Evening star., 1936-04-12

~ FFICIAL representatives of
some SIS nations, living in
Y Washington, are celebrating
Easter today according to
the customs and obServances native to
their various homelands.
During many hours of the day the
lives of the embassy and legation
families will parallel the American
way of keeping Easter.
But, after all, Easter is holiday,
and in holiday season thoughts turn
toward home. Almost unconsciously
the heart keeps remembering what
those others are doing who live so far
away. And with remembrance Of
home comes the recollection of child
hood days and of all the vital, colorful
traditions of Easter in the home
country which make the festival Gel
ebrations different for each national
group.
To some Easter is an intensely SOL
emn time. The emphasis is placed
entirely upon religious observance.
Others feel a kind of ecstacy in the
sudden coming of the Springtime.
They have seen the glorious blue of
the sky these few weeks past, and
along the avenues the feathery green
of new leaves appearing. They have
seen children at play in the open
again. And they have been glad anew
with every different sign of Spring.
To these Easter is day of feasting
and gladness and joy is the keynote
Of the days celebration.
All these differences of response and
feeling are reflected in the Easter Gus
toms OF the people of many nations
living In Washington today. Curl
ously, often it is possible to notice
that some old idea like the putting out
OF all fires on Easter eve and relight-
ing them on Easter morning reap
pears with varying ceremonies in the
customs of different peoples. A few
OF the observances of. the different
countries are especially interesting to
note.
If you are French and deeply ap-
preclative of the importance of gra-
ciousness and ceremony in life, your
Easter habit will include the exchange
OF gifts. In many homes even the
children of the French families con-
tnue this charming custom, and vast
numbers of Easter rabbits, chocolate
eggs and fluffy yellow chickens change
hands.
In Washington Yolande and Gracia,
the young daughters of Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Faint, Sd, secretary of the
French Embassy, always give presents
on Easter, beginning early the Easter
custom which will become part of the
holidays tradition to them as the
years go by.
IF YOU are member of one of the
Swedish families of washington
your Easter began yesterday evening,
and its whole thought centered in the
family circle. For in Sweden. it Is on
Easter Sunday that the members of
the family gather, each group around
its own long supper table. Food is
served in great abundance and there
is great variety, as all endeavor to for
get the Lenten scarcity. A part of
every Swedish Easter eve feast is
deep and large dishes of colored eggs.
The Swedish people spend much time
and thought and artistic ingenuity in
the decoration of their Easter eggs.
Many of these become masterpieces of
delicate tracery as vines and flowers
and graceful birds, wreathed and
blended with Easter symbols, are
etched upon the shells. Verses are
written and inscribed on the eggs, so
that each member of the family and
every guest at the table has such a
memento of the occasion.
In the German homes all is iveli-
ness and gayety at Easter. In the
kitchens the children revel in all the
intricacies of Easter egg dying.
Swathed inslarge all-coyering aprons,