The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-01-02
Nothing Unique About Events at
Rodan+he Which VIII Take
Place Saturday Night

Contrary to what some. folks
think, Old Christmas and its OBJ
servance is nothing new or unique.
1t has been observed one thousand
years in various lands, and is still
an important event in many coun-
tries. The sixth of january is still,
among numerous people, the "true
Christmas"
The annual festival which ac-
companies this event is to be held
on Saturday night, January 8 at
Rodanthe this year, as matter
of convenience. A committee,
headed by Mrs. Nora Herbert, is
now at work rehearsing the pro-
/ gram which will be held at the
community building. Some out of
town performers will take part in
the affair, but nearly all of the
cast is local people.
Persons from off Hatteras Is
! land who are planning to attend
the Old Christmas festival cannot
get there later than 4:30 pm.
when the last ferry trip of the day
leaves the north side Of Oregon
Inlet.
In connection with Old Christ
mas, the following news release
is of much interest:
| The Twelve Days of Christmas
come to an end on January 6, the
traditional time for burning
Christmas greens.
Twelfth Night, or Epiphany, is
marked with many customs, cere-
monies, and legends in various
parts of the world, the National
Geographic Society says. French
and Swiss children, for example,
look forward to the Twelfth Night
pastry-a rich "cake of kings" in
which black bean, a coin, or a
china figure is hidden. Whoever
gets the prize is crowned king by
the family.
The Three Wise Men
The Twelfth Night tradition is
a reminder of the days signifi-
canoe in Christian tradition .Epi-
phany, meaning appearance"
commentaries the visit of the
Three Wise Men--also known as
the Three Kings--to the infant
! Jesus. Their arrival was proof to
believers that Christ the Savior
had been born.
"Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days
of Herod the king" says Mat
thew (2:1-2), behold, there came
wise men from the east to Jeru-
salem,
Saying, Where is he that is
born King of the Jews? for we
have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him"
During the Middle Ages Twelfth
Night was concentrated with
plays presented in churches. But
solemn observances largely disap-
peared in Elizabethan England,
and they became a time for joy
GUS revelry and wassail.
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night"
reflects the merry mood. The play
was probably first presented in
command performance at White
hall Palace on January 6, 1901,
during the height of Britain's era
of boisterous celebration of the
occasion. Queen Elizabeth enter
tanned the Duke of Bracciano, Don
Virginia orsino. The Italians
name reappears for the Duke of
Illyria in the play.
Twelfth Night later declined in
popularity, but such customs as
feasting and presenting a masque
still survive in parts of Britain.
Witch Plays Santa Claus
Today child "kings" crowned
with golden paper coronets roam
the streets of Europe on Epiphany,
/ singing hymns and carols. In Italy,
millions of children awake on Epi-
phany to find their stockings filled
with, presents from La Befana, the
good-hearted witch who takes the
place of Santa Claus. La Befana,
whose name is a corruption of
Epiphany" is supposed to leave
lump of coal for bad children,
but she almost never does.
In France, portion of the Epi-
phany cake is often set aside as
''la part de Dieu"-God's share.
1t is given to the first poor person
who comes to the door. In Greece,
three pieces of cake are cut: one
for Christ, one for Mary, and one
for st. Basil. In Britain, Twelfth
Night cake is washed down with
Lambs Wool, a drink made with
hot, strong ale spiced with nut
meg and sugar.
MANTEO GAINS: ENGELHARD
/ InCEcC a