Liitiesfrudible
Mislietoe
The flame-thrower and atomic
energy — lethal instruments bor
rowed from modern warfare—are
out to kill that ancient symbol r*
peacemaking and love, the Christ
mas mistletoe.
The unusual battle front is Aus
tralia where too many valuable
ices each year have been receiving
he kiss of death from the harmless
looking shrub. Despite mistletoe's
popular reputation as the Yuletide
promoter of romance, it is a pub
lic-enemy parasite in the wood
lands, killing off the trees that
play it host.
Australian foresters have finally
resorted to the flame-thrower as a
quick executioner for the plant and
are using raido-active tracers, fur
nished by the U. S. atomic energy
commission, to study how the mis
tie toe saps the water and mineral
salts from the trees, starving them
to death.
YULE I.OG
From pagan Scandinavian wor
ship of Thor comes the Yule log.
lighted with a brand from last
year’s log.
THEME CHANGES
The Nativity theme in Christmas
carols gave way to the sentiment:
"Bring us in good ale.”
ANIMALS WARMED HOLY
INFANT IN BETHLEHEM
Many legends attribute the power
of speech to birds and anima*s
during the midnight hour of Christ
mas Eve in recognition of the
beasts who, sharing the stable of |
Bethlehem, warmed the Holy In
fant with their breath.
To honor these traditions, Polish
children masquerade in animal cos
tumes on Christmas Eve.
Seasons
greetings
Times change and we with time
— but nut so the age-old custom
of extending Christinas Greetings
to those whose good will and
friendship we cherish and hope
to maintain.
■%v
V
This year as always, we are
happy to send you the Greetings
of the season — with our sincere
wishes for good health and joy at
Christmas time and throughout
the New Year.
v
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Mi ^ JjBjlL I
. . '■ o c| re e t mom
and to b r i n a M| o mi
ever ui loappM cam I s In
for CMQISTm Q S
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PAMARAY CLUB and STAFF )
LUCIA DAY STARTS
CHRISTMAS SEASON
EN SWEDISH CUSTOM
Celebration of Lucia Day on De
cember 13 inaugurates the Christ
mas season in Sweden. It takes
its name from St. Lucia, or Lucy,
martyred for her faith and virgin
ity in Syracuse in 304, A.D., and
venerated by the church each De
cember 13.
The prettiest blond in every
heme, office, factory, village and
town is elected a "Lucia" and vis
its the sick, leads carnivals and
processions and attends banquets
and balls accompanied by her
"handmaidens.”
The ancient custom coincides
with the winter solstice, when the
sun swings toward the earth once
more and the days begin to length
en.
In addition to beauty other
qualifications for "Lucias” or
"light queens” are fair hair, a nice
disposition and high character.
Dressed in long white robes,
wearing crowns of lighted caudles
i the traditional costume for "Lu
cias") the girls present gifts and
the traditional Lucy day coffee and
rolls to hospital patients, etc. The
queen and her maidens, enthroned
in a star spangled horse-drawn
chariot, lead festive processions
around the village squares and
through city streets.
Parade participants depict alter
nate scenes from Sweden’s pic
turesque Lapland and the Wild
West of the United States, while
musicians in multi-colored cos
tume alternate playing northern
folk tunes and American jazz.
STRENGTH TO WRESTLER
In Holstein it is believed that it
is not only a eyre tor all green
wounds, but that it will insure suc
cess in the chase and give strength
to the wrestler, if mistletoe is worn.
Unto Us a
Child
Is Born
Pleasant ns it is to dream or a
"White Christmas" with its carols
and gifts, feasting and merrymak
1 Ing, the sparkling eyes of children
delighting in Santa Claus and the
wonderful Christmas trees, these
things never can symbolize the
tremendous significance of the day.
The birth of the Saviour was the
greatest event in the history of the
world. In spite of all the back
slldlngs, Christian peoples have
pressed forward steadily.
However vicious and corrupt, the
world today is far better than the
world of pa nan times; familiarity
with the cross and crucifixion has
abolished legal tortures and much
cruelty and, if given a chance,
might shame us Into banishing the
curse of international viciousuess
for the sake of Him who became
the Saviour of Mankind.
A final step in trimming th ■
Christmas tree is fronting it with
fluffy snow. A simple and popular
form of snow is ordinary soap
I flakes.
SANTA CLAUS DOES
NOT SMOKE—PERHAPS
Santa Claus, perhaps, doesn't
smoke—or he would be better in
formed on the quality cf cigars.
THE FIRST SANTA CLAUS
The first Santa Claus was St.
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, who
started mysterious midnight gift
bc.uing journeys. In the fourth
ct ntury ho was famous because lio
was a rich man who enjoyed giving
secret gifts to the poor. One of
his tricks was to throw purses of
gold into cottage windows and run
away.
I
BUNDLES e! sjiMinm
and ^aad £heen I
| The Juneau Office
Vivian Johnson Beriha Brekhus Phyllis Eneberg
! Anna Mae Murphy
[ SEARS ROEBUCK AND COMPANY '
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Fr,end, /
YELLOW
CAB COMPANY
E. L. "Red” HOLLOWAY