1956-12-15 — Page 7

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A

THE CHINA MAIL -SATURDAY, DECEMBER

USTOMS OF HRISTMAS

T Christmas in the further.

11.mpshire

viiluge so that,

of Overton the hooded dancers gyrate through the streets, As the men of the village have done for 800 years, they act out the story of St George and the dragon.

This fantastic ceremony Is performed by farm labourers, who speak their parts in an ancient Anglo- Saxon dialect handed down by father to son over the centuries.

1214

राई Curiously, [14

know

they why nummers should re-enact the story of St George at Christmas-fir

$1

What is certain, though, that the ceremony takes rightful place among Christmase

world Hie

DIVERS custome Christian Traditional, or frank-

have the OLE ly pagun-that gine in the forgotten pust

Doors are left open if weary, the thion: Savlour can enter to rest awhile, the most charming Perhaps use to which candles are put 14 America's

in Sweden

ani in

swedish communkies. When the people go to church on Christ- man moming they find that lighted candies have been placed on every seat to welcome them. And Christmas would not be Christmas without a

in

many countries gundie-lit tree.

Christmas Eve is, for German children, the mast engeriy awaited night of the year," For their festivities begin that night when they DTV permitted to Rather round their brightly-fit tree and see their presents.

In thole love of the Christmas are uncon- tree, the Germans Surly perpetuating the cult for of la' purgan ancestors, whom the tree was the principal religious symbol of the Nordle good Woden,

Since the Prince Consoy set up a tree In Windsor Castle in 1841 for the Royal children, the Christos tree has beeone

show how Christ was deprived of all comforta at Hh birth.

The most emborate cribe can be seen in Italy, not only in the churche and privato homes bul atro in banks, chain stores and

railway stations.

They are prepared with cx- treme caro, and the figures of the Holy Family, the shepherds and the Wise Men, with their

curved finely elaborately dressed with clothes,

ti

#170

before the turkey arrived from across the Atlantic, and is be- lieved to be a relle of paganism

Danist from the time of the conquest in the seventh century.

In Demnark toďny-na in the rest of Scandinavia-fish forme the chief item un the Yuletide memu.

The Danca follow this by eating a rice pudding which has a bitter almond in IE, The Ander is guaranteed good fortune,

By DAVID BAMPING

Famers in Northern Europe and the long winter evenings

crlbs. repairing their

which Kornetimes contain PO many #gures that a whole room Alled with them.

is

Germany.

The Serbs hide a lucky coin in their cake--like the lucky clarins in the English Christmas pudding-while Rumeniane bake cakes made in folds symbolle of Christ's swaddling clothes.

left

go

OTL

In the Tyrul inili s

when the household 10 off

midnight Mass Christmas Eve gift for the Child and flis Mother.

In many parts of Austria, Italy and South out America there are clube where children learn to build their own eribs, being encouraged 10 use their imagination in producing different slyles and shapes.

But what about St Nicholas, or Santa Claus He makes his

1956.

Nishare the facts

About ChristmEN S

Shopping

During the past 29 years (1927-1955 Inclusive), the entire Swiss Watch Industry obtained 408,980 Official Timing Certificates for wrist chronometers. Of this total, which covers Ladies' as well as Gents' chronometers. ROLEX alone obtained 279,245 certificates, which is 68.28%.

In other words, ROLEX alone has produced during the past 29 years, more than two-thirds of all Officially Certified Chronometers manufactured by the entire Swiss Watchmaking Industry. So shop early

... for a ROLEX!

IN CO

Inaugurated custom

resently

T

arrival of the Three Wise Men 1 Lun Angeles-by air frot Mexico City,

Even hard-header bun men, it seems, are children a heart when it comes to dissing

For when they arrive up. greet the mayor of the celluloid city on behalf of their Presirten! they come dressed in robes mole glamorous than the Magi were ever likely to wear. They with

golden croWUS

Outsize is slurs.

And Christensas

und

carry a

being abate

all a children's festival, they

eve laden with sweet

Jeftichs of gifts

On the other

und all

e of the

world! in Australia, sa punová- them that has taken on the halt- mark of an ancient tradition P

"Carols by

the ceremony of Cundlelight,"

Two decadesi

at Princes Bridge the gateway

entre of festivities in England. In

almost

i wlion had its repercussions where Christmas is cele- many European countries.

children welcome him eagerly, fer his arrival means an carly

avery country appearance

оп

December slu

The

ap Aus- in America, too. Today Ameri- brated, the Bethlehem crib tratug radio announcer thought en efties vie with one another replica plays an important delivery of presents, up the idea with the aim of in ket us in their clly squares

In the traditional helping sick children. To his ever large trees around which part

One of the more elaborate 10,000 they sing enrols. Record height activities. Hora, dwarfed by surprise no fewer than

Switzerland at fur is 200 feet,

the huge figures of the ceremonies in people gathered, candles in hand,

three kings, those children this time of year is the arrival Belgium and France, while

their traditional look in amazement at the of St Nichele, favourite carols they their net forsaking

largest crib.

It dancers wearing six-foot-tall bark families sang

thet. New Year festivities, are becom world's

Christmas-tree conscious is in Rome's Church of hats resembling stained glass countries of origin in the Old Ing World.

increasingly adopting Holy Mary Queen of Peace, windows through which candles English or German Christmas customs.

10

Melbourne,

every

911

the

a

Christma Eve NOW Nore than a quarter of million people take part in the

anel

Kuest urlists

ceremolly,

travel the world to be present,

the

of

A comparabit Kat bering

faithful eun only be seen in the famous St Peter's Square outside the Vatican in Rome,

Speaking of candles, we pro told there was no candie in the Yot Bethlehem. stable at candies have played a large pari In Christian worship throughout the ages, and particularly in Christmas ceremonics,

Symbole of Christ, the Light of the World, they are said to have been adopted froin Roman and Hebrew customs.

and are

and Bouthern

Fo Brittany France, however, the custom of burning the Yule log still holds sway, it does in the northern parts of Italy and Spain.

JE

A bellef held in common that the ash from the log has some miraculous powers. The Breton believes it ensures pro- tection from lightning. The Italian Bever fears hailstorms his when he has some of it in pocket.

with the Spaniard.

The same

THE ceremony'

Ingg the

of

Yule log

Ho has a body- guard of about 50 white-robed

shine.

While hanging up a stocking Americans of German descent in the more widespread custom,

in Pennsylvania go putz-visiting Basque and Dutch children put

at Christmas-that is,

shoes or sabots on

the

visiting their one another's homes to view window lodges into which the their friends' cribs, which might Three Kings can put their gifts.

conlain hundreds of figures.

tanciful landscapes, waterfalls, bridges, fountains and, some- times whole villages.

Among the

world's unusual Christmas customs is that of the Yugoslav housewife sprinkling the tablecloth with wine so that a guest who happens to knock

CHRISTMAS boxes

ore be

loved to be of pagan origin,

Over his glass need not be the practice of exchanging gifti ashamed. For in that country it being part

's no disgrace to get drunk at Satumalla Christmas.

is

festivities,

of the Homan

and Nordic Yule

Another Yugoslav custom

The Christian custom can be for chlidren to bind their traced, some belleve, to the

and release boxes

into which sailors and voyages

burn- parents to chairs

prescenta

varies them only when given their travellers on long see

put thanks offerings to the for mylag Marses for monks

Vesszala, the safety of their These were presented to the moviles at Christmas,

from country to country. In routhern France the whole family go out on Christ- mas Eve to collect it. Wine is poured over it and, as it burns, the head of the family calls for a blessing on the house.

In

children Italy blindfold beat the burning log, and then Ave the whole family sing an

the composed especially for coengion.

In America garlands of ever- the front green and holly on

from door symbolise goodwill tho houac.older to the pasier- by, while in the West of Eng- land such a wreath is intended to keep the devil out and good luck In

The custom of opening the "poor box" by the parish priest on St Stephen's day, December 20, and the distribution of lis contorts to the needy, has added an extra day, Boxing Day, lo England's Christmas holiday.

Certainly candles were emtential to many pre-Christian ceremonies. The Romans used them to symbolise the return of the sun to earth in their great Saturnalian festival which took

At Queen's College, Oxford, place at the end of December,

on Christmas morning the feast Jews still celebrate Hanukah,

of the boar's head is celebrated. or the Festival of Lights, with Another ancient and much- For centuries the Provost and candles to commemorate their loved tradition is that of the Fellows have walked in solemn

Regardless of how the whole to the great dining idea of exchanging presents freedom crib-presept to the Italians or procession victory for religious

Germans and. hall while old carols are sung originated, the fact remains won on December 20, 166 B.C. put to the

The boar's hard, roasted und that life would be bleak without On that day Judas Maccabeus German-Americans.

stuffed with an apple in

the succeeded

cleanslag

pleasant anticipation of Temple in Jerusalem after its The custom was started by mouth, follows, held high on a.

receiving

Christmas box dilver dish. profanation by the Jewe Greek St Francis of Assisi, who

(whatever its shape or value) overlords.

1223 set up a naivity scene

and, of course, the pleasure in which included live animals in

giving one.

THE Curly

tho

Christians used' candies for their secret ser- vices in the Roman catacombs,"

From these various sources the tradition has spilled över into the present and, especially at: Christmas, are connected with some charming customs.

In country districts Ireland people, Believe that on Christ mas Eve the Christ Child walks through the land. So candles pro placed in the windows lo guido Film on his way t

In Austria ard Hungary the

in

its

This was the Englishman's

u church in Greccio, Italy, to traditionel Christmas dish, long

Colonel UP and Mr. DOWN... by Walter

DATEJUST,

worn by the most famous men of our tima. The 279,245th Holes chronometer - Dzwojusi - le now on the wrist of one of the most eminent men in the world, Water proof in ita Oyster case, self-wound by the Perpetual "rotor" mechanism, it shows the date in a window on the dial

The Rolex Zed Seałwitched to a watch shavez thes 29 host přetned me Difcint Thadry Cerels- ram from » Swizz Governemens Toesleg Stasios,

with the protað cicho sựf chemomWEET

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