The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-12-27

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The boy continued:
II wish could say the things my heart feels
as the Christmas days draw near.
| [ hope that every Christmas gift
! Will do it's part some burden to lift;
For in some small and humble way
You are each symbol of that blessed day
When the first Christmas Gift came to earth,
| There in the manager, at the Christ Child's
BIRTH
So let no bitter thought
Mar the image that His Grace hath wrought;
| Into the home you enter you must bring
| Some message of the great, true Christmas
King"
After pretty drill to the music of the
piano, all left the platform.
Mexico
A young girl in Mexican garb came
forward, and by way of explanation, said
Let me tell you about the good time we
have on Christmas in Mexico. Our Christ
mas begins December Seventeenth and lasts
until New Years Eve. One of our anuse-
ments is called The Inn The father, mo-
Their, children and servants form a process
sion and march along the corridors, CARVING
lighted candles. We knock as we march
past the doors. Every night we have these
professions until Christmas"
A procession of children, with lighted
candles, came IN, illustrating the custom.
ne boys were plcturesquely attired in
sashes and imitation sombreros, while the
girls wore shawls, with lace scarfs on their
heads. AS the procession disappeared be-
hind the curtain, the girl continued:
ON Christmas night we 60 to the patio,
or public square, and have some fun by
breaking the pinate bag which father
hangs on a cord that he has stretched
across the patio The youngest is blind
folded and father gives her a stick to hit
the pinate. If she cannot break it, her
older brother tries, then the next older
brother, which is still more fun When at
last the pinate is broken, all the good things
/ tall out. There are fruits, nuts, candies
and toys, which we all scramble to get"
! Illustrating this, red paper bag filled
with fruit, nuts candy and toys, was sus-
pended over the platform. The children
came in, took their turns in the order de-
scrlbed and tried to break it open After
receiving thorough beating, it suddenly
burst, and as the good things poured out
the little folks joined in a merry scramble,
some of them almost standing on their heads
IN their eagerness to secure a trophy. They
then marched out, contentedly munching the
candy and fruit which they had secured.
Representing the custom of selling poin-
settias on the streets of Mexico on Christ
mas morning, small boy, carrying bench,
came in accompanied by little girl with a
huge basket of poinsettias They found
numerous customers, and soon the entire
stock disappeared.
France
Father, mother and six children, all at
tired in typical French garb, represented
home in France on Christmas Eve The
mother related the familiar story of Pic
! cola, little French girl whose mother was
France, on Christmas Eve for the children
to set their shoes around the fireplace hop
ing that St. Nicholas will fill them with
good things
Little Piccola wanted to set her shoe
on the hearth but her mother was afraid
she would be disappointed. The child
persisted. Imagine her delight on Christ
mas morning to find a swallow which had
fallen down the chimney and taken shelter
in her shoe She cared for it and it be-
came her pet and friend
AS the story ended, the hour was grow
ing late, SO the children set their shoes
around the fireplace and retired While
they slept, St. Nicholas corresponding to
Santa CLAUSE came and filled their shoes
with toys.
Upon awaking, they rubbed sleepy eyes,
and then, suddenly remembering that it was
| Christmas morning, made bound for their
shoes. Joyfully picking up their presents,
they formed noisy procession around the
PLATFORM beating drums, blowing whistles,
footing horns and calling happily to each
other
On Christmas Day, ST. Nicholas visited
the houses where there were children and
distributed candy and nuts to those who
had been good He was accompanied by
his attendant, Rupprecht, who carried a
bundle Of switches on his back and punished
those who had been bad One lad, when he
saw Rupprecht coming scampered away for
dear life, for he knew he would catch it;
but another remained and took his punish
ment which was very light
In France the people do not want their
friends to know who has sent their gifts.
To illustrate this, lad ran in front of the
audience and threw packages on the plat
form among the children as if tossing them
in at the open windows, and then scampered
away.
Canada
An aged couple sat on the platform, the
lady knitting; the man reading. Suddenly,
happy youthful voices we're heard outside,
singing "Men Of the North The door
burst open and a crowd of jolly, healthy
| II. IL