e Children Show Generosity, Treat Santa to Surprises As a certain white-bearded, jolly old gentleman makes his rounds on Christmas Eve, delivering happy surprises to children the world over, .. he may look forward to be- ing, in turn, surprised. In the legend and lore of. Christmas, giving to Santa is a time-honored tradition, with the gifts usually taking the form of food or beverage. Today, many families en- courage' children to be gen- erous, by observing the cus- tom of setting out treats for Santa -- perhaps some can- dy, a dish of cookles; a glass of milk. Through the ages, the gift- 'giver now known as' Santa Claus 'has been called by many different names, but Santa's predecessors, like Santa himself, were often greeted with special treats. Filling Pockets In Italy, Befana is the gift- giver who preceded Santa. She took her name from the name for Twelfth Night -- Epiphania, or Epiphany -- and brought her gifts on Epiphany Eve, January 5th. To make ready for Befana, "tradition says, Italian chil= * hang up 'e dren empty their pockets and heir clothes, Then into each pocket goes a sur- prise -- something good to eat. After taking out the treats, Befana refills each pocket with gifts for the children. Guarding the Home Sweden has an unusual gift-giver -- it's a goat! Ac- cording. to tradition, the Yul- - bock or Yule goat comes to the door of Swedish homes on Christmas Eve and tosses the family's gifts through the doorway. Another legendary guest at Swedish holiday celebra- _ tions is Tomte, a kind-heart- ed elf who guards the home. A dish of food is placed in a quiet corner, so that Tomte 'may feast as he secretly ob- serves the family fun. Enjoying Pudding In Denmark and Norway the legendary good spirit of _ the house is Nisse, who watches over home and farm and is sometimes said to be To all our friends : and neighbors carol of holiday wishes... love, peace, happiness, and togetherness. we sing a joyful JOY TO TBE | WORLD | 4 ~ Mcintyre Upholstery PRINCE ALBERT 'age, the. gift-bringer, too. His Christmas treat, the' rice pudding traditional at Scandinavian holiday feasts, is placed beside the kitchen door or, on farms, in the hay- . loft. Treating the Donkey Today's Santa relies on his reindeer for transport, but the gift bringers of yester- year had other animal help- ers, who usually shared in the holiday giving and re- ceiving. In Holland, for instance, legend says that St. Nicholas arrives early -- on St. Nicho- las Eve, December 5th -- rid- ing a white donkey. For the refreshment of the good saint's donkey, children stuff their shoes with hay and set out a dish of water, Car- rots and a potato are some- times added. Feeding the Horses Twelfth Night is, in Span- ish tradition, lhe lime for giving gifts, and the tradi- tional gift bearers are the Wise Men, who as they jour- ney each year to Bethlehem bring gifts for good children. To feed the Wise Men's ~ horses on their long pilgrim- Spanish children fill their shoes with straw and set them on balconies or win- dow ledges. As the dhildren 3 nestle down to +. Christmas dreams, we extend hoppy wishes to you and your family. Cycle and Sports HENRI and MARIE SMITS, PROP. GLAD CHRISTMAS i TIDINGS of of good will and good cheer, too; coming your way with our sincere wishes for a memorable Christmas. United Co-Operatives of Ontario - Uxbridge Branch , . check. Santa wants to make sure every detail is just right so you can have the merriest, happiest Christmas everl MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF PORT PERRY I. G. A | Js a last minute WG A TR ee As the excitement of another Christmas mounts and the spirit of joy and wonderment reaches into the hearts of everyone, we send our heartiest greetings, with sincere thanks for the privilege of serving you. BALLARD LUMBER and STAFF Christmas Greetings| 1) \ fo N44 §;