CHRISTMAS IN CANADA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6500, 27 December 1881, Page 6

CHRISTMAS IN CANADA.

(SngtuA Paper.) Christmas is as dear to the hearts of Cana* diane as to ourselves. With them, as with us, the scattered member* of a family re-unite in the parental homo at this season, hallowed alike from ite earned origin audits associations with the "old country” Ah. how in tensely ml it all seems out there! With us Christ* mas is inseparably associated, not only with hearty cheer, but with blaring fires and with snow. Closely linked, however, as are the words “enow” and “Christmas” with us, the snow is more often than not conspicuous by its absence; and pile we coal and wood on ever so lavishly, we cannot bring the outside air down to the seasonable temperature we woald desire. But in tho “Dominion” they can always count on downright “Christmas weather.” The snow comes down, off and on, throughout December, after which comes a long nmwme of clear, dry, icy days. On Christmas Eve, through the length and breadth of Canada, lights are gleaming from the windows of every paternal home, sending bright rays of welcome through the blinding snow to the sleigh-loads of invited guests who are ploughing their way through the snowdrifts. The great pines and firs, whose evergreen branches are drooping heavily beneath their wintry mantle, send occasional showers in the faces of the travellers, and the flakes, which are tumbling helter-skelter through the air, accumulate on the backs of the horses and upon the rug* and lure and buffalo robes that enoasa the ueighers, until horses, sleigh, and travellers become one (indefinable mase of feathery white. But, let the snow do its worst and the temperature rink to zero, neither the ley flakes nor the icy air can for one moment chill the heart*, or damp the spirits, of the home bound sons and daughters of Canada; for the cold is exhilirating, and in proportion ao the temperature sinks the animal spirits rise. Let us follcw one of these sleigh-loads, and try and git a glimpse at the interior of a country home, from whoso every window comes out through the falling snowflakes flickering gleams of welcome. The jingling of the sleigh bells is heard from afar, ancL long before the horses come in eight, the ball door is thrown open, and a white haired sire and his life's partner, regardless of intruding flakes of enow and biting waft* of air, are waiting to give the cheery greeting of “ A many Christmas to all!” Inside the house all is warmth and comfort, for stoves, or hot-air pipes diffuse ao eventemperature through sitting rooms, bed rooms, hall, and staircases, instead of the chilling draughts that assail us in most of our English homes. But, like everything that is good and useful, this system requires judicious management, and should be carefully regulated by thermometers. Many Canadians keep a hothouse atmosphere around them which is better suite i for exotics than for human beings. Wherever there are young hearts and fair fingers to weave tho Ohristmss decorations, we see many evidences of artistic taste, coupled with an aptitude for turning all thinge to good account that oomo In their way. The many-coloured wooda in autumn have furnished a goodly supply of orange, yellow, brown and crimson leaves, which are pressed, varnished and tied in sprays or nunehos. Delicate green fronds of fern, carefully pressed, together with a bronzebrown and a snow-white variety, nodding grasses, feathery tufts of clematis, the pretty “life-everlasting," found wild and dried with ite dainty bead downwards, are grouped most effectively with greenery of epruoe, hemlock and cedar. We find neither holly nor mistletoe, and the pale blue berms of the cedar cannot console us for the bright red holly berriee, though the pretty little spray* of the bittersweet, with its scarlet cup eat so firmly in bis orange saucer, gives a pleasant tinge of colour among the dark evergreens. Ana I have even known some enterprising a ladies take the trouble of covering peas with red flannel or seating wax, mounting each one on wire run Into the pcs, and toon disposing them in little bundles on wreaths and orosees, in company with white •dewberries, producing every real end charming effect, 'iiio rsd berries of the mountain Mil are often preserved for Christmas decorations by immersing the bunches directly they are out in a jar filled with strong ts» and water, end peeling down brown paper over the mouth of it to keep them from the air until required for use. Our attention will next bo drawn to the variety of window plants that are found in every room. Tho double windows, which keep out the frost to a great extent, and the warm atmosphere of the rooms, favour the growth of many pretty blossoms, to wit, Christmas roses, heliotropes, geraniums, latesown boxes of mignonette, lobelia, verbena, sweet alyssum, canariensis, and dwarfed marigolds ; while the February days bring in the crocuses, snowdrops, hyacinths, violets, Chinese primroses, splreas, end yellow je»»a* mine, to brighten up the window* many weeks before they can break through their d®*P covering of enow in tho gardens. By the way, our common yellow primroses will rarely deign to lend her P»*« beauty to Canadian soil, though the violet thrive* In profusion in favourable situations. Hustio baskets are suspended from the dows, made of nine oonee or *now,f twigs, which are corerea with the luxuriant foliage

of graceful creepers, water-ivy, with ite tnmsparonlly sea-groeo leaves, lbs many*bran«hed and knotted tradssoantto, Madeira vine, and our English ivy—which latter Is so often lUled by the frosts out of doors, that It to mostly grown to boxes or baskets to the house. The last-named evergreen, however, to full of caprice, for 1 have heard of a house to Buffalo bring covered with iti but as a rule the frost cute short its term of existence after the hard pinching of a severe winter or two, much to the sorrow of those who oltog to the English ivy as tenderly as it slings to Us English oak. It wUI readily le pererived that the culture of house plants by our Canadian country ootutos to to atone to some measure for the long continuance of their winters. This profusion of greenery, how* ever, could not thrive as It dote were it not (or the absence of gee, large oil lamp* bring used, sometimes in chandeliers or on brackets from the wall.

The furniture of the rooms suggest as much ease and comfort as to England. The tables are covered with tbs most recent books, and content numbers of our English monthlies lie side by side with their own more meagre literary productions. The carpel* are bright to hue and strong to texture, and bearskin rugi lend an additional air of warmth to rooms meant for constant use and hospitality. But to return to our guests, whom the bell now summons to a " high Isa," as Canadians are not a supper-loving people—end there to nothing like a long ueigh ride for rousing a good appetite. A " high tea" consist* of roast or boiled turkey, chickens, ham and tongue, with beetroot and chicken i>alad} following which comes four dr five varieties o! canned fruit to large glass bowls, which Is eaten with hot 11 hi mute," thin bread and bnttrr, or a plain kind of sponge osle very •lightly sweetened. Ooooa-nut cake, Jelly cake, seed loaf, and pound cake, together with the inevitable mines pie*, made to the orthodox fashion, lend a finishing touch to the meal, of which tea and coffee have of course formed part.

After ft quiet hour's lingering over pipe# and cigar*, the gentlemen join toe ladies In the drawing-room. Those who possess any musical talent are enlisted for glees, duets, <kc., end the walls ring again with the fresh young voices, while the elders of the party discuss the rcepeotiro merits of “Grit*” end “Protectionists,” or exchange notes on the past year’s profits and losses. But muslo with Osnadlane almost always heralds an impromptu dance to finish up the evening with, and very quickly the chain and table* an pushed aside and quadrilles formed, both young and old joining the sets. The room la luge, and, being on the ground floor, there are no ceilings to shako down ; and if it wears the carpet a little, why, that is of email aeooimt compared with the unsophisticated enjoy* meat of these impromptu dances, which art characteristic ot the Colony. After winding up with Sir Eogar de Coverley, refreshments are handed round by the younger members of the party, consisting of cake, biscuit*, native wine, lemonade, and, for the old folks, a wee drap o* whisky. The fins bum low and the olooke strike twelve, and then, with their proverbial loyalty—for Canadians are even more loyal than ourselves—the whole party gather round the piano and sing with heart and soul the National Anthem, laying special emphasis on the lines, “ Longto reign over us, God save oar Queen.” When the last enthusiastic notes have died away, good-night greetings are exchanged, stoves are replenished lor the night, and then all become* aiient as the white world outside. Christmas Day is kept up much in the same quiet, homely way an in the mother country, with the additional zest of a sleigh ride in the morning to and from the nearest church.

So muoh for the country. Now for Christmas Eva in town. It Is too oold to melt the snow flakes, lazily tumbling upon our fur cloaks and jackets, and they are soon shaken off. The crisp, frosty air prevents even the snow on the wooden side walks, in front of the gay shop windows, from malting. Dainty little cutters glide past os along the snowpacked roads, together with larger sleighs of a rougher baild/laden with all sorts of good things for tho Christmas festivities; and, if wo could bat shut oar eyes from the snow, and our ears from the sleigh bells, as we step along the broad wooden side walks, from which the enow is swept every morning, we can almost fancy we are gazing at the shops in London, instead of the “ stores ” in a city of Ontario. The “dry goods” stores— i,e., drapers* shops—display various tempting presents for the adornment of the fair sex, but it requires a longer purse to purchase gloves ana millinery than in the old country. There is no lack of the necessary materials for the time-honoured plum pudding* and mince pies in tho grocery stores, and we notice especially the large size of Californian raisins. From the windows of the book stores, numbers of the favourite English magazines with their coloured pictures—which serve to adorn many a settler's shanty—smile on us like friendly faces. There is any amount of Christmas cards, full of artistic beauty and good wishes. The confectioners’ windows are richly laden with tempting cakes of all descriptions, and pretty boxes of cosaques and bonbons to delight the children when tho next day’s dinner weigh* down their animal spirits. But we must not forgot to visit the market, which is a large building divided into departments for the sale of meat, poultry, fish, fruit, Ao. In the meat department we find excellent beef, mutton, veal, and pork. Beef ranges from 2H to fid per pound, according to quality and the joint eat; mutton from 4d to 6d per pound; pork vans* in price more than other meat, and is sometime* 2£d and sometimes 5d a pound t veal being 8d or fid. We also see what at first sight we think are very large fat sheep, hung up with their skins on; but the •hsggy brown hair invites curious inspection, and we find they are bears. A juicy bearsteak ranks among the good things of Christmaatide, and costs from Is to 15d per pound. Venison is also plentiful, os the quantities of moose-deer testify—prices ranging from 8d to Is per pound. Baoooons are also esteemed a delicacy by many gourmands; they much resemble a very largo rabbit, and are cooked in C>e same manner, prices being from 8s to 4s 2d each. In the poultry department the leading features an magnificent turkeys, from 3s to 6# 3d, according to size, many of which are indeed monster*. Geese are the same price at turkeys, but neither so large nor anything like so plentiful. Aoonpleof ducks cost* from 8* to 4s fid, and chickens are from 1* to la 2d oaeh.

In a very severe winter, toe meat and poultry become frozen, and have to be placed In cold water for three or four hours before cooking. By this mean* the frost oomee out in smut lumps of ice on the surface of the meat, which gradually melt away in the water. What splendid apples! will probably be our first exclamation on entering the fruit department of the market; and really the “Snow apples," "SplUonbeige," and “ Baldwins ” may be sold to Mush the ripset red at the praise of their own loveliness. The colours of the various kinds of apples, like those of autumn leaves in the Canadian forests, are golden, red, pink. nuset. primrose, yellow, green, purple, and bronze. They are heaped In piles and in baskets, boxes, and barrels, in rich profusion, and range in prices per bushel from Is fid to 4s 3d. »'.«•, a dollar, according as they may be cooking or choice dessert varieties. Luscious pears are more tenderly treated to a soft cushion of moss or tissue paper; end there are plenty of native grapes, and from the Southern States pineapples, bananas, and melons, together with oranges and lemons that cost I id to B|d each, these lattejr being never so cheap a* in England. Among tho vegetables we notice immense pumpkin* and squashes, very fine celery, beetroot, salsify, law onions, carrots, turnips, cabbages, and excellent potatoes. In this last department, a* well as in the grocery store*, there are large tubs of oysters, which arc taken out of their shells in Nsw York or Boston, packed in their own Juice, and sent by rail to all parte of the Dominion; and, as they generally freeze slightly, they keep mod for a week or two. The v arc only one shilling per quart, a quart containing about a hundred and fifty. They are also sold in tine, sealed lifilljihL After our inspection of toe more striking features of a Canadian Christmas market, we oontinne our stroll past the long rows of handsome shops until wo corns to an English

eharoh, through the portoto of whleh wo •star. Hut hnm of cheerful ootoeo tbol •Ktoae our eere 'wo tod proceeding from groupe of young folke who oro pottiof the istoftiof toaeh to the decoration*. A* wo tool romd on lbe|wf*ilhe of evergreen* and pretty device*. onr heart* vows forth# holly bento* of Ola JKogfoodi but, Mtottdm oar fair eo«iete of the tkmbikn nmup to decent* theto ehnwhe* owl hooee ootteo* taelrftsUy M we do. 14 oo hopeliwtth* Chftolma# Dey ofortory—which to oeoetly given to the iweior no • OhrtoHuoe gift from Kit ooognfotlim-wiU bo o gmmi' on*, braving the cbowh for Ibo etreet, whtoh to la one cooetont jfogto from the sleigh beU*, wo retrace oar Hope homeward#, laden with dainty tlfto for the etoeliof* (bat wort htUf ot the root of two littto eotohefora wo started, in atronc faith of their Met filled by Santa Olaae, A few Kngliih fotniltoo hoveObrtottnaa troM for their little on#*, bet tbto Ctormos cttilotn h«o not is Omada gained the fooling that It hoe with u*. 9 Mas W. On* Bbiwd.