Carbon County news., 1937-12-24

silver star is inlaid; it is nearl,
worn away by the constant kissin.
of the devote Christians, but tn
inscription in Latin about the sta
remains legible. "Here, of the Vir
gin Mary, Jesus Christ was born,
Turning to the right from thi'
Place of the Star, and descending
few steps, is small chamber
called the Grotto of the Manger
The original manger is not there
but here is a little altar on the
place where the Wise Men from
the East Frustrated themselves
before the infant Jesus.
The observances of Christmas il
the Christian world is as varied
as the peoples who declare theil
faith in the religion.
In Rome, for instance, the peo.
pie usually begin to do Christmas
shopping as early as the first Of
November, while the flowers are
still blooming. The stores from
that time until after the New Year
hold a steady stream of people. On
the streets during the holiday sea.
son groups of children are seer
reciting Christmas poems and re.
ceiving coins from the people who
gather around to hear them.
The day before Christmas is a
Fast Day. From sunset of the
twenty-fourth people fast This is
really the beginning of Christmas,
for in Italy Christmas is a solemn,
religious observance. On that day
the people cease their merry-mak-
ing and the majority attend early
Mass. At two o'clock, in the after
noon the Yule log, or Ceppo, is
lighted and the Presepio brought
in.
The Presepio! It is very dear to
the heart of every good Italian.
From year to year they save it,
carefully putting it away and then
it out again to serve for
another Christmas. Presepio is the
Italian word for stable or manger,
but gradually it has come to be
known as the word for a miniature
Bethlehem, or Place of Nativity.
1t represents the birthplace of
Christ and there are tiny figures
of the Virgin Mary and Joseph, the
Shepherds. wise men and angels,
all cut from wood placed about it.
The twenty-four hour fast is
usually Broken with a veritable
banquet, included are Italian deli
caeies of dishes of eels and larks.
Evergreens are not used in Italy
as Christmas decoration but every
where are seen chrysanthemums,
violets and bright holly berries.
Replacing our Christmas tree,
the Italians present their gifts in
the "Urn of Fate" which is a
large crock holding a gift for
each member Of the family.
From Christmas Eve until the
Eve of Epiphany, or the day be-
fore "Old Christmas" the obser-
vance of the Yuletide in Italy is
of religious nature. But on the
Eve of Epiphany it is different,
:or it is the night that La Befana
comes. La Befana is supposed to
,e woman, and not Fright jol-
Y old elf,p either, as our American
Santa Claus. She is said to possess
/ stern nature and a rather for
bidding appearance. On Twelfth
light, or Eve of Epiphany, she en-
ers through the chimney and
zones into the room where the
Christmas stockings are hung. In
me hand she carries a cane and
n the other bell with which she
her arrival.
In Holland the patron Saint is
saint Nicholas but he puts in his
there on the fifth of
December, coming in full costume
If embroidered robes, glittering
With gems and gold, his mitre, his
rozier and his heweled gloves.
The Spanish children dp not
ave a Christmas tree, but gather
round a Naeimiento, made of
laster and representing the place
f Christ's nativity. Here again,
he Urn of Fate provides the gifts
or the year.
In Norway there is not one, but
many "Santa Clauses" for here
he Tomtar, or little old men with
ong gray boards, and tall pointed
ed caps, who live under the
cards in the dark corners, come
ut to leave their gifts. "a.
Christkindli, the peetic success
or to jolly old Santa Claus, visits