The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-12-08

Christmas turkeys In Denmark are
geese that share hOnors at the Christ.
mas feast with a 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 a 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 1t 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, and
turn her horses toward summer. Here
and there in the great country vii
lage maiden, dressed In white and
drawn on sledge from house to
house, represents the Goddess Of the
Sun. while her retinue sing carols.
After attending a Christmas eve serv-
ice In church, Russians set out to have
a frolicking Christmas In community
way. One who has 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 large feast, games, snowballing.
and Rotations 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 q
gay season, celebrated with great romp
and Joy. The shopkeepers furnish
their stalls for the gift season, and
the confectioners make those delicious
little cakes with sugar forms Of the
Christchild on top. Scraps Of Yule-
tide tradition are dearly held In the
homes Of some Of the peasants. The
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 left
beside 1t, and its ashes dropped into
medicine have wonderful curative pow.
ers. French children have Christmas
trees and little cradles made Of ever
green's, representations Of the holy
manger. France sings carols through
the whole month Of December. stroll.
ing 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 recitlng pieces In the streets,
and In Spain 1t means no end Of social
gayety among the young folks, almost
to the point Of such registering as
Americans indulge in on Halloween.
In America 1t seems to be gala COM
bination of these old-world customs
and others with a little more lavish.
ness and good-time display.-From
"Yuletide In Many Lands" by Mary =
Pringle and Clara A. Urann.