1935-12-17 — Page 42

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ISOCHROM

Christmas In Other Lands

‹Continued from Page 81)

10

Tace.

But although the festivities in Stockholm are typically Swedish, it is in the country that one comes most closely into touch with that spirit of hospitality and goodwill which has been cal- tivated so lovingly by the Swedes for so many generations, even as far back as the early pagan times before the coming of Christ, when the "Ejal” midwinter. festival was cele- brated in honour of the old Viking gods. The Swedes are a particularly home-loving and in the many beautiful coun- try estates, and indeed in every home from the highest to the lowest, from the wild northern county of Lapland to the milder. gentler county of Skane, the an- cient customs are still preserved intact. and the Christmas tradi- tion holds ered more strictly than in history-loving England..

On December 13 the "Lucia” festival takes place. This, in the opinion of the male members of the house. is perhaps the nicest custow of all One of the younger girls of the family. dressed in a long, white. ankle- length gown, and wearing a wooden crown containing lighted candles and green, leaves on her head, wakes each member of the househoid with a tray containing specially baked buns and black coffee, which she serves to them

in bed. This old custom is said to date back to 304 A.D., when a Saint Lucia was martyred int Syracuse, and it has gained special significance from the fact that the night before December 13 was thought to be the longest and darkest in the year, the "Lucia” thus marking the begin- ning of Eghter days, and health and strength for man and beast in the coming year.

But it is on December 24 that .. the festivities start in earnest. For thirteen days, until January 6. while snow and wind fight bitterly without, all is feasting and drinking and merriment

At midday on Christmas-Eve everyone gathers with much laughter and jesting in the warm. kitchen, where they all d'p their bread in a large kettle full of steaming pork broth. Ferhaps, as they eat, some who have a deep knowledge of their country's history, think, back to the old pagan days, when exactly the same custom was practised by the daring Viking warriors, any rate, it doesn't matter to the Swedish children how it originated. For them it means simply "Christmas," and for weeks beforehand they have counted the days by saying “the day before, the day before, the day before the Dipping Day!”

(THE END)

Christmas Candles

Continued from Page 113-

Ab!" His one and expressive movement of his hands and shoulder plainly indicated his disappointment in the unnatural behaviour of his two clients:

Carelessly Barbara's eyes wan- dered across the room in the direction he pointed. The head was familiar, but it was not until the man turned and held her gaze that she realised it was Graham Barton. As if her thoughts had summoned him there she blushed. But It couldn't be him. He was dining with old friends of his, for be

had told her so himself..

"So the ingenions spirit of Christmas refused to allow our little deception, though we very nearly succeeded in deceiving. each other" he said as he brought a chair and sat opposite her at the little table. "To think that we were both playing the same game, little girl! And it was a rather lonely little game on Christmas Eve-wasn't it?"

A little later, with beaming countenance proclaiming that he considered himself, directly re- sponsible for the romance he saw growing before his eyes, the Frenchman swept away the roast turkey and placed before mon- zieur and madame a miniature plum pudding, around which the. bine-red flame of barsing brandy carled triumphantly.

“Barbara, will you promise not think me quite mad if I tell

you that in the cardboard box under my chair there is a tiny Christmas tree "

"Oh, Graham! Has it red and yellow candles?" she interrupted him, her eyes shining.

"Yes, it has, but how did you know, wise woman?" the man asked as he looked lovingly at the happy face before him. He had not seen this new radiant Barbara before, and he found it rather intoxicating.

"Because I wanted a little tree like that, wanted it so much that I nearly bought it, but I

· wasn't brave enough to have it by myself. Do let me see it”

There it stood on the table between them, it's small green form embodying: the spirit of Christmas as faithfully as those great snow-laden trees cut from the woods of England had held. it through the centuries.

Looking down from the balcony of the hotel in the early hours of the morning Barbara watched the life and the movement in the street below. Christmas MOZT- in the birth of the Christ Child, the birth of a new day, and for her and the man she loved the birth of a new life together.

"I tried, little aunt," she whispered. "I made them believe. I was happy, but I shall never have to pretend any more now.”

[THE-END-J