The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-12-14

Christmas turkeys in Denmark are
geese that share honOrs at the Christ
mas feast with Il special kind of CAKE
The salt-cellar remains on the table
throughout Yuletide just to uphold
tradition. At midnight on Christmas
eve those who have fruit trees take
lanterns and Il stick and find their
way into the orchards. Each tree Is
struck three times by the head of the
house with the injunction, "Rejoice
and be fruitful" No one who can
possibly avoid it works from Christ
mas until after New Years day.
Greetings for the Lords birth Is
the Russian way of saying, Merry
Christmas to which the answer Is,
"God be with you" Besides celebrat-
ing the nativity, the Russians cherish
a mystical lore of the Goddess of the
Sun, who, at Christmas time, was sup
posed to enter her sledge, dressed IN
gorgeous robes and headdress, ana
turn her horses toward summer. Here
and there in the great country VII
! lage maiden, dressed in white ana
! drawn on q Sledge from house 10
| house, represents the Goddess OF the
| Sun, while her retinue sing carols.
| After attending n Christmas eve serV-
! ice in church, Russians set out to nave
/ a froliClling Christmas in community
way. One who has a large house IN
vites many other households, which
come bringing cakes and other sweets.
They would freeze in their sledges
rather than alight before receiving the
greetings of host and hostess. There
are a large feast, games, snOwballing,
and recitations and songs, sometimes
lasting throughout the night. one
wonders how revolutionary Russia,
anarchistic and warworn, will cele-
brate the Holy Child's birth this year.
France has a quiet Christmas, CIV
ing less prominence to 1t than to any
of the other days in the holiday cal
endar. Old folks in the provinces tell
about times when Christmas was a
CAV season, celebrated with great romp
and Joy. The shOpkeeperS furDlsh
their stalls for the gift season, ana
the confectioners make those delicious
little cakes with sugar forms of the
Christchild on top. Scraps OF Hule-
tide tradition are dearly held In the
homes of some of the peasants. Inc
ashes of the great Yule log are thought
to be protection against lightning and
bad luck; the old log has magic power
to fill with peppermints shoes lelt
beside it, and its ashes dropped into
medicine have wonderful curative pow
ers. French children have Christmas
trees and little cradles made of ever
greens, representations of the holy
manger. France sings carols through
the whole month of December, stroll
inc musicians playing their Noels from
house to house. The presence OF
American soldiers there this year un'
doubtedly will alter the ancient Gus
toms of the people somewhat.
Christmas in Italy means a chill
dren's season, wherein the little folks
reconsecrate themselves by singing
and reciting pieces in the streets,
and in Spain it means no end of socla
+; gayety among Ine young lolh'' "Aii40
to the point of such registering al
Americans indulge in on Halloween
In America it seems to be gala com
binatiOn of these Old-World customs
,, and others with little more lavish
: ness and good-time display.-Fron
'Yuletide in Many Lands" by Mary +
Pringle and Clara A. .Urann.