1947-12-20 — Page 4

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1947,

Merry Christmas

to all our CLIENTS

From TENNENT'S of GLASGOW

TENNENT'S LAGER

IRADEMARK

WELLPARK BREWERY, GLASCON

Agents:- GIBB, LIVINGSTON & CO., LTD.

P. Q. Building.

GIVE MEN

ESQUIRE SOCKS

THE SMARTEST THING ON TWO FEET

0

YULE LOG, MISTLETOE, AND CHRISTMAS TREE

of

UR Christmas customs are

a strange mixture Christian and pagan rites. and

Yule

log, mistletoe Christmas tree all have a pre- Christian flavour,

Once the burning of the Yule log was one of the most, im.

of ceremonies

the portant senson. In the Middle Ages a ponderous tree trunk would be hauled into

All the house. comers would be welcome to sit and watch the sparks flying up the chimney.

When he log was dragged from the woods, wayfarers would raise their hats, for it was the symbol of the righting of wrongs and the re- concillation of enemies.

Tdown from the day's of the old THE Yule-log custom was handed Scandinavians, who, nt their feast of Juul, kindled large bonfires in honour of the god Thor.

In Devonshire faggota instead of a log were burned after they had been dragged with much merriment by the Inbourers in the homes of their masters.

Musters and men met on equality. Plenty of nie was drunk, but cider in large quantities was usually pre- ferred. Whenever an ash band there were nine around the fangot burst, a fresh supply of clder was handed round.

Bringing in the Yule log on Christmas Eve

*

and

The decking of churches houses with evergreen goes back to pre-Christian times.

It is a relic of the Roman feast of Saturn, held at about the samo timo of the year as Christmas.

to

Stow. the London historian, makes the following reference the gmctice:

"Against the feast of Christmas every man's house, on also their parish churches, was decked with holmo (onk), Ivy, bayca and what- tooverflie--scuspa of the afforded to be green.

year

"The conduits and standards in the streets were likewise garnished."

Holly, boy, rosemary

were used

for church

and lauret decoration. Ivy was banned because of its con- nection with Bacchanalian feasts..

Mistletoe was excluded because of Its connection with the Druids.

HERE was

old custom in Oxfordshire which often had an amusing sequel.

It was customary for a mald- servant to ask one of the men to Hather ivy for the decoration of the house. If he omitted to supply the palr of evergreen, the maids stole his trousera and dalled them on the A most Insignificant plant the from the ancient Druids, who mistieloc. Lonke, discovering this garded the plant with the utmost gate giving access to the highway. fact, ran and obtained a sprig of the veneration.

The mince pic, formerly called plant which he found rowing on The Christmas-tree custom was Christmas ple, has been popular for whn ta period, the bark of an oak.

brought to England from Germany centuries. There HC

of however, when the Puritans daw a the lime of the at

Queen Victoria and the Prince Con- connection between the mince ple cake of the and the consecrated Druids,

on that it should never form part Hence they gave a strict injunc- of the Christmas fare.

made an

arrow from

mistletoe and handed it to one of the other gods, who, shooting It from his bow, killed Baider.

AT

.A

T one time it was thought that the mistletoe coul not be

was said to be due to the rassel- thrush, which fed upon the berries.

ERE is a Scandinavian legend grown artificially. Its propagation

THERE

connected with the mistletoe. Balder.

of

and god

poetry eloquence, had a dream that he was about to die. He told his mother, who invoked the powers of nature to prevent his death.

Reassured. Balder took his place in the periodical battle of the gods. He fought gallantly and sustained p no hurt.

Loake, his enemy, anxious to dis- cover the source of Balder's in- vulnerability, dressed himself as a to congratulate woman, and went

son's on her Balder's mother bravery,

She declared that nothing could hurt him as she had an oath from all the powers of nature.

But she had not talten the pre- caution of securing her ron against

JESTS AND JEERS

Then it was found that if the berries were bruised and rubbed on the bark of fruit trees seeds would adhere and take root.

The custom of kissing beneath the mistletoe has been handed down

the marriage

sort. It is, therefore, one of the. latest of English festivilles.

The custom is actually much older in America thun in England, and was introduced there by the Ger- man settlers.

The turkey seems to have erept upon the Christmas dinner table for no apparent reason, except that for centuries it has been the favourite Indoor pastimes the

at dish

connection of Americans in Is aire with their Thanksgiving celebration Christmas snapdragon pagan, and apparently bests rels- at the end of harvest. 'tion to the Druidical fre-worship. The table in bygone days usually

such Included

delicato fare 03 The game consists of snatching a

from raisin or a prune

a blazing pencock, goose, pheasant, capon and

corp's tongues. bowl of spirit.

BBC Overseas Shortwave Programmes

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 6.00 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, G.IS WOMEN'S TALK.

0.30 1.ITURGICAL SERVICE. From Freakfeld College, near port. Lancashire.

7,00 THE NEWS,

7.23 TMA',

South.

7.4 COMMONWEALTH AND 'EMPIRE.' 8.00 FROM TODAY'S PAPERS. 4.15 HOME PLASH.

8.43 Jean Metraite

THANKS YOU FOR YOUR LET- TERS.

9.00 THE NEWS.

9.15 SWEET BERENADE. Peter Yorke and his Concert Orchestra. 10.00 RADIO NEWSREEL. 10.15 BBC NORTHERN ORCHESTNɅ.

Charlen Groves. Evelyn

Some people have no more tact Conductor: than a mirror.

A confirmed bachelor is one who thinks the only thoroughly justified marriage was the one that produced him.

The trouble with education now- adays is that it covers the ground without cultivating much.

•

•

"I wish you would take that dog nway. I feel a flea crawling along my leg."

"Come on, Butch. fleas."

The lady has

He: After we're married,

Rothwell (obne).

Franels Durbridge.

8.00 FROM TODAY'S PAPERS. 2.15 ROMANCE IN RHYTHM. Geraldo and his Concert Orchentem.

9,00 THE NEWS,

9.15 BAND OF THE WELSH GUARDS. Conductor: Major T. 5. Chander.

D.43 TALKING POINT.

10.00 RADIO NEWSREEL.

10.15 VARIETY HANDDOX, 11.20 FORCEя' FAVOURITES. 12.00 THE NEWB.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24'

8,00 A CHRUSTMAS CAROL.

By Charles Dickens. Adapted by Penc- Inn Knox.

6,10 MURIC WHILE YOU WORK. 7.00 THE NEWS.

7.15 ON WITH THE MUSIC,

8.00 FROM TODAY'S PAPERS. 6.15 THE DECEMBER REVUE,

A William Byrd Sulle-Gordon Jacub With Frances Day, Cyril Hitchard. Doris

Concerto for Tawathorne

Ohoe ar

CHILDREN'S

10.45 FROM THE Alice in Wonderland-3. 11.20 Interlude.

String -

HOUR.

13 CAROL SERVICE, From St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. 12.00 THE NEWS.

MONDAY, DEC. 22

6.00 COUNTRY MAGAZINE. 6.30 MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK. 7.00 THE NEWS.

7.15 T-TOP TUNES,

8.00 FROM TODAY'S PAPERS.

8.15 SPORTING RECORD.

8.45 JOAN DAVIES (plano). 9.00 THE NEWS.

9.15 NAVY MIXTURE.

-9.43-PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.

10.00 RADIO NEWSREEL

10.15 MERRY-GO-ROUND.

11,20 AT YOUR REQUEST.

12,00 THE NEWS.

TUESDAY, DEC. 23

CHRISTMAS

I'll

6.00 THE

never leave you for a minute.

She: You shouldn't have such suspicious mind.

a

First Husband: My wife can talk for hours on one subject.

Second Ditto: Mine doesn't even need a subject.

GRATORID-

Tretur

Dance

Ilaro. Llibeth Webb, Terry Thomas, and the Radio Revellers. Augmented Orchestra, ennducted by Stanley Black.

0.00 THE NEWS,

9.13 LONDON FORUM,

9.45 Christmas Message by His Grace the

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK.

the most Rev. and Rt. Ifon. C. F. Garbett. 10.00 RADIO NEWSREEL. 10.13 SCRAPBOOK FOR 1912. Scenes, songs,

of

and personalities thirty-five years ago. Wiliten by Realle Bolly

11.20 PORCES' PROм.

Dvorak's Symphony No. 5 in E minor From the New World). Czech Pilhar- monte Orchestra, cendurted by George Sze (tamanhone records).

12.00 THE NEWS.

A feature programme: produced by Lau- rence Gillam. 11.00 A MESSAGE TO

BY ILM,

SIXTH.

THE

KING GEOKOK

17.15 RADIO NEWAREEL.

EMPIRE

THE

11.30 "O COME, ALL YE PAITHFUL'.

1.35 CISTMAS BELLS.

1.45 CAROLS.

12.00 THE NEWS.

FRIDAY, DEC. 26

6.00 TWO WAY FAMILY FAVOURITES

WITH BEAC.

1.00 THE NEWB.

7.15 Vic Oliver's

CHRISTMAS PARCEL.

A festivity with Pat Kirkwood, Julle Andrews, Tod Slaughter, and Vie Oliver conducting the British Concert Orches-

ira.

8.00 AT YOUR NEQUEST.

9.00 THE NEWS.

9.15 Wilfred Pickles in

HAVE A DON

2.43 PRODUCTION PROSPECT. A talk by William Holt. 10.00 RADIO NEWSREEL.

10.15 CHRISTMAS PANTY. The Variety Department gives a Chriat- mas Party. The Augmented BBC Revue Cantell. Orchestra, conducted by Frank

Party organised by Harry 9. Pepper and Ronald Waldman.

11.20 EVERTON v. SUNDERLAND. soccer: A enmmentary.

12.00 THE NEWS.

SATURDAY, DEC. 27

G.00 VARIETY BANDBOX. Christmas edition,

7.00 THE NEWS.

7.15 HOW TO BE GOOD AT GAMES. ~A~~~~featuro...programme....produced Stephen Potter, with Joyce Grenfell,

K.OD FROM TODAY'S PAPERS. 8.15 AMERICAN DANCE HANDS. (Gramophone records),

THURSDAY, DEC. 25′′ G.00 FORCES FAVOURITES. 0.30 CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE, From St Stephen's, Rochester How, Westminster, conducted

Nev. by the George Reindorp.

7.00 THE NEWS.

7.10 MURIC ROUND BRITAIN. 7.13 STARLIGHT.

Bach. Parts 1 and 2. Margaret McArthur (New Zealand con- tralto), Heno Soames tener),

Trevor Anthony (bass). Christopher Stone this week Jones (tenor),

and George Anne Zlegler to talk with him Marjorie Avis (soprano),

organisi), king for you Thalben-Ball (Australian

London Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Woodgale.

7,00 THE NEWS.

noC Chorus, New

7.15 "MR AND MRS PAUL TEMPLE

A new play written for broadcasting by

3.00 MERRY-GO-ROUND, 0.69 THE NEWS.

8.30 MMY-GO-ROUND

0.00 THE NEWA.

MELODIES.

0.15 RADIO RHYTHM CLUN.

0.45 PUCK FAIR",

19.00 RADIO NEWBREEL

inviles 10.2 LONSDALE HURDLE RACE. and to

9.15 BBC THEATRE ORCHESTRA, 10.00 MEN OF GOOD WILL

The Neonion of Christmas,

A commentary from Kempton Park. 10ROBINSON CRUSO

From the Dudley Ilippodrome, with Bi- lo Russell on Robinson'. Commontator: / Philip Garston-Jones.

11.10 CHELSEA V. GRIMENT TOWN. Soccer: A commentary.

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