Christmas in Many Foreign Countries
Time of Feasting; Religion, Customs
i
GIVER MAKES GIFTS IN NORWAY,
FINLAND, GREECE, AUSTRIA, FRANCE
By Don Wenzl
Emerald Reporter
Christmas in European cotintries
is a feast of religion and custom
and not so much a commercialized
thing as in America, foreign stu
dents said in recent interviews.
All said that in their country,
gifts given were made hy the hand
of the giver.
Arne M. Borgnes, of Oslo, Nor
way, said cooking for Christmas is
begun three weeks ahead of time.
“It is a housemother’s pride to
have as many different kinds of
cookies as possible. One special one
we call the ‘Faltigmann’ the poor
man's cookie, which is a dark mor
sel made with syrup, and shaped
like little men."
l.utefisk and Steak
The big dinner with lulcfisk and
rib st ak is served Christmas eve.
Then the chddren are taken into
tin1 room where they are surprised
by the decorated Christmas tree,
and Santa comes then.
In tiie countryside, some believe
that Santa Claus lives in a barn,
and on Christmas eve a bowl of
pudding is left outside for the old
man.
Olso’s Philharmonic gives the
Messiah shortly before Christmas,
and on the eve, children dressed as
Santa Claus visit the homes, sing
carols and are given candies.
In Finland
For Finns' little Christmas, big
Christmas and the sauna hold
sway. Viola Erikson of Helsinki,
Finland said the little Christmas
is celebrated three weeks before
the big feast.
"A little tree is used, little gifts
are given and young ladies dressed
in white dresses and wearing green
crowns of leaves represent St.
Lucia on her feast. The Scandi
navian countries each elect a na
tional Queen Lucia, and she carries
the countries good wishes to each
of the oth>T countries."
Through the Window
Finnish children are told Santa's
helpers look through the windows
and return to Santa's mountain in
northern Finland to report on the
children. Miss Erikson said, "We
almost lost that mountain to the
Russians."
On Christmas eve the special
meal is eaten. Everyone is anxious
to eat the rice pudding, which con
tains one white almond. Whoever
gets the almond will be married
before the year is out.
"The people ail go to church at
six on Christmas morning. After
service they race in their' horse
diaw’n sleighs to sec who will get
home first,” Mis» Krikson stated.
Athanasios Mourdjinis, of Ath
ens thinks Greeks have the right
idea. All Greek civil servants draw
double pay for the month of De
cember as a Christmas gift. “If
they don't get it, they strike,” he
said.
“Greeks are not permitted by
law to cut down Christmas trees,
since the invaders ravaged our
forests, and the trees must be giv
en time to return,” Mourdjinis
stated.
Ilcligious Minded
"Many go to midnight services,
and the liturgy lasts several
hours,” Mourdjinis asserted. “Our
people are more religious minded
uuring the Christmas season. At
the church all the lights are turn
ed out, and the priest sings a psalm
saying ‘Christ is born.’ All the
lights come on slowly and the' choir
repeats the psalm.”
For Austrians and Elfriede Kra
lik, of Vienna, Christmas season
begins the first Sunday of Advent,
the fourth Sunday before Christ
mas. The Advent wreath, a woolen
wheel, with four spokes, each con
taining a candle and the rim o; the
wheel wrapped with firs to form
the wreath, is a national custom.
One candle is lit on each Sunday of
.Advent.
December 6 is big feast for the
children. “The rumpus comes to
the door, and rattles bones and
chains against it to scare the chil
dren. He gives the mother a bun
dle of switches to be used for
spankings during the coming
year/'
All’s Forgiven
Then St. Nicholas comes, all is
'forgiven, he tells the chiltln n to be
good and then gives them candy
and nuts.
Austrians, predominantly Catho
lic, consider the Midnight Mass a
part of national custom. The day
before Christmas, its vigil, is a
fish day. When the people return
home from Mass at two in the
morning, they have a Christmas
breakfast of sausages and kretz
brot, a ftuit cake.
Manger Scene
Each family has a “Krippe,” a
handj^ade manger scene, with
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds
and the animals under the tree.
Children in Austria are brought
gifts by the Krist Kink, the Christ
Child, rather than by Santa Claus.
Each gift is handmade and has
the person’s name on it.
In France too, Christmas is
mostly a religious celebration.
Janine Etchepare said most
Frenchmen attend Midnight Mass
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Panama, Peru, Palestine's Like U.S.
By Dottie Luebke
Emerald Roporter
Christmas everywhere is a time of celebration and feasting. Foreign
ftuoents from Panama, Peru and Palestine revealed in an interview
l/iat their native customs ate not so different from the annual obser
vance in the United States. Three girls from these respective countries
loJd about Christmas in their homes.
rapa JNoeJ is the Santa Claus of
Peru, Inez Pozzi-E.scot, Lima, Pe
ru, said, and he brings the gifts.
Everybody receives their presents
in their shoes which are left beside
the bed.
Became a Godfather
The traditional Christmas carols
are sung only by the higher social
class and are unknown to the poor
of Lima. The center of each Christ
mas celebration is the manger
scene. Miss Pozzi-E.scot described
these scenes as varying from house
to house. On Jan. 6 the scene is
put away by inviting guests to the
house to become a godparent of
on^ of the figures.
The spirit of giving is not con
fined to close friends and relatives
in Peru. The grocer, the baker and
mailman all get presents and they
in turn give gifts to every family.
The custom of trees and cards is
used quite widely in both Peru and
Panama although all homes do not
have trees.
In Panama
Consuelo Silvera. Panama, said
that Panamanians recognize Santa
Claus as a symbol of the American
influence. He is found in every de
partment store. Children are told
the Holy Child brings their gifts
and leaves them in their beds.
“Christmas in Palestine is high
lighted by the procession to Beth
lehem which begins early on the
24th,", Ghaida Meo said. Services
start in the Church of the Nativity
at midnight and are almost con
tinuous until Christmas afternoon.
The Services are broadcast for
those who cannot get inside the
church.
The manger scene plays an im
portant part in the Christmas de
corations here too. The figures are
placed under the tree which has
been constructed of pine branches.
Presents are given to children
while friends send each other flow
ers or candy. The children usually
receive their gifts at the breakfast
table and know that they come
from their parents for being good.
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© 1952, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
I
COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. of EUGENE