Of Wreaths
Using wreaths as decorations at
Christmas may be traced to the customs
of Advent season, the four Sundays before
Christmas — a time of preparation for the
coming of the Christ Child. Traditionally, the
Advent wreath is made of evergreen branches
interlaced with red ribbons. It holds four
candles. One candle is lit at dusk on the first
Sunday of Advent, two the next Sunday, three
‘ “e 1,6x1 3,1(1 four on the last Sunday before
k Christmas. The wreath may be placed
on a door, set on a table or hung
from the ceiling.
ige-oia wona«*r
of Christmas.
your home be
enriched by
every
joy and
blessing of this
happiest of |
holidav seasons.
KIRK'S
Sales & Service
Palmer
Spirit Of Christmas-Past Appears
Again In Old Scottish Magazine
Quite a lot of “the spirit of
Christmas Past” can be found
in an old Scottish magazine on
file at The Frontiersman. Dog
eared and yellowed, it is the
Christmas number, 1925, of the
People's Journal, which A1
Brooks found in some machin
ery parts packing at Brooks
Equipment Co. a couple of
years ago. It appears to have
been published in Dundee,
Scotland, and carries advertis
ing from all over the British
Isles.
On the cover is pictured an
overweight gentleman, sprawl
ed tummy first on a stairway,
Christmas packages scattered
about him. At the top of the
stairs is on concerned female,
saying,
"Did you fa?”
“Ay; but I was gaun doon
onyway!”
Scattered throughout the
magazine are various bits of
Christmas lore, some giving the
history of customs evidently
common in Scotland at that
time. For instance;
“How did the custom of kiss
ing under the mistletoe origi
nate?”
“Nobody knows for certain,"
replied the antiquary to whom
the question was addressed.
“There are a number of ex
planations, and I am inclined
to favour that which refers it
to some Druidical or Scandina
vian rite.
"It is one of the few o 1 d
customs that show no signs of
dying out; but, even so our an
cestors maintained the prac
tice much more heartily than
we do.
“At many old country houses,
after dinner, the gentlemen
would stand at the entrance to
the drawing-room to take toll
of all the ladies as they enter
ed under the mistletoe which
swung in great bunches over
head. At one timg, too, there
was a general scramble by the
-——
Holy Day Helped
Comfort Sorrow
Even when Christmas wasn’t
merry, history shows that the
holy holiday has brought com
fort and hope into the midst of
sorrow and hardship.
Such was an early Christmas
in the New World, observed
in 1535 at a small fortress on
the banks of t h e St. Charles
river near what is now the City
of Quebec, Canada.
Jacques Cartier, French ex
plorer. and his band of 110
settlers were beset by cold and
hunger, as well as fear of the
nearby Indians, whose friendly
attitude seemed to have chang
ed. More than half the mem
bers of the colony suffered
from scurvy.
Bravely, the men celebrated
Christmas. Mass was said in a
log cabin, at an altar made
from a wooden table; ever
green branches decorated the
walls; carols were sung and
the best of the meager food
supplies were used for a
“feast.”
NOVEL IDEA
Novelty shops and notion
counters are brimming with
possibilities for making very
attractive presents. Small apo
thecary jars enamelled in gay
colors make ideal spice sets
that will add to the decor of
the kitchen. When the enamel
is dry, label each jar in huge,
easy-to-read letters of a con
trasting color. Such an attrac
tive gift will surely please the
culinary expert on your list.
Naming Santa
Santa, the giver of many
gifts, is a man of many
names, too. While he is be
coming almost universally
known as Santa Claus,
Santa or St. Nick; many
European children still wait
for the arrival of St. Nicho
las.
St. Nicholas was the first
of Santa's names and came
from a real bishop in the
fourth century, A.D. He is
said to travel not by rein
deer but on horseback, and
wears bishop's robes.
Over the years, Santa has
gained still other names. In
France he’s Pere Noel, in
Finland Father Christmas,
in Germany Kris Kringle,
in Russia Father orGrand
father Frost
_*0
young men of a house party
for the bunches of mistletoe
containing the largest number
of berries, each berry entitling
the proud possessor of the
bough to take a kiss from the
lady he favoured.
“When due advantage of the
privilege had been taken, the
bough was presented to the
lady, who solemnly burnt it.
An amusing little rite.”
Another article describes
An Old Christmas Superstition
Long ago a quaint little cus
tom used to be observed by
young girls at Christmas time.
They would try to balance the
slipper on the foot, then, lift
ing the foot, would fling it ov
er their shoulder. Great ex
citement prevailed until this
little feat was accomplished,
for everything depended upon
the position in which the slip
per fell. If it fell towards the
door it was an omen that the
girl was to be married within
the year.
Out of this little custom has
grown the game of “hunt the
slipper,” which is always such
a favorite with our young folks
at Christmas parties.
Anyone nere know how to
play “Hunt the slipper?” We’re
also at a loss to know the na
ture of the custom of:
Christmas Box
The custom of giving a
Christmas-box on Boxing Day
is a very old one. Long ago it
used to be a custom to place a
box in every church. Into this
£ >*6, t*.«
Here are holiday
wishes aplenty and
thanks for oar friends. ^
KOPPERUD TRANSPORTATION
Herb & Clara Kopperud
Palmer, Alaska
rwMrwereffMM
box money would be dropped
from time to time. Very fre
quently the head of the house
would give money to his serv
ants to “put into the box” early
on Christmas morning. Later in
the day the box would be open
ed, and the next day distribu
ted by the clergy. So that is
how the Christmas-box got its
name
ITALY'S YULE
InJ Italy, the Yule log is burn;
ed in the family fireplace.
Everyone gathers around and
each hi id is blindfolded be
fore the log is ignited. In turn,
children recite Christmas ver
ses a id as their blindfolds are
removed, they find Christmas
gifts .‘ tacked on the floor.
IN GERMANY
For German children the
Christmas season begins with
the hanging of a calendar
showing a painted house, on
December 1. Doors and win
dows of the house oiten hide
piece of candy.
ERRY
C H.
> ISTMAS
Maud’s Flower Shop
IN THE SIMS BLDG.
745-3913
Palmer
i ■
%
u .
A wlvristmas Messaqe
Reverently, we remember a night of awe and wonder,
when angels sang, shepherds watched and a shining Star guided Wise Men
where a Child was born. We celebrate this holy holiday with thoughts for all
our good friends everywhere.
H U--- •»* -
EVAN JONES COAL CO.
PRODUCERS OF ALASKA'S FINEST COAL 8
SUTTON |
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258-2020