Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-12-07

surprising gifts they would seem 10
some-a soap-rose, an artificial flower,
knitted lace, a Christmas cake, or Il
sausage or cheese. Most of them nave
verses attached, written In curious me-
ter. Not until six O'Clock In the eve
ming are the doors open for the les
tivity of the trees. Tonight the horses
and cows of the German farmers have
peculiar gifts. 1t Is said that the cut
tie kneel on Christmas eve I'M say
Il few animal prayers. 1t is Il very
great sin to listen to their conversa-
ton, else 1t would be recorded mere.
If reindeer could talk on Christmas
eve. the ones that pull the family
sleighs of the Lapps of Lapland, what
wouldn't they tell Of long Journeys over
ice and snow for days before CHRIST
mas In order to have their masters
and the children at church on CHRIST
mas morning! Miles over the sho"
come the people of the North 10 near
the familiar monotoned message u
the birth of the Christchlld from their
pastors. There is no l~ightness in TINS
ceremony, nor any gifts for the emil
dren, nor gay music. The tent or nut
homes are filed with guests for the
Christmas holidays, SO full that tlere
is no room for evergreens or candles.
They take their Christmas with races
as solemn as mummies and make the
attendant ceremonies as unJoyful us
possible. Marriages are performed dur
ing the season, children are sent TO
school for q few weeks, babies are
christened, the dead are buried, ana
liquor Is sent around with lavishness.
This is Christmas for the Lapps. VINO
will change with them?
Norway outside of Lapland has a
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 ap-
preaching Christmas, for the boys and
girls tie oats and corn IN 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 q chattering there
must be in Norway on Christmas morn
ing! After q day Of feasting and
church services, little boys with white
nantes and star-shaped lanterns, car
rying dolls to represent the Virgin
Mary and the Christchild, sing carols
in the homes. Strolling musicians
serenade at twilight.
To be clean for Christmas is the
problem that haunts the Swedish
housewife. For days she scours and
scrubs and washes. Not a piece OF
trimming or furniture is left unpol
ished. 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 the
beams for q week or two, and the
brewing Of spiced drinks. A wine thai
the Swedish women make with al
monds and spices Is an aromatic quat1
with a holiday smell. Never can ther,
be a proper Christmas in Sweden with
out homemade cheeses, especially thu
sweet ones made of boiled sweet mill
and nodded Enthusiastically. Santa Claus
appears in person to Swedish children
and distributes his sled of gifts. WheI
he has disappeared as mysteriously a.
he came, they join hands and sin.
Christmas jingles until they work VI
a fine appetite for Christmas mush
) an indispensable sweet-rice boiled
long time in milk with cinnamon ant
. sugar, with blanched almonds for fla
: vor, to be eaten with cream. Christ
7 mas fish In Sweden has the same shar,
=! Of responsibility that rare roast bee
has In England. 1t is buried for day
] In wood ashes, then boiled and servet
= with hot milk. Sled parties Of fort,
or fifty sleds each go to church Of
Christmas morning, with the ringing
9 of long rows of sleigh bells and festiv
!. trapplngs. The day itself is one o
peace and quiet. But on the next da.
: the fun begins, and continues until al
their four holidays are over-Chrlst
mas, the day after, the twelfth day
: and the twentieth. The ceremony 0
untrimmlng the tree is as much of
frolic as its decoration. There are n
house greens to take down, becaus
this Is their sign Of mourning, bu
there are flowers If they can be OF
tanned.