Evening star., 1921-12-25

consists of a figure of Bethlehem
grotto- on the night of Jesus birth.
The baby Jesus is placed on straw
between a COW and an ass, which.
they say, have warmed him on tf,e
bitterly cold December night"
AT noontime everybody 6~-sv
the table enjoys the suinp;uous ON
ner. When the dinner is over, all
hurry to the room where gifts and
toys are hanging on the tree. Often
the day closes with music and dane
ing"
..The celebration Of Christmas in
Porto Rico. differ in many ways from
the celebration in this country" said
a composition written by Mrs Ros"
TiZol. I'VE start those celebrations
From to g o'clock on December -
of December "a, and they last until
From to o'clock on December 2+
all the dry goods stores are liter
ally full of people, shopping for the
midnight soup.
Many Kinds Of Music.
In the meantime, the people in the
streets are singing and playing with
guitars. quacharos and maracaS.
These people used to go from ore
house to another playing and singing
popular airs. and the people in the
house used to give those singers
and players something to drink o.
something to eat. When they are not
ready to receive those singers and
players, they give money. and go
until they have a big lot of money.
or when they are tired of too much
drink or too much to eat So IL
every street you can hear nothing
but music and singers"
AT midnight all the families taxi
their midnight soup, which consists a
! roast pig in the stick and rice with
chicken, and candies, nuts and figs,
Some families use turkeys. but they
are few. In some houses they dance
after midnight soup"
Chrfstmaa January 10.
Our Christmas is on January 1s,
said the essay penned by Jacob y.
Labelian. native of Armenia. wv"
celebrate two days. When 4 O'Clock
in the morning rings from the church
; tells everybody awakes and prays
to God. All the people dress in new
! suits and attend church at 5 o'clock
After morning services they return to
| their houses and get breakfast
lat 10 o'clock the people begin to
! visit their relatives and friends. They
; do the same thing the second day. too
but there is no church service.
The people in Armenia have their
gifts New Years morning. but on
Christmas If any one is engaged they
send their presents to each other and
give parties
In his composition. Ramon Ricafort.
native of the Philippines. wrote:
; Midnight Masses.
I'm the Philippines we have diff
! ferent kinds of customs concerning
, our Christmas. Each province ma. :,
oW custom and manner TO celehr.. Z,
! the Christmas day, although al. uf
these are similar. In our town our
custom 10 celebrate the Christmas day
! is as follows:
! Before the Christmas day we have
: midnight masses. w.lich begin on the
! sixteenth tl6thb OF December From
! this date Ne have masses from 4
O'Clock TO I Is ami. Before this mass
/ our band Of music will run around
/ the town to awake the leopi. After
i the mass all the bachelors and ladies
so I" tho street that we call New
street the street If most importa nco
| in the toWn-to take a walk. After
/ taking A walk these bachelors and
: ladies take their breakfast in one of
! the houses Of these ladies. which has
been designated one day before. Every
/ night the h nd of music plays music
| in the from of the church. On the
24th we have the mass At IL o'clock
that We ca Matinee mass. We have
I three Chris mas days-25th. 31st Of
J December and 9th Of January. Til.
18th is th" ':ristmss of the children.
; ON this day all the children go 10 Oh.
l'cuses of their protector tgodfstI,erp
! (" ask for gifts or toys. The SIS, is
the most happy dar. because this day
/ ia the Christmas of the bachelors and
ladies. In :his day VIC genera,l: con
| this night no one can sleep. because
| they await the end Of the year m!
! the coming New Year. The Sth Of
January is Christmas day for the
: oldest. or this day we gc in the
! houses cf cur relatives /" give them
oar I Gifts