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CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT, 1930.
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.
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Everybody kept holiday then but the cooks. The turnspits watched great
upon the revellers, masked performances and pantomime and mock military drills.
CHRISTMAS
CAKES.
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ANY cooks have already prepared their M Christmas puddings and pastry, but there are just as many who never do their festive cookery till just before it is required. These recipes should help to solve all your worries about reliable recipes:
Here is the plan for the Christmas cake:
Ingredients:-lb. butter, lb. sugar,
Many countries claim the Christmas tree. In Scandinavia there is the legend of the "service" tree supposed to have sprung from the soil where a pair of lovers were killed by violence, and where the tree mys- haunches of Christmas mutton and teriously
with its myriad of appears "airlyons" of beef brown and sizzle above the lights at the Christmas time when no winds open fires, capons and geese turned merrily | blow. A thirteenth century romance fea- round upon the spits, and the ballads of the tures the gigantic tree ablaze with burning day sing the "plumb-porridge" and "plumb candles found by a questing hero, with the puddings" and "minced pies." The custom-haloed child shining at its top, the whole lb. flour, small 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder, nry pewter pots for wine and beer were aflame with candles, the tree significant of 5 eggs, 3 tablespoons brandy or sherry, spurned as beneath the dignity of the occa- mankind, the candles of humans, good or 1lb. seeded raisins, lb. sultanas, lb. sion, and there is a singing of the serving of bad, the child of the Christ Child. Germany, almonds, lb. peel, lb. currants, Zoz. the salmon, the wild boar, venison. hogs-keeping Christmas, often welcomes its quests cherries, pinch salt.
Method: Prepare fruit beforehand. heads of honey, kilderkins of mustard, bacon with green branches ornamented with light-
and dry sultanas and currants. swine, pigeons, teal and mallard, pancakes, ed candles. One of the loveliest of its legends Wash
candied apple pies and custards, "cider of our own" tells that Martin Luther, walking over the blanch and chop almonds, chop and Gascon wine.
snowy winter hills at night and observing the peel, wash and dry cherries and cut into beauty of the glittering stars against the rings.
Line the cake with brown and white dark, set up for his children a tiny fir, with
paper. candles representing the stars.
Cream butter and sugar till white, add the well-beaten eggs gradually, next the brandy-sherry, then the flour and baking powder (which have been sifted together) and the fruit. Mix well.
Mock ceremonial, quaint humours and the spirit of fellowship marked the celebra; tions of these times. From the days of the early Norman conquest to those of the Cont monwealth in England, down through tho reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, "Bloody" Queen Mary and Good Queen Bess, into those of James I, Charles I and into the days of the Puritans,. there is record that the Christmas revels made their way and the customs persisted through the centuries. The Puritans, however, would have none of the "nonsense," and in New England in 1621, Governor Bradford rebuked a bevy of young men lately arrived from England, when they objected to working on Christmas day and insisted upon giving it at least to games and sports while he looked on and frowned.
Virginians Observed Day.
It was by way of the Virginias that Christmas observance came to America, and in England the restoration of the royal family to the throne restored the rites of Christmas there. It was not until 1659, how- over, that the law against its celebration was repealed in New England. With this halting by the Puritans the Christmas festival began a languishing from the immense elaborate- ness of its earlier celebrations that has grad- ually grown, but Christmas, one truly be- lieves, will never become extinct. Amid
changing custom the spirit of the season still survives, and while uproarious merriment may have passed by the board, the period of its commemoration continues to exist as a time of celebration all over the civilised world.
Northern Germany holds the faith that Mary and the Christ child pass through the lanes and streets on Christmas Eve, and in Austria arises our adopted custom of placing candles in the windows on Christmas Eve that the Christ Child passing by in darkened ways might not stumble.
Celebration in Egypt.
Back so far as to the time of ancient Egypt is traced the origin of the custom of decking our homes with greens, for then branches of the date palm were hung in homes during the winter solstice, symbolic of "life triumphant," the symbol that our Christmas greens to-day interpret.
It was during the reign of Queen Victoria and her marriage to a German prince that the custom of the Christmas tree, was brought into England, and German emigrants brought it to America.
Make oven very hot, then lower the gas before. putting cake in the oven and cook in a decreasing heat from 2 to 2% hours.
The right icing for a Christmas cake is almond paste, with the following-recipe-It- is not difficult to prepare:
Ingredients: Goza. ground almonds, 14oz. icing sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons sherry, and squeeze lemon juice.
Method: Sift the icing sugar and mix well with the ground almonds. Separate the yolks and white of eggs. To the yolks add the sherry and lemon juice and beat well. Mix into the almond and sugar mak- ing into a firm paste (about the consistency of short crust). Sprinkle a little icing sugar on the pastry board and put almond paste out. Divide into three, Roll one piece into a strip sufficiently long to go half way round the cake, brush the paste with the unbeaten white of egg and place on the side of cake. With the second portion of paste '· proceed in the same way.
For the top roll the remaining piece out to the size of the top of cake. Brush the cake with the white of egg and place paste on top. With the hands smooth over the top and sides to make the paste even. It is then ready for the royal icing.
The pudding is just as important as the cake this time of the year, and this is how to make it.
Carols had their beginning back to a few centuries after the birth of Christ when bishops sang them in the churches to their Ingredients: 1lb. breadcrumbs, lb. clergy. Not until the 16th century did they plain flour, lb. butter, 1lb. brown sugar, take the finish and form in which we hear 1lb. raisins, lb. sultanas, lb. currants, them sung. They then became festal chants 4lb. almonds blanched and chopped, lb. introduced by the Norman French into Eng- peel, cut into dice, 10 eggs, little spice and Paris has originated a more secular cele- land, but repudiated by the Puritans along rutmeg, wine-glass brandy, good pinch salt. bration of Christmas Eve, staging its "re- with Christmas. The ballad form appeared
Method: Cream butter and sugar, add villion" in cafes with its climax in midnight about this time, and it was then that the well-beaten eggs gradually, then brandy. Christmas supper.
In Russia "Kolenda" "waits" made their rounds of the homes be Next add most of the crumbs,. flour and comes with its Christmas Eve procession fere dawn on Christmas morning, singing in flavouring, then some of the fruit, then re- through the streets, its carol-singing for payment for coins. The word carol comes mainder of crumbs, etc., and the remainder coppers, the masquerading of revellers as from the Latin cantare (to sing) and rola! of fruit. Mix well. animals, significant of the manger, and with (the interjection of joy).
The pudding may be either boiled or The Christmas card originated in Eng- steamed. If boiled in a cloth, allow a little its trees in the homes of noblemen.
Scandinavia has given us many a Christ- land in 1840 as a successor to the "Christmas room for swelling. Cook 8 hours. If made mus custom. Peace prevails for all the sea piece," a roll of ornamental note paper into two puddings, 6 hours is sufficient. son there, with old feuds forgotten. There bearing greetings from engraver's appren-
Serve with sweet white, or brandy sauce. the shoes of the family are set in a row with tices to their friends. One Thomas Sharrock their retiring, that its members might live is credited with originating the first Christ- in peace throughout the year to come. There mas card, but the first one of which a copy
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is found the Yule log, the dancing and the exists was by Sir Henry Cole and 1,000 im- Cards were fringed and frosted and padded skating, and it was a custom of long-stand-pressions of it were lithographed and hand- and scented (those made of silk), and their ing in other years, and may still be followed coloured for sale in London. It was not until subjects were, generally children, kittens, in parts of the peninsula, to celebrate the 1881, however, that the card was revived and puppies, sprays of flowers and scenes. Then. season with the yearly bath, the great wash reprinted in colour process for general use, as later, the religious card was not so gen- tub dragged out into the centre of the house and from that time the popularity of the erally procurable. America originated the for the series of ablutions. Candles burn card rose rapidly. Kate Greenaway was but more generous use of holly and mislétoe on all night for "Kristine" who brings the gifts, one of the celebrated artists who received cards, and added the poinsettia because of its there are games until the carollers burat in good prices for original paintings for cards. seasonableness and colour, in the 1890's.