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‘Scot on Christmas ‘

How "Our Ideas Have Grown Bigger and Bigtger But Is It Happier Than It Was 2

(By I. J. BELL. Author of "Wee Mac g-regor," eh.)

The recognition of Christmas by Scotland as a whole is a. comparat- 1vgly new til-ling. I have shocked English friends by mentioning that Christmas Day in Scotland is not a general holiday. The Banks, Ex- msngee, some ofllcee and city ware-

- houses are closed, most of the Chur-

ches - now hold morning services, except in remot districts. signs of the season areas abundant as in the south, and its genial air as mani- fest. but otherwie it is "business as

" usual. and New Years Day remains

the peoples holiday and festival. "Ihekhiristmas that we know in Scotland fo-day came from over the Border. and ‘that not so long ago. 1 should not wonder if there are still perfervid elderly scots who resent, its celebration. not from sternly re- ligious, or uncharitable. ‘points o: view, but simply as aninstance of the "Anglifying Influence which wrought so many changes in victor. ian days. ,,,,, At any rate. I can remember when there werepienty of people in Glasgow. for example, who cordially objectedto the innovation. as they termed it. At the-same time, 1 ad- mit. there were also people who aspired to be. as ‘English’ as possible

BATTLE OF TRADITIONS

I am not going to venture to com- pare‘ English she Bpottlah Christ- mases. for the very good reason that in the course of my lifetime I have spent only two (Jhristmaascs in England-one p in a London hotel the other in a seaside boarding- house. 1‘ shall try to make a little picture of Christmas as I knew it long ago-and than ask a quesiion which. I fancyfis as applicable now to England as to my own country.

' As a ' small boy-meaning t fifty years ago-I was planted, as it were between the Old and the New. While objectors yet aboundeil. izhristrnss was beginning in "catch on" in the North. especially among the urban middle-classes. and lri

-, several houses‘ of my acquaintance.

was not only recognised, but mod- eatly celebrated. -

In mrown home the situation was amusing. as I view it io-day. though puzzling. as I found it then. My

father's people were all for the trad- iiionai New Year. my mother's for the "new-fangled’ (to use my Dili- ernal grandmother's name for it) Christmas: and I doubt not that. my, mother's people TBEIYdBd my fath- et"s as "stlck-iu-the-muds. Wiiiie my father's people regarded my moth- er's as weakllngs. “Batu?” °f m‘ ‘Now snobbery- ' .

I hasten to assure you that my ‘iulile was mt annually the sccue of hliiei- conjugal strife. In the begin- ning. my parents did what nations and politicians have usually been compelled to do in the ion! "iii" compromised. and there was a. Christmas dinner for her relations and a New Year one for his!

Oh. those dinners! m- youiissi- OH they were V01‘? WIMP-mus d9‘ lizht-s. They may have been iii“- pler ‘in some respects than such things are to-day. but surely "i" had a Victorian solidity-and atoll- dity-of their own.

We sat down at four o'clock. Good. strong thick soup-nonevof. your wishy-washy consommesi-to siart with, plus a dinner-roll coyly embedded in the fancifully folded napkin-my mother's people in their modernity. called it "ssrviettd-so. presumably. that it might tease Grandmeml, by falling out on he! lap, and thence to the carpet.

‘TURKEY OR. BEEF?‘

The soup was followed by fish- usually boiled tux-bat. or cod with sauce and potatoes. Then came. riot the piece. but the two pieces do resistance. I can still see my mot- h". at oneend of the table. cooly and gracefully slicing the Turkey which. but an hour ago. had been lier feverish distraction and anxiety. I can still hear my father. at the other end. ‘anaihemising the knife, “iih which he was to operato on the Roast BaeL-But nearly all Victor-

18-11 lithe?! hid I bld word (u; flag carving-knife. _ _

Th6 ROML Beef. Ibelleve, w“ provided primarily for certain elders Who. hr reasons obscure to my juv- 95119 iiiibiliktnw. regarded ‘Turkey Wii-h aversion or suspicion-or, it may have been . with "releegloufl scruples. as something heathen‘ ‘i. On the other hand. I observed that the guests for whom the Turkey was intended 100k a course ~ of Roast Bee! as well—biers them for good old Glasgow glut/tons!

"Dessert; as we called it then- "Sweew was very "EZwU-lh'—ill01il~ ded Plum pudding. a tart. creams and jellies. stewed fruits and Tap- fora. the last. no doubt. for the poor ‘canny elders. Bui. imagine Tapioca en a Christmas dinner-table fo-dsyl Even then to my younger brother and myself, it was an object of ‘der- islon.

WINE-THEN CASHOUS These was wine-abstliners were

still pretty scarce-but in ‘my home‘

the gentlemen did not “sit over'“ it. They retired. with their beards and whiskers. jewelled studs and heavy watch-chains. to the back-parlour, to smoke cigars. or cherooia-a fre. akish. ultra modem person might be observed sporting a cigarette-while

the ladies. wl-th their buatsand chignons. their rustling draperies, their "hultles" wagging, shedding

fragrance of “White Rose" or "Frsngipani". tripped. or clambered upstairs in mice-like slippers. or cloth boots. to the drawing-room. There, laun- on. tea or coilee were served. the gentlemen appeared. some mssticating cachous. or "breath pcrfumers", and a general revival took place._ ' The elders settled down to Whlst. or. if in exceeding - gay humour. t0

"Catch-ihe-Ten". The piano was opened. ladies and gentlemen who cnuld sing. sang. and gentlemen

and ladies who could‘ not sins.- wig also-feminine ballads of WWW‘ achable sentiment. masculine ones o: s, ‘seafaring. or swashbuckling and boastful nature-

And now I can person-M to 40-0! this grace muttering. "oh. help!’ What o. stodgol" Well. perhaps it was. only we did not know any better. Christmas then suggested hearth and home, certainly not a big hotel. with central heating. in anoi-hei‘ part cf the country.

in Scotland. in the ‘Seventies. Santa Clause was only getting a foothold. My brother and I hung Up our stockings-not bolaterslips-- and slept as badly as any modern child on Christmas Eve. and rejoi- ced on Christmas Morning though I know many modern children who would be oflended. if not insulted. by the few. simple. inexpensive eon- tents of our stockings.

Christmas cards did not come I! shoals-pretty girls bragged of get- ting ihree. the Parcel Post had not been inaugurated. wherefore the mails were not disorganised for day! in advance.

Much of the modest shopping was done on Christmas Eve. as in Dick- ensian stories. Indeed. to most people (Ji-iristmas "arrived almost suddenly. Its approach was not persistently and insistently trumet- ted from mid-November. it was not the highly complicafad ind widely ramiiled and social proposition it is to-day. it did not involve millions upon millions of money. it asked no one to spend more than one could well afford...

Through half a century our ideal of Christmas-in a malarial 009W‘ have kept on growiii!’ 518i" "m bigger. What will the! W. MW yam-g hence? COIOIIIJ BS1954 9m our prevent iflil8in5u°n“°7 u um’ pie as they were iiiiv m" w" For the latter is not an imllWibim-Y sooner or later. indeed a reaction seems inevitable. But deflation o! such idea need not mean disaster-

The spirit, 9f Christmas JllflliVQI. not because of. but in spite of. this vmodgfn display. lnd the" i‘ i“ more of it in the poulnudlaof i930 that was in i110 P9113“ o ' .

A) for the marine" i" "W" m“ h“, we, whatever our ll". more of it than had those funny 014 "back numbers." of whom I have been telling you? Well. V! WI!“ 5° have more. far more-if what W! call mums h" ‘iimm "° d°

‘with aspirin“!-

mt h” M if ot 113g, i; the question. And ii -

' why not. and what are vs vi" i"

do about it?

hear the young year of '

name

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THE -CHARI.O_'[_’_I:§IFO_\QN1_GUAK_I)_[§N_

ieiaiaiaiaieiaiaieia it's

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The Story of Christmas In

“They will not attack on Christ- mas ave." said the old lord Howard. "We can sleep~in peace tonight."

"Tomorrow we will roast an ox and eat it with honey cakes to celebrate Christmas Day." added his wife, the Lady Ann. '

Duicosa. said nothing. She bit hard into the leg of a chicken which she

held in her hand. and her eyes swept » l

over lhedining table. In the year 1300, manners were not as they are today, but courage and

honor were just the same. Dulcosa’. "

her uiicla and aunt. and all their re-

tainers supped together in the great-

hall of Fromond Castle, andbnly a large salt cellar placed upon the oak table divided the mastersvfrom their servants. ‘

"Thirty of us. all told," thought Dulcosa. "And I know they will at- tack tonight."

“Dulcosa. you look very tiredflsaid the Lady Anne. "Go to bed."

Duloosa obeyed immediately. She dropped a curtsy to the assembly. and her old nurse rose from the table

' and accompanied her up the narrow, winding stairs to the sleeping cham-

ber. " .

_ "There is nothing young here but me." thought. Dulcosa. “so my Father's enemy thinks he can take ourlands from us. If my father has been kill- ed in the l-loly Land. Fromorid Castle is mine. and I will hold it for myself; if my father is living, 1 will hold it till he retunis." \

Duicosa of Fromond was thirteen years old. Entering the sleeping chamber. sire-pressed her hand over the rough shape of s. wolf carved in‘ the stone wall; then drew aside a heavy strip of tapestry which hung over the window in the place of glass and looked into thc night.

“My lady. it is cold." grumbled the old nurse. "Come to bed." '

“How can l sleep when more iiifihe

Dulcosa 1...... u.» the Night.

plain camps my Lord of Brith and five hundred soldiers?" cried Dulcosa. "They will not have the patience to starve us to death. but will come swarming in here like rats. and. once in possession. who will turn them out? I know not how lo raise an army. and my lord uncle does not much care what happens!"

"They will not attack on Christmas Eve." mumbled the old nurse.

"'I‘hey will." whispered Dulcosa to herself. "Wolf of Fromond. protect my

her long poinied shoes. and. slipping a fur robe over her other garments. she lay down beside hci-"nurse. Dulcosa. the rfcifyoung heiress of Fromond. slept on the stone floor on a mattress of straw, and only hang- ings of tapestry divided he: bed from those of the other members of the household. Presently she heard hcr aunt and uncle enter the sleeping chamber. then the head. servants. and after s. while, the feeble candies

Old Gentleman dear little boy has just swallowed a tin soldier." ..

Modern Mother of howling hope-

Bhopper: "Your

Jul: "Never mind. I'll buy him another."

- Wiles. Over

Then she look off her red gown. i

b-.-..ii.! m: curtains went out. and the inhabitants of Iiromonil Castle sank to sleep. All save Dulcosa.

" .ey are tired of watching night aftcr night." thought Dulcosa. "No

' doubt the guards ‘are sleeping. too,

for they trust to the feast of Christ- mas lo protect them. Wolf of Fro- mond. where are you?"

Aye. where was that. spirit wolf which was supposed to become visible when Pi-omond Castle was in danger? The wolf was the emblem of Fro- mond. for‘. long before Dulcosrs time one of the lords of FtOlllDlld had sav- ed a young wolf from the hounds and taken it back to the castieuviicre it became tame. This wolf followed his master to battle. and after its death its spirit proiectm all who bore the name of Fromond. Now Dulcosa list- ciied for its voice. but heard noth- ing.

At last she-rose, crept out of the rooin without waking anyone. and made her way dovm to the dining hall. From an old chest slie drew the skin of a wolf which some stranger had killed in the mountains-for a Fromond never hunted the wolf. though there were still a few left in England. g

"As you will not come. ’Wolf of rromourl. I must take your place."

New Years Iii Japan

(By C. Rouianue-Janlcsi

I“ Jaliaii- 911911811 tlierc is no Christmas. the sah-gc-hichi, 0r three days of New Year, is a very

great festival.

No one goes to bed on the last. clay of the old year. The street, ma -and houses are decorated with flags. pine branches. oranges and straw the gate of s. house e, lobster is often placed. it being the

'§>’“‘i."~'1- ‘livid use-because mug

@i1-~i=.~<i..»=.ir. " no reversal. a... iiigfillzcze happy days L; a guy} m“, 0i "Sh. si-avy. greens. and rice: also

sugary til-Eros. of which the children are very fond,

Cu New Year's Day Japanese girls play 1h: game of shuitle cock arid‘ battiecir-"re. 'I‘he bai-‘Licrlorc. unlike Our own. is beautifully ornamented on the back. while the playing side is gilded Oi‘ painiccl.

Boys fly lilies of all shapes and colors. representing birds. beasts. fishes and insects. They engage in I "W: on such an occasion-a. perfariizaiice calling for great skill, The string which flies the kite. be. i118 covered with gum and powdered, glass. is brought sharply across the cord of the enemy kite. whichJhus falls lo earth and becomes the prop- of the victor. .

_ After sundown the streets fill with holiday makers-the grown-up folk dressed in their quiet, grey or brown RiNOiiO-‘i. i-ilt $111811 people in pale green. lilac. scarlet Ol‘ pink. Men. women and children all enjoy them- selves thoroughly. making their way between the street stalls. sampling tliesweet stuff, 0r looking at the peep-shows in the light of the many coloured paper lanterns which glow against the dark. transparent sky.

As the night grows older. wonder- ful things come to life in the air:-- Golden min. stars and rockets. great fiery birds and dragons with ouistreiched wings. Up and down the sightsecrs go. softly talking and laughing. watching the fireworks, rejoicing in the beauty of the heav-

' em. happy and gay. though never

noisy, till long after passed.

midnight is

What is the funniest animal on earth?

An author. because his isle comes out of his head.

Jeweller: "This little charm would make a vary acceptable Ohrilimill present. it la supposed w ill" magical powsrn. If you hold ii. in your hand and wish for something you would rather not have. you may be sure of not llttinl it."

,.-...

_ and fled be.

F‘ -

i iriiilil ti» l ‘fl ‘ !!‘\-r:\a \!I~E‘* V: ..~.* mails

Year I300

Taking off her fur robe. she wrapped the wolf skin around lier and tied it wgflilii‘ with the lace of her shoe threaded through little holes which she punched with her knife. Then she smezed herself through the window. for she dared not open the hall door. and dropped into the Court Yard. ' '

Her heart nearly stopped beating. for she heard strange sounds coming from beyond the castle walls. It was‘ the hcur before down. It was Christ- mas Dayi And his lordship of Brith qand his five hundred soldiers ‘were creeping up to Promond Castle.

Dulcasa howled like a wolf. and sprang toward; the moat. On the castle ivalls she saw many heads ap- pearing. but she howled still louder as she plunged fearlessly into the pater. ci-oszscd the moat, and gen... up cn to the wall.

"V/clf of Fromonrli" shouted the selidzrs. And thty drollbtd back for they liad no desire to fight a ghost

‘W011’.

"Wolf of Fromond!“ cried the old lord up in 1h: LL-sping chamberuAnd the ccslle awoke.

Aye. CVCll iii the dim light everyone saw the wolf leaping on the castle walls. Such courage did he give to the can‘. folk that they~knew no fear. '1‘heyi'.".ce:l to the loopholes. draw.- ing their bows as they ran. but it was the wolf that filled the enemy with dread. My Lord oral-in. could not rally hi: nizn. so he strode up to Froinond Castle. taking aim at that shadow on iizc ivaii. 'l'hcii the wolf reared iiluizelf up and sprang down upon the Lord o." Briih, who turnril re him. -

"Wolf o.’ fioziioiid. you he." us.” subbed Dulcma as slic in and ova": on the era... after iii. _ . leap dcivn. "But meihlnks ‘I have broken my ankle."

She could no: stay there in view of

"the rezrcagng enemy. so she hurried away, oiii-all fours and hid herself in the thick bushes beyond ‘the castle. Ice cold and weary. she lsy there till the dawn broke. She heard much shouting coming from the castlmbut she dared not go back for fear of being seen; besides. her ankle was painful and she could not stand.

“"I‘is Christmas Day." thought Dul- cosa. '

Presently she heard the tramp of fest. but, not knowing whether it came from friend or foe. she held her breath. and waited. Suddenly a nisn cam» azriding through the bushes and with his long sword he touched the bundle of grey fur which quivered on the ground.

“Wolf cf Promond?" he whispered.

"Father! Oh, ‘tis my Lord of Fro- mond come home!"

Yes. it was Dulcosas father. who had arirved at dawn to find his bit- ierest umemy in retreat and his little daughter missing. He. and the com- puny of Crusaders who accompanied him, were now searching for heru

“were you the Wolf of Fromond?“ he questioned increduously. as he took Dulcosa into his arms.

" ‘Twas the only thing lo do," she replied.

Ha undid the wolf skin tenderly.

wrapped Dulcosa in his cloak. and carried he: home. ‘ “You are worthy oi your name.

lJulcosa of l-‘romondfl he whispered. -

\_ Arid on that joyful Christmas Day. when his lordship of Fromond sat at table with his friends and retainers. he lifted his lankard of ale. anchloolc- ing straight at Duicoss. he said: "I ask you all to drink to the brave Wolf of Pkomond. who has saved us once again." '

Why is a boxing match usually a short affair?

Because it only takes two seconds to arrange it.

you find this calling for Christmas boxes makes you a vary unwbular W80!"

Coalman: "No. mum. they nearly all ask me to call lllini

Mrs. Mean: "Don't

, in which they move.

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m. u...............,.i a“... C.............. p..,,....l..oii.. s4... as‘ see-i as lull; hillCA‘ c..ii.iigs sc. iii.

Princess iilary, Viscuullless Lantern... is like a ciiaiclaiue 0i 01.1. ivhii sound. old-fashioned pzincipic. auJ beliefs as to the duty of ilie Lady ui the Manor. with her own hands in: Princess. makesout lists of the Chris".- mas gifts which are to be bcsioeel upon ihe iensntry and dependents. and of contributions to the innum- erable hospitals and institutes iii which Her Royal Highness is maver- csted. So much of the quiet and

“i.

L d.’

i Royalty and Christmas

(liq Maude Wciiivi-orih.)

really hard work put in by members _

of the Royal Family never comes in light except in the immediate circle Primers Marv i; our of the hardest l""i"'»""‘.‘i of all. She fakes her resoonsihil-iies aW-o- ‘utnlw enririiflil’, Ffifi zines a": inhu- 1.i.=..., .,.-~----.i of p,.i*i1._.~ ,..~-1-..-»=»-q h; r"~<= i...“ n~-~""'\‘g w". i~~~ 11"“! ham‘:

The Queen's Needlework fiu'l'l

One of i.er first concerns. apart from presents made to people on her own estate. is the Queen's Nccillc- work Guild. Ever since slie was quite a small gul. the Princess has marl: annual contributions to this monster collection. l-ler own exp/ari- ences as a mother have glYfli he." a very lively sympathy will-i other ybuiif; mothers. and among her Sills i0 iii?

Guild are always s, number of mat- .

ernity sets. which are the most cum- plete things imaginable. including even sheeis and blankets.

Princess Mary is a beautiful and very rapid knigtcr. Sh: often makes her oivn smail bug's‘ jersey suits; and there are f‘i\'.8j.‘§ several hand-knitted garmrnis liflli)“g the preseiiis she gives away at Cllfiiilllfi.

Qiiecn lilary. on the other hand. is more fond of crochet than of knit- ting. The Queen invariably makes six col covers with her oivn hands for the Guild at Christmas. These are saricd when Her Majesty goes Lo Balmorsl for {hi} summer holidays. and if a great many engagements in- terrupt their progreas. they are fin- ished and luicd with silk at Sand- ringliam towards the cncl of the yrar. Lucky indeed is the babe who rectives one of these Rqval cot covers. fortlie crochet work put into them is. ex- quisitely neat and even. the wool is of the softest and flrecicst. and the silk lining i; pretty enough to grace the cot of a princess. As there is keen rivalry for the possession of the covers. they are usually btstowed in the form of special rewards. for the prize babies at maternity centres in needy neighborhoods.