CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2675, 22 December 1923, Page 2

CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.

THE bast of all our Christmas customs is the remembrance of friends by the giving of presents, which serves to call to mind the presentation of gifts, “gold and frankincense and myrrh,” by the Wise Men id the East to the ChrisDchild 1923 years ago. But in Holland present-giving-in confined to another day altogether. Christmas Day is spent just like Sunday, with the exception that a special dinner is provided of boiled ox tongue and rice pudding flavoured with rnm.. The evening of fith December, which is SI. Nicholas's Day, is known there as Strewing Evening, when nuts and sweets and fruit are strewn on a sheet in .a

large room for the benefit of the children. This custom as well as others mentioned further an, owes its derivation to the fact that there was a St. Nicholas, or Nicolas (of which Santa Claus is a corruption), a bishop who lived sometime during the fourth century. ITe became the patron saint of children, and it gradually became the custom for .someone to personate him, and distribute little presents l<> schools or families as reward for good conduct. Before going to bed on this particular evening Dutch children put their boots and shoes in front of the fireplace, just as our children hang up their stockings, for SI. Nicholas to fill from the bag of presents his black slave Piet carries on his hack, together with a rod to beat naughty children —so the children are told. At the same time the little ones cover the floor in front of the fireplace with carrots and hav for the saint’s horses, and sweets and honeycake for himself and his slave. Another Dutch custom for this merry time is to hide the bigger presents throughout the house, or send them to friends and neigbours in loaves of bread, or to pack a very small one in a large hamper like a great surprise packet. Tn some towns two young men act the part, one as St. Nicholas on a white horse, and the other as slave Piet on a black one, and travel through the streets distributing presents to all and sundry.

IN Norway and Sweden an unusual routine is carried out. On Christinas Eve the children bring armfuls, of clean straw into the house, and spread it on the floor of the kitchen or living room. And there they sleep for that night in memory of tho birth of Christ in a stable at Bethlehem. The boots and shoes of the family are then set in a row as a sign that,their respective owners intend to live in peace and harmony throughout the following year. All Courts are closed, and if anyone does disturb the peace during this time three times the ordinary punishment is inflicted.

IN his interesting- hook: ‘‘Serbia, Her People, History and Aspiration,” Worslav Petrovitoh tells of his country’s queer, hut interesting customs; customs that are linger! with many little superstitious rites. Early in the morning of' Christmas Eve, two young men are sent out from each household to bring home from the forest a young oak tree. •Three logs are cut from the trunk, and towards evening the head of the house ceremoniously carries in the largest piece, which is called the badgnak, and places it on the (ire, at the same time pronouncing his good wishes for the prosperity of the house and all in it. -The eldest son then brings in a bundle of straw and hands it to the house-wife, wishing her a good evening and a happy Christmas Eve. She throws a handful of straw at him, thanks him, and then walks round the kitchen and other rooms, scattering the straw on the floor and imitating the clucking of a broody hen. The younger children gleefully follow, and, taking the part of chickens, run squeaking after their mother. This peculiar ceremony over, the mother then produces a yellow wax candle and an earthen vessel of burning charcoal. The father makes the sign of the cross, lights the candle, sprinkles incense on the coals, and, his family standing in a semi-circle before him, prays aloud. Supper is then provided—on the

floor, the participants sitting on cushions. One young man is deputed to remain up all night to watch I he fire and see that the oak logs are kept burning. Next morning, being Christmas Day, the ceremonies are concluded. First a big fire is lit in (he courtyard, and a sucking pig roasted on a spit. Pistols and rifles are fired off as a greeting to the poor little carcase. One can tell as each pig in the village comes to the fire by the rifle shots all around. Still early, one of the girls goes to the public well for water. As she approaches it she wishes the well a happy Christmas. Then she throws in a handful of corn as a sign that she wishes the crops to be as plentiful as, the water, and a sprig of basil, a plant of the mint family, to keep the water always pure. The first cap of water drawn from the well is used to make a special cake, which at midday is broken into pieces, one for each member of I lie family. A silver coin is placed in the cake, and the finder, it is considered, will have good luck throughout the year. During this festive mor ning every home is visited by a young hoy from, a neighbouring house. lie commences furl her ceremonies by breaking off a piece of' the smouldering badgnak, at file same time greeting the bead of the house with flic words: “Christ is born.” All reply, “In trull), He is born.” The housewife throws a bandfal of wheat at him. The boy counters by striking the oak log so that, it sparks freely while he recites “May the holy Christmas bring in this house as many sheep, as many horses, as many cows, as many beehives (etc), as there are sparks in this fire.” On the log he places a gold or silver coin, which the householder treasures carefully to give to the blacksmith to blond with the steel when making his plough. Tn this way be is sure Ibe ground will be made more fertile. The visitor stays to dinner and is afterwards presented with a specially prepared cake, containing a gold or silver coin. During flip afternoon the young people" engage in out-door sports, particularly sleighing, while Hie older folk gather round a “guslar,” a national hard, and listen to his recitals of ancient ballads of t'lieir country’s history. And so the day passes.