Cuban parents face two present-giving
days during Christmas holiday season
wtAfYlAiNiA, Culba (/P) Cuban
parents face two presentngiving
holidays during the Christmas
season. Children receive gifts
from Santa Claus on Christmas
and from the Three Wise Men
on Jlan. 6.
Until recent years most Cu
bans followed only the Latin
American custom of showering
toys on their children on Jan.
6. the feast which commeimora
tes the three wise tmen presen
ting gifts to the Christ Child.
WISHING YOU
A
Anchor 8 Taxi and Bus
Dorothy Bill
Jt’s a joyous spirit that prevails
during the Holidays.
A friendly smile for all
... a lidht heart
(
... a spirit of
good fellowship.
It's a very T/lerry Christmas
AN
we are sending your way. M\
]S % ^ ^
Reliable Transfer
On Christmas Day, exchange Otf
presents, if any, usually Was
restricted to adults.
But now the custom of piling
toys underneath a decorated
evergreen tree on Christmas
Day, courtesy of Santa Glaus, j
also has been adopted.
Traditionally, Christmas in
Ouibia is a religious and family
calibration. Members of the
family (gather late Christmas
Eve, known as “Noche Buean”
or the Good Nghit, for a feast
gif younlg rbasit pig. black beans
and rice and fried bananas.
Then off they go at midnigrt
to an old cathedral or to a mod
ern air-conditioned church to
attend "Da Misa Dell Gallo,” or
the Mass of (the Rooster.
'Before the last war onily the
more -wealthy among Cubans
had adopted the United Sitates
tyipe Christmas. Now it has
spread to others. As early as
mid-November Christmas de
corations go up in stores, and
shop windows are filled with a
gift suggestions. Imported ever
green trees are sold from side
walk stands.
Simulated snow scenes a
imong the decorations somehow
de not seem out of place des
| pite the subtropical' sun and
warm sea winds.
I The Cuban government this
, year will distriibure 200,000
food paakiafges — each of which
will include $1 — so the poor
can hold their family dinners
on Christmas Eve. The dollar
will be used to buy a young,
tender pig for roasting.
On Jan. 6 the goverromnt will
distribute truckloads of toys to
poor children.
Between the two religious
feasts Cubans will celebrate
the New Year as it is celebrat
ed the world over, wiifh parties
in homes, 'theaters and night
clubs.
At midnight on New Year’s
Eve, they will eat 12 grapes for
good luck, one grape for each
month. Then they will symbol
ically dean house by tossing a
pail of wafer into the street, off
ten to the dismay of those pas
sing by.
French-Canadian
But there will be talk of the
“old days.” which go back in
some cases only 15 or 20 years.
Then neighbors and relatives
were welcomed to a reveitlon
table laden with hams, roasts
of pork, stuffed turkeys and a
variety of vegetables and des
serts that took days to prepare.
A dish alfiten remembered but
seldom duplicated is the /'or
tiere. It 'was made two weeks
before Ihristmas of fatty min
ced pork, heavily spiced and
put in the ice house to freeze
until <‘,ihe happy day.
Our heartiest good wishes
to you and yours,
for a Joyous and MerryS^’
Christmas... an
abundance
of everything good.
Pioneer Grill
Ted and Russ Ciithero
SITKA HOTEL
*
T
o us this thing called business is founded largely on
friendship and the desire to be of service to our cus
tomers. We have appreciated your acquaintance and
your patronage. And so to you and yours—we wish
S a reaJ Merry Christmas.
Engstrom Brothers
Elton Engstrom — Juneau
Lennie Engstrom - Sitka
John Heueisen — Pelican