IN Oxfordshire every maid serv-
ant had the privilege and frequently exercised H.
OF asking a nam for Ivy to decorate the house. II
tie man assented. well and good but II he re-
fused, the maid stole pair of hts breaches. The
next day they could De nailed TO the gate on
the highway
The 6rst maid to pass under this evergreen on
Christmas day was 20 be married within the
year and equally sure OF being kgssed---for that
was the penalty TO be paid by any maid who
passed under 4. After each offense a berry was
pleeked while the privilege was supposed 20 cease
With the last berry.
Fer anyone but dark-skiuned person to cross
the threshold first on Christmas day was eonsld.
ered unlneky Ia parts OF Scotland the reason for
this being that Judas had red hair. No one would
think Of giving light matches at this time
II certain counties, and the bees were supposed
70 sing all night Christmas eve. although previous
10 this q spris Of holly had been placed on the
hive Mortnls who die that night are certain
u immediate and perennial happiness
But enough Of these children Of the imagination,
eitzens o. the past DO we not hear Just outside
our chamber door, 4 youthful choir singing q
carol. did Washington Irving on that Christ.
mas morning when be was az Bracebridge halll
And. through the night. were there not voiees sth