Evening star., 1947-12-22

dish, costs about $50 q pound, 50 most
Fenchmen will have something else Christmas.
as always will be day for family reunions and
colorful observances in the provinces. But
most French will wait for New Year eve for
merrier festivities
Scandinavian lands, covered this winter by
q thick blanket of snow, will be about as merry
as any in Europe.
There will be no pinching shortage of the
essential goose in Norway Denmark or Sweden,
but all miss rice, and the usual complaints over
high prices are heard.
Poland looked forward to some good eating
on Christmas eve. Vegetable and fruit crops
were good and livestock is sufficient for the
population. So Poles will resume the traditions,
which in the countryside includes the custom
of giving the farm animals token bit Of every
Christmas dish.
Nature was less bountiful short distance
to the south. Czechoslovakia, after the most
severe drought in many years, has been obliged
to cut its food ration sharply. Carp and potato
salad and the Christmas cake of raisins and
almonds will not be seen in many homes. Even
Slovakia, fertile Danubian province, has in
troduced a rationing system The export pro-
gram has caused a shortage of textiles.
Old Customs Being Revived.
season. Many traditions are being revived, in
Guiding the singing Of carols and the production
of Nativity plays There are shortages, curl
GUS one being lack Of candles. So there will
not be many brightly lighted trees, and the use
OF trees Is discouraged by conservation author
tiles
Rains last summer passed by Bulgaria and,
consequently, this will be the country's leanest
Christmas season since the war.
A report from Greece said that the Christ
mas season will be extremely grim for more
than 100000 refugees from areas Of guerrilla
operation" Greece always observes Christmas
as religious holiday, and will do so this year.
There will be celebrations in numerous cities,
however, and in Athens there will be parties
for members Of the American mission.
In Middle Europe prosperous Switzerland Is
set to observe a merry Christmas Butter,
bread, milk and sugar are still rationed, but
the country has large quantities of meat,
fruit, poultry, eggs and other products which a
hard currency can buy.
Reports from Spain said the Christmas eve
dinner will be less abundant than year ago,
and. again the reason Is high prices. Dis
patches from Portugal indicate every one will
eat well, and that it will be plastic Christ
mas" Plastic articles, largely from abroad,
fill the shops. =
Belgium and Holland will observe the holi-
day decorously and traditionally, emphasizing
the religious aspects Of the day. Belgium.
especially, will eat we'll.
Austere Britain hoped for q Christmas a
little more bountiful than that of last year,
but the supply situation is spotty. Good sup
plies of fowl especially turkeys, are arriving
from many lands. There will be some extra
grapefruit, oranges and tangerines, and little
more coal for the fireplace. On the darker
side, potatoes are becoming very scarce
Christmas will be friendly day tn Ireland,
according to to dispatches from Ireland, but
one depressing note will be the absence Of
familiar faces due to heavy emigration recently.