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Section Three The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, December 19, 1979 il Christmas Pageantry And Customs Enhance Holiday Season Around The World Christmas is surely the happiest and most exalted day of the year-a time of celebration and peace and goodwill to all. Once described as "a spontaneous drama of the common folk, a prayer, a hynin," there is indeed, little doubt that this glorious festival was composed by the people. Observed in the church, in the home and in the heart, this season of great joy and renewed faith is honored and celebrated all over the world. The very particular and cherished traditions of each country add color and pleas- ure to its international observance. The Early Years The Christmas holiday, with its spirit of warmth and love, started as a time beseiged by doubt and uncertainty, and often martyrdom. Early celebrants were persecuted and forced to observe this holy time in hiding. In 350 A.D., December 25th was proclaimed the date of the Nativity, by Pope Julius I, although there is no historical evidence to back the date up. For almost 2,000 years Christmas bas been observed by untold numbers of people, each in his own way. As its glorious message traveled around the world it was celebrated with much pomp and elegance, with brilliant displays and gifts, in silent prayer and worship, in contem- plation of the Spirit and its true meaning. A Treasury of Traditions An American Christmas observes a multitude -of time honored customs and traditions. Almost every town enjoys some individual celebration uniquely its own. Plays and pageants are pre- sented, carols sung, crèches decorated, trees trimmed in special ways, following long estab- lished customs from other lands. Traditions and customs, both reverent and nerry, vary from country to country. In France, midnight mass is attended by almost everyone, with the exception of young children who are put to bed early. To make sure they receive a gift from le père Noel or le petit Jesus, the youngsters place a shoe in front of their Christmas tree or fireplace before they are tucked in. The humblest home in Spain is adorned by a Nativity scene. Modelled of clay, these colorful figures make a stirring display on table or man- tle. Gifts are distributed by "Three Wise Men" on the night of January 6th . . . Santa Claus is not a familiar figure in Spain. Customs passed lovingly from generation to generation are renewed each year. To this day the Christmas pantomime, a highly esteemed public entertainment, enriches English holiday pageantry. And Dickens' immortal classic "A Christmas Carol" is read and cherished all over the world. A Legacy of Love For African Christians, a love offering at church is part of the spiritual experience of Christmas in the Congo. Those who attend holi- day services are expected to come forward with a gift for Jesus on His birthday. In Switzerland, young people on their way to midnight church services, on Christmas eve, visit nine fountains. At each they take three sips of water. Legend has it that if they do this, they will find their future wife or husband waiting at the church door! A Profusion of Customs A steam bath and dressing in one's finery precedes the Finnish observance of "The Mass of Christ". Stockings are not hung by the chil- dren since Santa Claus visits them in person with gifts, most often accompanied by elves. In Sweden on December 13th, Lucia Queen of Light leads a procession of young women on visits to homes and public places. Dressed in flowing white gowns, and wearing crowns of lingonberry leaves glowing with lighted can- des, Lucia and her maidens serve coffee and special saffron bms to al In Italy's churches, town squares and homes, candles illuminate elaborate crèches wreathed in periwinkle and lemon blossoms. The holiday is highlighted by The Christmas Novena, a series of Church services preceding Christmas and ending with Midnight Mass on Christmas eve. For Christian Japanese "Meri Kuri- sumasu" is a warm, wonderful celebration! They visit hospitals and cheer patients with carols and dramatic presentations, and gifts of candles and cakes are received by everyone. Mexican children look forward to piiata par- ties at Christmas. The pifiata, a clay jar filled with gifts, is decorated to look like an animal or doll. Each youngster is blindfolded, in turn, and given a stick to strike and break the pîfiata. When it breaks the presents come tumbling out for everyone! In foreign lands and in America, Christmas-is celebrated in many ways. Despite the differ- ences in its observance all people share its mag- ical and spiritual joy! Top left-Young woman dressed for the celebration of St. Lucia's Day, December 13th, in Sweden. Wearing a crown of lingonberry leaves glowing with lighted candles, she serves refreshments to ev- eryone. Photo courtesy of the Swedish Information Service. Top right- "Sternsingen" (Star Singing), an old Christ- mas custom in Lucerne, Cen- tral Switzerland. The Three Kings from the East walk in an elaborate parade to the market square. Photo courtesy the Swiss National Tourist Office. Bottom left-Mexican chil- dren enjoying an exciting pifiata party. Gifts corne showering down when the pifiata is broken. Photo courtesy the Mexican Na- tional Tourist Council. How to Make A Ginger- bread Boy Tree Ornament First, you'll need a cookie cutter in the shape of a gingerbread boy. Your supermarket or housewares store will have one. To make the "boy", mix 1 cup salt with 2 cups flour, then add 1 cup water, a little atatime. Knead 7-10 minutes until dough is smooth and putty-like. Roll dough about ¼1" thick, then use cookie cutter to cut the basic shape. Roll small pieces of dough for eyes, cheeks, etc. and moisten with water to attach. Poke hole at top for thread or yarn. Then, bake on cookie sheet (325 ) till light brown, or let air-dry 48 hours on a clean window screen. When cool, varnish to protect from moisture, or paint any color you like. Then, just hang on tree, or mantel, and enjoy the com- pliments . . . for many years. With care, your gingerbread boy can make repeat "performances"' Christmas after Christmas. Playing Santa without Padding? Santa Claus just has to be chubby. Millions of children all across the country would be terribly disappointed if he went Ho- Ho-Ho-Ho and his tummy didn't jiggle. Unfortunately, it's not the same for the rest of us, and Christmas is a tell-tale ime for the many people who are overweight. If you are going to play Santa and you find you don't need a pillow for padding, trim down. And even if you need a little padding to fit that red suit,-careful! If you're like Santa and have a difficult time passing up all those party pastries, try to watcn those pre- Christmas calories. For in- stance, when you and your family are busy decorating trees, wrapping packages, putting the toys together, be sure you snack, stealthily or openly, on fruit or carrot and celery sticks-which are low in calories. Santa Says: Wicker baskets, trays, and apothecary jars all lend themselves to imaginative and gay displays of home- baked goodies. Regain the Simple Joys of Christmas For friends far away, a newsy letter of the year's activities may be the best gift of all. It's personal it shows thoughtfulness, and is uniquely from your home to theirs. We are all too familiar with the songs of Christmas heard on the radio, sung on TV in musicals; sometimes these are repeated to the point that even the best- loved music becomes a cliche. As an antidote, check special musical pro- grams offered by churches. The music is usually inspiring and heart- warming - for example, Bach's Christmas "Ora- torio," or Handel's "Messiah." Chamber music societies and choral groups, too, offer pro- grams to stir the mind as well as the soul. On Christmas Eve come carolers-at least, we hope they do! Perhaps no tradition of Christmas is as memorable as getting to- gether with friends, either singing or listening, to carols on Christmas Eve. Even in the rain, or on a warm Southern California eve- ning, moving through the neighborhood with friends and family, singing carols, gives special pleasure. On Christmas Eve, after caroling, invite the group to your house for hot cider, wassail and home-baked cakes. Especially traditional are dishes of spice cookies, gingerbread, Dundee cake and shortbread. Remember when as a child someone took you by the hand on Christmas morning and hustled you off to church? We wish you a safe and happy Christ- i mas, free from care. It's been a pleasure sevng you and your family. servin yAs we journey through life we ask no Doug James - Tammy Rogers - Nesta Akey of greater pleasure than the joy of your faith JAM ES and friendship. Thanks for being you! From Dale, Rosemary, Marilyn INSURANC E o Agency Limited .B w a vleTae 24 King St. E. - BowmanytileBeTravel Telephone623.4406 47 King St. W. Centre Bowmanville Wishing you everything bright and beautiful in this and ai seasons.-We prize your continuing friendship and say "thanks." from GEORGE VAN DYK REALESTATE LMITED AND STAFF 181 Church Street, BowmanvilMe a Telephone 623-4428 To the Citizens of the Durham Region This Christmas will be remem- bered by most of our citizens as a trme of enjoyment and rejoicing in family reunion. Unfortunately for some this Christmas will be the season during which they lost a loved one through a traffic accident. Most of the accidents are needless. They involve too much alcohol and a moment's inattention to driving. The members of the Durham Regional Police remind you that at this time of the year it is even more important to drive defensively. We wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Jon M. Jenkins Chief of Police DURHAM REGIONAL POLICE m i h w i mm&