CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT
KEEPING CHRISTMAS
the Smiths have done their
I chrismas shopping early.
they are greedy and want to get- first pick of everything.
If you have done so. it is out of consideration for the assis tants who are usually rushed off their legs during the last few days.
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By GORDON GRIFFITHS
If the Browns go abroad for Christmas they are unpatriotic and are taking money out of Hong Kong
If you do so, it is because you are broad-minded and believe in travelling as an education-net that you need it, of course.
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If the people next door say they are going to spend Christ- mas quietly, it is because they cannot afford to do otherwise.
If you do so, it is because you believe in living to-day as you. can live to-morrow, you
send If the Robinsons small presents they do so expect- ing to get something substantial in return.
If you send them similar ones, you are not anxious to display ostentation.
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If you hang up some mistle- toe it is because it is a time- honoured custom.
If Maisie does so, it is her only hope of being kissed this year.
If Uncle Podger says he will spend Christmas with you he is trying to save own home.
expenses in his
If he doesn't, he is afraid you will expect too much of him as a visitor.
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If Mrs. Perkins doesn't put silver coins in the Christmas pudding she is mean.
If you don't do so, it is because you are afraid the children will swallow them.
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wife If Smith kisses your under the mistle-toe-well, no wonder!
Mrs. Have you sech Smith?
If Mrs. Smith kisses you, it is because she cannot resist you -in any case, Smith:
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If Smith throws a party, he is anxious to show off.
If you do so well it is just the spirit of Christmas.
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If he dresses up like Father Christmas he is making an ass of himself.
If you do so, it is because the kiddies have to be entertained.
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If you burn brandy over the pudding you do so because the children love to see the blue flame
If the people next door do 30. they will do anything, for have you
smell of intoxicants.
seen
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HOW CALENDARS
STARTED
0
UR calendars, which look so
bright and modern as we
hang them up on New Year's Day, are really not so new after all.
The idea of the calendar in started
long ago eter so Greece. It was the custom there of the to have the first day month announced to the people. This was done in two ways. One way was to have heralds go about the street crying that the. first day of the month had ar rived. Another was to put up placards or printed signs on the walls. These signs were called "kalends." meaning in Greek, "I proclaim,TM
From this old custom and word we get our calendar and its name. We have added all the days of the months to our signs; we hang them in our homes in- stead of on city walls, but the idea is still the same-to tell us which day it is.
料
Lore and Legends of Christmas Tree
Countless are the feasts and legends associated with the nativity of Christ, while the ori- gin of the Christmas tree has formed the subject of numerous stories.
Many are familiar with the legend of the Glastonbury Thorn. St. Joseph of Arimathea had been going about Europe telling the story of the Cruci-- fixion, when he became exhaust- ed, and stuck his staff into the earth, saying he would wander no more. The staff became a hawthorn tree, flowering only at Christmas. A tablet now marks the spot where the original tree is supposed to have stood.
Some bestow the honour of originating the Christmas tree on Martin Luther, the German re- former, telling the following
tering stars, that on his arrival home he tried in vain to explain it to his wife and children. He went into the forest nearby and cut down a fir-tree, dragged it. into his house, fixed some can- dles on it, and lighted them.
The French legend concerns a fir, the boughs of which were adorned with candles, some up- right, others upside-down, while on the top was the vision of a haloed Babe. The tree repre- sented mankind, the Babe Our Saviour, and the candles good and bad beings.
an
In Germany
effigy of Mother and Son usually adorns the highest branch of a Christ- mas tree, while a manger and crib are placed at the base.
About the same time that Britain and her colonies adopt- ed, the use of the tree, the cus-
tale. On the night of Decem- tom began to gain 'popularity in
ber 25, while journeying over the United States. Then it
the white fields of Bavaria, he
was so impressed by the sky with its infinite myriads of glit
spread throughout the Christ- ianised world, and is now in uni- versal favour.
WHY IS DECEMBER CALLED DECEMBER?
December. like the three months preceding it, is merely called after a number. It stood as the tenth month in the an- cient Roman calendar, from which the names of all our months are taken, hence it was called after the Latin numeral "decem," meaning “ten.”.
This month originally ended the Roman year, but later a re- vision of the calendar. divided the year into twelve months. January and February being added. Even then. February. came before January at first, until eventually the order was changed round to stand as it does to-day.
THE
dread celebration of Christmas-night dinner with rich relations brought one insuperable joy that no accom- panying misery could quench: not the varnished, qualmish stuf- finess of the slow-trotting cab;
superiority not the chilly
.of. years older cousins: not the con- .“piece" sciousness of the new which you would inevitably be called upon to play later in the. evening: not the formal and awesome procession of soup, fish, turkey, mince-pies, terrifying flaming pudding-all. handed to you by trimly starched retain- Nervousness and novelty combined, you rarely achieved a satisfying meal.
THE LURE OF CHRISTMAS
even
CRACKERS
gold, scarlet and blue, cerise and fuchisa, blazed the crackers. Not the crackers of home the simple orange-hued box with its black feats that you had after earnest consultation yourself selected at the local grocer's. on the tacit understanding that you would forget all about the purchase until Christmas Day and not into the cupboard peep where
Those you they lay. knew to contain "caps and musi cal instruments." Had not the shop-keeper kindly read out to you the inscriptions on the labels as you stood on the sanded floor But there, heaped at the cor- amid the pleasant odours of tea and coffee and sugar, surveying table, raying from ners of the the centre. glimmering, spark- the many-coloured ramp of boxes
that had sprung rainbow-
up overnight? ling, transparent,
Had
you not conscientiously. gauzed, tinsel-strung, silver and
era.
poked back into its white paper tunnel the penny whistle that had protruded all too early into the light of day?
At midday their fire had been. spent, their anticipated delights savoured. But here were crack». ers miraculous exotic, costly. fraught with surprise. "Come cracker!" along, let's pull a Ecstatic moment, year-awaited. And as
present. the youngest what rich gains were yours! How many "fat halves" came?
What jewels-tur- your way! quoise-studded hearts, emerald rings, fabulous necklaces, chains, and charms! What a delectable mingling of miniature cups and flagons Japanese water-flowers, and puzzles, watches, frogs,
How many doll's furniture!
balloons were dispatched flaming to the skies; how many fiery serpents writhed and died for your delight in a welter of grey ashes. Bonnets, caps, and masks were yours for the choosing.
How tenderly you guarded your treasure, carefully hoarded in some convenient paper cap un- til the moment of departure! In. the homeward cab, more than a little sleepy. you nodded, over the precious jumble. Home, safe home! No freebooter turning from the Spanish Main more-complacent of booty-cram- med hold, more at peace with the world. Until, roused at alighting: "I think I'm rather hungry."
So no wonder
that on
your Christmas round you gravitate
to the cracker department, that you pause and gaze, and hover and hesitate. Such beauty, such mystery, such imagination, such evanescent loveliness: How to choose when each box more gay, more desirable than the last?
secmis
L.e
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