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

surprising gifts they would seem i
some-~a sonp-roae. an artificial flower
knitted lace, Christmas cake, or
sausage or cheese Most Of them havy
verses attached, written In curious me
Ter. Not until six o'clock In the eve
ming are the doors open for the fes
uyity OF the trees, Tonight the horses
and cows OF the German farmers have
| peculiar gifts. II Is said that the cat
tie kneel on Christmas eve and SAY
q few animal prayers. II Is very
| great sin 10 listen 60 their conversn.
tlon, else It would be recorded here.
II reindeer could talk on Christmas
eve, the ones that pull the family
sieighs Of the Lapps Of Laplnnd, what
wouldn't they tell OF long journeys over
tee and snow for days before Christ
mas Ia order to have their masters
and the children at church on Christ
mas mornlngi Miles over the snow
come the people Of the North 10 hear
the familiar monotoned message of
the birth OF the Christchild from their
pastors. There Is no iightness In this
ceremony, nor any gifts for the chill
dren, nor gay music. The tent or hut
homes are filled with guests for the
Christmas holidays, so fun that there
II no room for evergreens or candles.
They take their Christmas with faces
as solemn as mummles and make the
attendant ceremonies as unjoyful as
possible. Marriages are performed dur
ing the season, children are sent to
school for few weeks, babies are
ehrIstened, the dead are buried, and
liquor is sent around with lavlshness.
This is Christmas for the Lapps. Who
win change with them2
Norway outside of Laplnnd has q
more Joyous time OF 1t. Norwegian
children have Christmas trees and lit
/ tie gifts TINT are hidden In out-of-the.
way corners. for them to find. Every
bird ia Norway must know OF an mp
preaching Christmas, for the boys ant
girls tie oats and corn on the trees
the fences, the tops Of houses and
barns, and on high poles they erect in
their yards so that the birds may feast
with them. What chattering there
must be In Norway on Christmas morn
ing After day Of feastlng and
church services. little boys with white
mantles and star-shaped lanterns, car
l rylng dolls to represent the Virgin
Mary and the Christchild, sing carols
Ia the homes, Strolling musicians
serenade at twilight,
TO be clean for Christmas ~ the
problem that hannts the Swedish
housewife. For days she scours and
scrubs and washes. Not a piece OF
trimming or furniture is left unpol
lshed. All dirt IS sinful. and must moi
be tolerated At this holy season. While
the cleaning Is going on, there Is the
baking Of Christmas breads, ring
shaped, that must dry under this
beams FOR week or two. and this
brewing Of spieed drinks. A wine that
the Swedish women make with al
monds and spices Is an aromatic quah
with holiday smell. Never can ther,
he proper Christmas Ia Sweden with
out homemade eheeses, especially th,
sweet ones made of boiled sweet mill
and nodded Enthusiastically, Santa Claus
appears In person 10 Swedish children
and distributes his sled OF gifts. Wher
he has disappeared as mysteriously al
he came. they Join hands and SIM
Christmas iingles until they work NJ
fine appetite for Christmas mush
an Indispensable sweet--rlce boiled {
long time Ia milk with cinnamon ant
sugar, with blanched almonds for IA
yor, 70 be eaten with cream. Christ
mas fish Ia Sweden has the same shar,
of responsibility that rare roast bee
has In England. II Is buried for day,
ia wood ashes. then boiled and served
with hot milk. Sled parties Of forty
or fifty sieds each 20 TO church OF
Christmas morning, with the rlngins
of long rows OF sleigh bells and testify,
trappings The day Itself Is one 81
peace end quiet But en- the next daS
the fun begins. and continues until all
their four holidays arc over Christ
mas. the day after, the twelfth day
aud the twentieth. The ceremony al
untrimmlng the tree is as much OF 1
! rrolle as its decoration. There are nc
house green's 10 take down, heeaus,
this IS their sign ef mourning, bul
there are flowers II they can be OBJ
tained.