Evening star., 1948-01-04
ExclMsively Yours,
-Betty Beak-
Peter Belins On Brief Visit Here;
Cute Cuban Custom Coming Up

Evermay, if not the most beauti-
full, certainly one of the most beau
tiful homes in Georgetown and sur
rounding area, will look it's loveliest
the night of the 10th. Mr.. F. Lam
mot Belin will give a dance that
evening to celebrate the presence in
town of his son Comdr. Peter Belin
and the latter's very attractive wife,
the former Mary Cootes. A chic,
small affair. it will include for the
most part old friends of Mr.. Belin's,
as well as close friends of Mary's
and Peters.
The young Belins arrived in town
Christmas Eve and will be here
about two weeks longer. They've
been in London since July, 1916,
when Comdr. Belin was assigned to
our Embassy as assistant naval
attache. Formerly in the Naval Re-
serve, he joined the regular Navy a
year ago and when they leave here
will go on duty in the Mediterranean
area. Mary and their three chill
dren will burrow down in the snow
covered Swiss ski country where
the former can pursue her favorite
sport. She has taken a house in
Klosters at the foot of the famous
Parsenn run which is no less than
BIZ miles downhill. Her Swiss abode
is right at the bottom so she has
only to let gravity take its course
when she wants to head for home.
About the incest after-C christmas
thought yet encountered is the
Cuban custom of giving presents on
January 6. When the children of the
Cuban Ambassador and Sonora de
Belt awaken that morning they'll
know that they will find gifts wait
ing for them. They'll know, too, that
they were brought by the three
kings who bore gifts to the child
Jesus. Even the poorest children in
Cuba receive gifts on Epiphany day
because the kings bring them to all
good little boys and girls. Christmas
is not gift-giving time at all, ex-
cept for the more cosmopolitan
Cubans who have adopted customs
of this country, it is instead devoted
to churchgoing, family-gathering
and eating roast, sucking pig.
At Christmas time, however, little
managers and miniature figures are
set up in every home with the three
kings placed short distance away.
Every day the children in the family
move them closer until they are
pushed right up to the crib on the
eve of Epiphany. On that day, too,
anybody who wants to can have a
permit to sell toys on the sidewalks.
This whole thing would look kind of
grim for grown-ups if it wasn't for
the fact that they receive presents
on birthdays and name days. And
even they can receive gifts If they
have been good boys and girls. Bet
the three kings leave something at
the Cuban Embassy Monday night
for the hardworking Ambassador
and his goodlooking wife.
Something new department:
Betty and Cuthbert Train are re-
ceiving congratulations on the ar
rival of a small additional Train to
be called Jonathan. A belated
Christmas present, he was born Sat
urday, December 27, and is now
happily ensconced with his parents
in their Georgetown home. :. The
night before Jonathan appeared on
the scene, Elizabeth Van Den Berghe
made her world debut She is the
daughter of the Coun-
selor of the Belgian Embassy and
Nine. Van Den Berghe. And a
Christmas card from Prince and
Princess Alexis Droutskoy in New
York announces the presence of a |
son and heir, another Alexis. His
papa is the editor and publisher of
Helicopter magazine, is frequently