The Monticellonian., 1917-12-07

tables under the trees are the SlIlS, surprising gifts they would seem to some-a soap-rose, an artificial flower, knitted lace, a Christmas cake, or sausage or cheese. Most of them have verses attached, written in curious me ter. Not until six o'clock in the eve hing are the doors open for the fes- tivity of the trees Tonight the horses and cows of the German farmers have peculiar gifts. It is said that the eat tie kneel on Christmas eve and say few animal prayers. II is a very great sin to listen to their eonversa- tion, else it would be recorded here.
 If reindeer could talk on Christmas eve, the ones that pull the family sieighs of the Lapps of Lapiand, 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 morningl Miles over the snow come the people of the North to near the familiar monotoned message or the birth of the Christchild from their pastors. There is no lightness In this ceremony, nor any gifts for the chll- dren, nor gay music. The tent or hut homes are filled with guests for the Christmas holidays, so full that there is no room for evergreens or candies. They take their Christmas with faces solemn as inuminies 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 lavishness. This is Christmas for the Lapps. Who will change with them?
 Norway outside of Lapland has a more joyous time of it. 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- proaching Christmas, for the boys and 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 NIllI llltlll. " Iidl tt 6iidOl0iillE iIISlC must be in Norway on Christmas morn ing After q day of feasting and church services, little boys with white mantles 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 SCOUTS and scrubs and washes. Not a piece of trimming or furniture is left unpol- ished. All dirt Is sinful, and must not 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 week or two, and the brewing of spiced drinks wine that the Swedish women make with al- mondS and spices is an aromatic quaff with holiday smell Never can there be proper Christmas in Sweden with out homemade cheeses, especially the sweet ones made of boiled sweet milk and nodded Enthusiastically. Santa Claus appears in person to Swedish children and distributes his sled of gifts When he has disappeared as mysteriously as he came, they join hands and sing Christmas jingles until they work up fine appetite for Christmas muSh. an indispensable SWeet-rice boiled a long time in milk with cinnamon and sugar, with blanched almonds for fla vor, to be eaten with cream. Christ mas fish in Sweden has the same share of responsibility that rare roast beef has in England. It is buried for days in wood ashes, then boiled and served with hot milk. Sled parties of forty or fifty sleds each go to church on Christmas morning, with the ringing of long rows of sleigh bells and festive peace and quiet. But on the next day the fun begins, and continues until all their four holidays are over-Christ- mas, the day after, the twelfth day, and the twentieth. The ceremony of untrimming the tree is as much of a frolic as its decoration. There are no house greens to take down, because this Is their sign of mourning. but there are flowers if they can be ob- tained.
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