DECEMBER 11, 1949

i

Jon . . . now would yo! ' {fioililq- job of delivering boxes of mistletoe during the Christmas i

grnson’! Nice work-i! Y" "'5'

B. ii,

Columbus Unlucky 0n Christmas Eve

America's first Christmas was' gplftbi-‘iifld by Christopher Colum-E bu; l: happened on Christmas evs pf the memorable year 1402. _

Columbus was Piannlllfl 1° 055"“? the r-na of the Nativity with the: Indian ciiieftairl, Guacanasari. who ruled nvcr the island of l-laiti. Al- yliiilV he had received fine Pfeleml- from‘ ii.» chief who he believed to be flifil Khan of Cillfllm» m" yabuinus realm of the Orient Colum- bu, mniakcnly thought ha had found.

Bu’. Co‘ irnhiis’ plans went wrong. 1i.- ~.\.is so tired from long watches while the Santa Maria cruised the‘ island channels that he retired to M, gghlri for s nap. While he was sleepLna, the next ln command also dspidwi to take a rest and went be- 14w, Tin- holmsrnnn, as tired as the others. ilvrided that he deserved a‘ mt as rniirh as they and turned thsi tiller over to a cabin boy.

Abandon Ship.

‘lhe worst happened. Within a dew minutes the Santa Maria was. fart on s reef. The rolling surf. drove the ship higher and higher upon the reef and opened her learns. soon she fell over on her side and. iths water poured into her hull. Co-i liimhus and the crew were forced to sack rrnige on his other ship, the Nina.

' Early next morning Columbus Qsnt word of the wreck to Chief iduscsnagsri Promptly the chief ‘sent a message to Columbus assur- lug him that he would give him all 3 the assistance possible.

“I The noble chiettsln was better »,ihan his word. He assembled a "great flotilla of canoes and des- . Patched them to the Santa Maria to ' bring all its valuables ashore. Amid the cargo the natives saw many ‘things 'hat made their eyes open yids with envy.‘ Yet so strong was their friendship for the white men and so careful Guacanagarrs su- pervision that not a single article . yin stolen. 7i‘, Clsrlstmu Banquet. flqlfltntha last article had been Hlrlllsht sshors, Guacanagarl had y another plan. His guests had missed as, but there was no reason ' Columbus and the men should ‘Wilflioy the finest banquet he and j his followers could provide. A i- fliers was game kom the woods. ‘fiobstar and fish from the sea: and .- sorts of tropical fruits and vege- z ables. A thousand natives danced i Columbus’ honor after the feast- 2111s and the climax of the cere- 1 onies came when the chief brought ‘tout a coronet of gold and placed it nspon Columbus’ head. The" pyug iili" presents of gold for the crew. t.‘ la the journal which ha was keep- yinz for Ferdinand and Isabella, Co- ; ivmbus wrote: "rhea: people love i heir neighbors ss themselves; their t l-llstflilfs! is aver sweet and gentle, N“ "Wlmpanisd by a smile. 1 inf" i" W"? mliesties, there ls 3pm to the world a better nation or i llfiil. ' -

i 3 . ,Sccret Gifts Left QBy St. Nicholas i '2 "is fllw or how st. Nicholas as?! fame associated with secret gift? :z“iitlllll. and even today comes on.‘ h’: Y l‘ night to leave his pros- £11113“! one of the most important ‘" history o! his life. ‘vufimwglliilltlll a time there was a ' ll with three daughters, all of g doom washing to marry. but with no zwatlfhfilcrihytltigllnl. Sorry. indeed. 1 , ..ir p s t. Their father had f. lbflutdocided to sell them as slaves ' ‘i a“ m‘ flood Si. Nicholas heard of: f“; ind ‘lliilflll a purse with gold,' i, einrilaivtiy gr night to their home.‘ i ‘ “'"‘ 0W Open. he threw in g mag"! vi sold and then stole away i,“ Fidilghtl. This money enabled ' 8 i $555“ “v ~ “.i'.n'§'..'..‘1."é?.".'.i.ii§i ‘imnomdm’ ‘he "in and tinally all, t M, "llehtei-s were married. I Zliflgierfaglle mm" m" trio. the l!" ,0 so H‘. who had been watch- hln w" estwho brought the aim. , m m: M . Nicholas and flunk“ Iimdu m s kindness. St. Nicholas m. ‘m Y." promise not to divul|o' h" d: "his and snei- um he al- kreu, ‘hi3! It‘? his presents so se\ w" Uncover saw him. L,“ 5:15:11‘ in“. somehow. that it ‘mm and ‘will! alfts during the pakka so whenever they foumg. ‘i’ "immoral: delivered-

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fiolss has brought m"

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Rnlnans,

d h°""“ with art-en bougha to

"i" of hnii ‘ a

as decoration.

l’ O I I" France,

"M nmhn Father Christmas is l

"We ‘Noel or Pare

poal of bells on Christmas morn- I tylnstantly exclaimed, "sputum, ing has been for ages a feature of the Christmas celebration. ' > many countries, however. the bolls Mflilt’ (Yhrlgtmns Customs “c ringing on Christmas evc, for ac» i'l\(‘!| irnni non-Christian origins. cording in the old church iisagc nnummhd Win91" this rep] beginning of Christmas u... gamma,“ The Drum‘ was at. sunset. on Christmas Err. _ "i mistletoe and the Saxons Christmas bells tell us that. once, long hgo, on a Christmas d time iflw the world. flobding the

earth with beauty and goodness. girls and women vied to devise when the angels sang about s crin ‘complete stories based on the an- »in Bethlehem, t

EVBTY year. on Christmas Eve. a boll (known as the Devil's Knoll) is rung in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Eng- land. But for World War II. when it was rung twice only the bell has been rung every year for 700 years. Legend says that the custom began in the 13th century by a local baron, w-ho. as penance for killing his servant, gave a bell to the parish church and ordered that it. should be rung every Clhristitnas Eve to re- mind him of his brlme. By tolling the bell once for every year since the birth of Christ, the final stroke being timed to ring exactly at. the hour of midnight, local people be- lieved that. the devil would be kept aiway from the parish for the next 12 months.

Special carol services are. held in churches all over England on Ohristlznas Eve, particularly in the north of England. In many places Nativity plays are acted. based on the Now Testament story of what happened iii Bethlehem nearly 2,- 000 years ago.

The Scottish village of Kiliin, Perthshlre. has a Christmas custom which is unknown elsewhere. Every Yuletide the villagers go to a near- hy stream and gather rushes, which are pulled instead of being cut. Thcse rushes nre ilicn llsvt". as a temporary resting-place for a num- ber of stones taken from the gables of an old corn-mill; they are stones with a history. ‘The villagers will tell you that their patron saint, st. Filllan, uscd them centur- ies ago to cure the ague. sprains. and other silitncnhs and illiliflei- U9 simply rubbed the affected limb with one of the stones. and :1 com- plete cure followed. Nowadays. tho stones are brought out. each Christ- mas, laid on their bed of rushes. and later returned to tho cables oi the mill. 1n this way Kiilin both celebrates Christmas and perpetu- ates the memory of its. patron saint.

Christmas Day itself is a great home festival. Christmas dinner. with its turkey and plum pudding twhen available) is the traditional meal of the year. And in many places there are Cihrlsixnas Day customs which centre round the fes- tive board-An Queen's College. Ox-

IDo you know

I wonder (writes l/Vnite-r G. I-laat- land) if you will sing "Adrst tempus floridum" this Christmas? Moat 0d us know this very familiar tune better as “Good King Wcnceslns." All the same. “Adcst tcnipus flori- dilm." which moans "Now the timf of flowers is here." is tho name of the original niclody, WIlICll, com- posed more than 350 years ago, was given its present. words by a clergy- man in the nineteenth century,

You may remark that "Now the time of flowers is lierr." does lmi. sound very Christmasy True, for this oarol was not a. Christmas carol at all. but a hymn to the Svprlng. Most of our carols, in fact, liad a non-religious orgin.

Even the words we now still: to

to St. Stephen's day. Doc. 36th. Who, anyway, was King Wenceslas? He is the psrton saint of Bohemia. the independent Czechoslovak state after the Orr-at. war, was under the away of tho Holy Roman Em- pire in the tenth century. Wences-

' las, who became the reigning duke of Prague in 925. was brought up

as s. Christian by his grandmother. and iii- founded many churches. in his dukedom. But his attempt lo convert his subjecm to Christianity led to his assassination four ycars lptpr by his younger brother.

Boleslav. Printed In i521

We might never have discovered many of the older carols. but. for the broadsheets on which they were crudely printed, and howked round the country Ily wandering singers and minstrels. And the words of a great number of carols were iin- known until the year 1850, wllr-n a valuable old book, now in thin library of Balllol College. Oxford. was found behind a bookcase. This book was the private memo- randum of Richard Hill. a. london grocer. who, between tho years 1500 and 1636, noted down tables of weights. dates of fairs, musical p.13- scriptions, cookery recipes, (lotus oi his children's births, riddles. puzzler. and poems in English, French and Latin,‘ items on how to break in horses, and a number of. carols.

“The Boar's Head Carol." ill" 91.1.15; printed Christmas carol we

rentice of Caxton. printed it. in 1.5112), is still sung annually 1t Queen's College, oxford. M ilk

boar‘s head is carried in solemn procession lntmtho l-iall on Christ- mas Day. Written For Daughter

It was a ilrunkcn poet. lnurclitv m m; time ()7 Dryden, who wrote "While Shepherds Watched Their

__-___.__

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The custom of ringing a ioyoJB

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. love

E‘ Old Engiand'vs_mMerry Christmas

Wrote Christmas

"Good King Wenceslas" really rc’cr

‘a. which became part of

have [Wynkyn dc Wordc. an app-i

ford. for example. Hare the custom is known as the Boar's Head mast.

The mythical origin of the Feast is the story of a student of Queen's College, who was attacked by a. wild boar when he was studying Aristotle during a wall; some i500 years ago. His book was his only moans of defence. so he thrust. the, volume down the animal's throat cxciaiming Graecum est. Unable to dlsest so much Greek the boar tiled. and the student carried it home in triumph! From that time the Boar's llead became s. main ceremonial dish in England and. surmounted by a crown wreathed with golden sprays of laurel and may, mistletoe liito the hall, herald- cd by trumpeters.

Another magnificent Christmas dish in llloso days was the peacock. Its skin stripped, its plumage re- tained, it was roasted. When it had cooled slightly, its feathers were sown on again, and its beak gilded. Stuffed with spices, sweet. hciibs and the yolks of eggs, it was served with rich gravy. .'1‘o the accompani- ment of music it. was carried into the dining-hall by the most beauti- ful lawman or the one of the high- est rank, followed by a bevy of lov- ely girls. Sometimes the gorgeous peacock was served in a pie, and over the plumed crest which ap- peared above the crust. knight.- crrants swore they would undertake licriious enterprises during the com- ing year.

After ilinnor the guests, in their colored, jewellod ralment, collected to play the old Christmas game of siia/pdragon. Then a great dish of raisins aflamc with lighted brandy “'85 passed round the company, and thorc was much display of skill and ithundaut. merrlment. as with their fingers. the guests drew the raisins from the burning brandy and put them in their mout-hs. The Snap- dragon Dish, sign of good cheer. was never forgotten, nor was the paSsillg of the Wassail Bowl which, filled with spiced wine or ale, WES handed from guest to guest to driirk amid the mirth that was sudh a marked feature of Old England's Merry Christmas.

who _Car0ls?

l-‘loolrs by Night." "Christians Aii-ako, Salute the Happy Morn," la the work of John Wainwright. who was organist of the Man- chester Collegiate Church until his death in 178.‘. He ivrote it for his little daughter, Dolly, who found it on her breakfast plate 0n the Christmas morning of 1745.

Charles Wesley, younger brother of John Wesley, the famous eigh- teemh century evangelist, was a greai composer of hymns and carols. Ho ‘wrote over a thousand of them. and the oui- which is most popular during the Christmas season is "Hark, the Herald Angels Sink." This was an early work of the man who, by encouraging his fellow stu- dents at Oxford to "observe ilzc method n; study prescribed by tn» statutes of the university," introdu- ced the Methodist creed which hi5 elder brother carried far and wide.

Did you know that a. very popu- lar hymn was written by Dem Farrar, the author of “Bic. 0r Little by Ifittlc." During the period that Dean Farrar was headmaster at Harrow he wrote "In the Fields With Their Flocks Abiding" the boys.

"0 Come, All Ye Faithful" ema- naies from the Oxford religious movement. of the middle of the 113st century, but its Latin original.

(late. And "O Little Town of Beth- iehem" iPhlllips Brooks in Bethlehem on iChristmas Day. i866.

That. picturesque figure in the ,world of Victorian poetry. Chris- tina Rossetti. wrote one of tho loveliest: of Christmas hynuis "love Came Down at Christmas.”

Christmas Will Lire

Cecil Francis Alexander, wife of I William Alexander, the Irish dlvlno, produced s. great number of hymns. She wrote “Once in David's Royal City" for her child- ren over sishily your» I80- TM! carol appeared in a book of hymn-l and carols for children which ran into a hundred editions.

The American contribution to this type of music is compsrtivclv recent because the Pilgrim Rthcrs. holding the Purltaln view of t'ic observance of Christmas, naturally took no carols to the New Worlil. Biil. i-nrols arc noiv snug in AmPrLn as much as they are in England; "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear is an American carol: M il "W9 Three Kings of Orient Are." which was composed by the Rev Dr. J. ll. Hopkins. of Wllliamsport. in i851‘.

Neither war nor the secular relis- loiis of the dictator states can fir-ai- 1y root out these traditional ob- scri-ances at Christmas-time

Future Foretoldm By Drowsy Hens

Divlnatlons were an important part. of the Christmas festivities in (rsarlst Russia.

After a special family Christmas dinner. the girls of the iiousehokl pinged five piles of grain upon the kitchen floor: each pile was Riven g name, such as Hope, Ring. Mon- ey, Thread and Charcoal. A dro\vsy' lien ivns fetched from the hen- house and allowed to wallr around thn kitchen floor and choose a pile of grain.

Obviously the hen's choice cl Money meant. wealth; Ring, fort-- told a u-erldlng within a, year; and Hope. promised the fulfillment of n \\ish or n long journey. if the Slonpv (‘IIIPKNI chose the grain dos- igiinlod is ‘rhreacl. n. life of ini: was prodirtcrl for the marrlsgrahle maiden of the household; and Charcoal was considered an omcn of death in the family.

Old songs were sung to accom- pany such goings-on, while the

for _' '

"Adoste Fldeles." is o! much old" = was actually written by _

ANTA CLAUS is one of the moat. precious wonders of childhood. American mothers overwhelmingly

as the spirit of generosity, kindli- ness, and glftrgiving.

Although the modern conception of Santa Claus is American, the‘ Spirit of Santa Claus is neither modern nor American. The real Saint Nicholas lived in Asia Minor and ever since his death in 343' stories concerning him have been repeated around the ilresides of Europe.

The children of Lapland andl northern climates naturally picturei Santa dressed in fur and dashing‘ through the snow in a reindeer- drawn sleigh. But in central Europe, St, Nicholas first appeared, on his liturgical feast day, Decem-j ber 6, and he was a thin, austerei cburchman who rode s mule and. carried gifts for good children and l bundle of birch rods with which. to switch the naughty.

Under Dutch inlluence St, Nich- olas lost his solemnity. The Dutch' colonists who brought him to Amer- ica were very practical people and‘ they decided against two gift-giving days in the some month. Thus.i Sinter Klass started coming around' only at Christmas time. '

Santa Gets a Sleigh.

Eventually, ancient legends were woven into American Christmas traditions. Washington Irving sent St. Nicholas flying through Christ- mas skies in a reindcer-drmvn sleigh in 1809; Dr. Clement liloore's poem "The Night Before Christmas." written in 1822, gave Santa " . , . a little round belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of' jelly?’ and a series of drawings in' ‘I868 by Thomas Nast added much to the traditional pictures and ap- pearance of the Santa we sea todayf

In every youngsters life there comes fire time when he begins to suspect that the various be- whiskercd gentlemen, so numerous during this season, are not exactly the real Santa Claus. Wisc parents, advance the "helper" theory as soon as they are asked questions and lteach their children to make the Christmas dreams of less fortunate ,tots and their families come true.

'.l‘hus, the real Santa Claus isn't just myth or legend. He is the ,'Spirit of Christmas who lives in ‘the sparkling eyes of children and ,in the hearts of all grown-ups who strive for peace and good will iamong men. '

mas tune. Tonight beneath my cottage eaves; While. smitten by a lofty moon, The encircling laurels, thick with leaves, Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen, ' That overpowered their natural. green. ' l

Had sunk to rest with folded wings;

Keen was the air, but could not freeze,

Nor check the music of the strings;

So stout and hardy were the band

That scraped the chords with stren- uous band.

iAnd who but listened? till was paid Respect to every inmate's claim: .The greeting given, the music played 1n honor of each household name, [Duly pmnounced with lusty call. And "mcrrv (Thz-istmnr." wished to aill —Wiiliam Wordsworth.

Parents Can Spoil Chilclren’s Play

, Here's a Christmas resolution for parents. It's one that ought to be made before New Year's resolutions are avsn considered. lt goes, "I will keep my hands oil the chil- dren's toys all day on Christmas." It'll be a bard one io kccp because Mother likes to fuss with Ann's doll. She pretends she is showing Ann how to put on the bonnet, but she's actualLy having a grand time play- i lng. And once Father gets his hands " on the train, or the auto that winds up. the boys can't get near them. lt isn't fair. The children are cry- ing for a little peace and freedom. After all, adults can play with toys for the next 8M days if they want to.

The Puritans frowiird on llli‘ excessive jniliiy’ uilli iiliirii (‘iii-Isl- mas was flhFFflPfi ill Eiizlziiul their time and silrrr-cdvwi iii ILHIIIC

Parliament. forbid 1H“ iiilfilhriflilfi festivities. I I l

In Norway. Chriirnas gifts arc hidden sway and elu- chlliiron have to search for ilirm. in Italy,

the gifts are drawn from the "Urn 0f Fill". a custom which origin-

tlca of the hen.

sled with the ancient Romans.

agree that he should be portrayed '

, ' ‘ iTho minstrela played their Christ-i

‘through bill and valley evarybressa‘

Suggested Gifts For MOTHER:

AT CHRISTMAS TIME YOU WILL BE GIVING HER SOMETHING - WHY NOT MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WILL TAKE THE DRUDGERY OUT OF HER DAILY CHORES ABOUT THE HOME?

ALSO

W'ES'I‘IN(liHOI‘SIvJ ELECTRIC RANGE

CONNOR IVASHEK JOHNSTON ELECTRIC Electric 01- Ggg FLOOR POLISIIISIR

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FAWCPYPI‘ RANGE ‘Ofli. Wood or Oil

l. Pllectrlc lrun

i, I‘lIt'(‘Il’li; Toaster

Electril Mixer

, Electric. Hotplate.

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b. Not Dishw- ‘I. 8. IlIt‘(‘I.l'I('

lIi-ntlnl: l'r-.ii

Ilusy Chis i r

it.

I 0. (Jeiln r Chest

Lamps

and many other useful ilTIi('ItԤ

Suggested Gifts For FATHER :

THE BREAD-WINNER OF THE FAMILY IS OFTEN OVERIDOKED BUT YOU WILL AGREE HE MER- ITS CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. SOMETHING THAT WILL SURELY PLEASE HIM IS-

ALSO :-

1. Living Room (or Den) DESK, walnut.

9 g I

u’; in mahogany or MADE m camps av

o: LUXE UPHOLSTERING co. LIMITED

""1531 2. SMOKERS-Floor model with large ash tray. , 8. CARD TABLE SET complete with Chairs. . 4. KITCHEN COUCH-Adjustable Itcasl 0r Davenport. | kw U. STUDIO COUCH for his Den. 1. ‘