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Compiled by the Editors of Funik & Wagnalls Dictionary.. Fasclinating f acts. about Christmas 'Tis said Christmas cookies are a survival of the giving of confections to the «Roman senators. During the Xmas- time festivities in the early ages There is arn old saying that if you quarrel on Christmas Day, things will go bad for you the rest of the year ... Bethlehem and Nazareth (in Pennsylvania) are 8 miles f rom each other . . . # You want to know the names of the three wise mnen? They were Melchior, Baithasar, and Caspar December 25 was originally a Mithraic feast date. The birthday of the unconscious Sun o! Philocalus In Flnland, Father Christmas is dressed as a Yule goat ... * *1 Christmas Island in the Pacific got it s namne because Captain Cook îanded there Xmas Day (1777) History records some great events happening on Christ,- mas Day. Among others: The crowning o! Henry II of England (1154) ; the time the barons forced King John to sign the Magna Charta (1214) ; the establishment of the Order of the Garter (1346) ; and the victory of General George Washington over the Hessians when he crossed the Delaware (1776) ... * The French cail Christmas Noel, the Scotch Yule, the Scandinavians Juletide, the Dutch Kerstmisse, the Welsh Nadoliq, the Italians Il Natale, the Germans Weihnachten, the Polish Boze Navodzenie, the Bohemians Bozic, the Slovaks Vianoce, and the Spanish Navidad.. There are only four hours of daylight in Iceland on Christmas Day - which means that Icelanders spend their entire holiday attending church services.. SIGN AGREEMENT FOR $90 million pro ject Hamilton Township last week signed an agreement in principle for- the development, of the $90 million Lucas Point development to be placed in the Township east of the Town of Cobourg. The development would be devised through a number of stages including 220 acr-es for heavy industry, 22 acres of' ligit industry, 1:3 acres for a shoDiing cen tre and 135 acres Not to become involved The Towvn of Newcastle comjnci1 backed away from a recommendation of the public works departmient that the Town would help to maintain safety of public services if a strike is called by the Ontario Civil service. Council did flot wvant to becomne involved in the strike even though they had been approached by the Ministry of Transportation and Commun- ication. WISHE~ -FOR ck"&7~~ Children's cheery voices raised in Christmas song express the good will we feel for ail our f riends. Thanks and Merry Christmas! OKEl"lNE TH "avE L L Y AL L D)URIIAM REGIONAL COUNCILLOR December 25 was a holiday in Britain long before the days of Christianity. 'Twas known as neodranecht or mother's night. Tin Italy, the giving of Xmas gifts is ad- vanced to Epiphany (the l2th night after Christmas) ... There is a passage in the Bible that says Jesus was born on Wednesday, December 25 (in the 42nd year of Augus- tus). 'Tis in Hippolytus' commentary in Daniel Legend has it that when the Virgin Mary bound her Infant Son with swaddling clothes and laid him in the' manger, the dry straw and hay with which it was filled were restored to -freshness and life The flrst officiai mention of December 25 as Christmas is in the Calendar of Philocalus (354 A.D.) In the Balkans, the Croats andSerbs on Christmas Day go into the forest before sunirise and feli a tree. If it burns brightly in the homne fireplace, prosperity (they be- lieve) is in store for the year to corne Danish children have no Santa Claus. Instead-a Christmas brownie called "Nisson" The flrst Christmas pies were baked in the f orm of a cradile,- with strips of pastry laid over the pie represent- ing the manger ... * * * Epiphany is of ten called- "Little Christmas." It's the day the Magi arrived ... they were not kings, but astrologers.. American Indians had a superstition that deer kneel and look up to the Great Spirit on Christmas Eve Santa Claus becamie a toymaker because poor children could flot afford to buy toys, and he vowed he would make toys for themi.. Durham Agri-News SEASONS GREETING TO COUNTY FAýRMERS-Ail of us at thie Ministry of Agricul- ture and Food in Bowmianviile would like to take this opportunitY to wish ail farm families in the County the very best for the Christmnas Season and we hope that 1975 will bring you and yours the very best of everyt hing. We have appreciated the supIpor't wev have received front ever- one during the past year and we look forward to continuing to serve you in 1975. Again, a Ver-y Merry Christmnas to everyvone in Durhamn County. GETF IT IN WITNG -A simple writtfeu agreemient between aL farmner and a supplier or contractor will go a long way towards prevent- ing Civil actions between farmner and supplier. With basically verbal agreement, a fariler hias only a bill of sale to faîl back on if somiething goes wrong itih the work that wýas dlonie or the itemn that was suipplied.. H.E. Beliman, Agricultural Engineer with the Mînistry of Agriculture and Food, points out that- throughi his involvem-ent with anumnber of these Civil actions, hiefhas found that misunderstanding and not dishonesty is behind most of the problemi. Such miisuinder- stan dings cani occur at the fimie of purchase or alter the purchase is miade and repairs and or services required. CONTRACTUAL, AGREEMIENTS CAN BE RELATIVELY SIMIPLE- A 'n outline of what is expected in thie purchase, delivery dates,' paymnent schedules, respons- ibility after, delivery and the guarantee should be agreed upont by both parties. The length of timte covered by the agreement should also be included. The more that the new unit affects farrn income, the more important it be- cornes to have the agreements in writing, points out Mr. Bellmnp. -If ant auto mated for example, andi the two parties cannot agree on who does whatnin the guarantee, thien the dairy farmer's pro- duction is aff ected. Complex miachinery and similarily complex farming practices mnakes such agreements ne- cessary in many farm Q (perat- ions. Signed contracts xiii help) both sies uinderstand what is expected and prevent disagreemnents before they start. CURVPLY WOOD r, PRODUCTS To you and yvours, Our heartfelt thanks and a happy holiday! SORED BY VOUR (RONO BUSINESSMýEN Watson's Marine and Cycle Orono Towing an.d Repairs Your faithful patronage has miade our Christmas brighter. SPONS Wallace Auto Supply Rahm's Sunoco Mercer's Garage Elrner's Garage