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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1934-12-20, Page 7"THURS., DEC. 20, 1931 Health THE CLINTON NEWS -RECORD PAGE 7 Cooking' RuMinatiolls Rbekall A Column Prepared Especially for Women— But Not Forbidden to Men CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS • "For somehow not only at Christmas But all the long year through, "-The joy that you give to others is the Joy that Comes back to you; .:And the more that , you spent in. blessing the poor and lonely and sad, "The more of your hearts possessing returns to make : you glad." ' THE HISTORY AND TRADITION OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE We learn from an existing menu - .script, says John Macy, that the Christmas tree was known perhaps • common and popular, in Strasbourg, Alsace, as early as 1604. Because people like to ascribe beautiful things to their heroes, the Germans have plated the first tree in the house of Martin Luther, but the Weihnach tsbaum (tree of the night of consecra- tion) must be older than Luther. For there is a charming folk -tale that probably goes back to those indefinite - times when fairy stories were born. A forester heard a knock at the door of his hut, and, opening it, saw a ragged child. He took the child in •'and gave him food, and his 'son, Mans; gave up his bed to the strang- er. In the morning the child took leave, and as he -went he said: "You have been kind to me, and I will re- turn your kindness." So saying, he broke a branch from a fir and plant - edit in the ground; and it grew into a, beautiful tree. "Each year," said the stranger, "this tree shall bear gifts in memory of one to whom you gave food and shelter." It was the Christ -Child. Now we must go back an indefinite time to the early years of Christian- ity in the North. We come to a time in the vague Dark Ages when ,Chis - gannet was pushing further and fur- ther north,' and .converting the •Ger. manic and Scandinavian heathen from their old. gods. And we come tp a significant episode. Winfred, a Gerinan missionary, is trying to convert the -Druids of Nor- way. The Druids worship the oak and the mistletotoe. (Is that per- chance in some dim way the origin of our Christmas mistletoe?) Win- fred tells them that the oak is a per- ishable thing and the true God is everlasting. To show them, he takes an axe and begins to cut down the sacred oak. As the chips fly, a great wind sweeps throughout the wood and the oak falls with a groan. 'breaking into four pieces. And, be- hold, just where the oak had stood Is a beautiful pointed fir. "That," said the missionary, "shall henceforth be your tree. It is evergreen, and that signifies the everlasting." The logs of the fallen oak and also the idols our modern house because our ances- tors were tree -worshippers. Our pret- ty Christmas tree, though it does not know it, is a converted heathen. All the old peoples worshipped trees in one way or another; and some of us who do not consider ourselves hea- then are tree -worshippers, sometimes forming an almost passionate attach- ment for a single fine specimen. The old sentimental verse, "Woodman, spare that tree," strikes a note of genuine emotion. Our pagan n fore- bears worshipped the tree with re- ligious fervor, and endowed it with supernatural powers. The Egyptians had their sacred palm with its .elab- orate cult, which was imported by the Romans and made part of the Saturnalia, a sort of harvest -home festival which came, remember, in the middle of December. As there were no palms in Italy, the Romans substituted the fir. Similar tree traditions existed a- mong other peoples, and Christianity came into a world of almost univer- sal tree -worship and brought its own familiar tree images. There are countless tree metaphors. Christ Himself is the Tree of Life; the cross is repeatedly called a tree. Chris- tianity also brought from its Jewish parents a tradtion of a lighted tree, for the seven -branched candlestick is a tree in conventionalized form. We can follow our phristmas tree much as we know it -back into the le- gends of •Germany, where it is lost in shadows, We can start with the Bible and trace the course of the Christian idea down to the times when Christianity with its birch tree sym- bolism met heathenism and paganism and conquered and absorbed them. Between the two is a gap which we can bridge only with imagination. Without imagination we miss the meaning of Christmas and everything else. Certainly th is true to the inner spirit of truth to believe that our little tree which delights the children is a gift from the other Child, and that it is the sign and symbol of the Tree of Life. •—REBEKAH of wood which were burned in token of submission to Christ are the ori- gin of the Yule log of England. The use of the evergreen as the Christmas tree is no doubt due to the obvious fact that it is alive in winter when other trees are leafless. Also, there is a'symb'olism in the shape of the fir and spruce. The deciduous trees, oak and elm, spread at the top. The evergreen rises to a point, as- piring, like a church steeple. Now we come a little closer to the ultimate roots of our little tree with its lights and trinkets. It is herein (511 law o ue bg Edited by GRANT FLEMING, M.D., Associate Secretary Service OF TIIE Gtttt batt illebirat , ,o, orittia n and Life Insurance Companies in Canada. OPTIMUM • Among the many letters received by the Health Service, one comes, from time to time, from -a correspon- dent whose interest is not in disease or in ordinary health, but in optimum health.- Such a person does not Iive in fear of disease, nor is he satisfied -with. ordinary health. What he seeks is the best. There are undoubtedly many grades of health. The proof of this is found when an attempt is made to define illness. We would all agree that the person -who is confined to bed by some - physical or mental disability is, ill, but we would not agree that all who are "up and about," or even at work, • are free from illness. It is surprising how many persons, 'women' in particular, drag themselves through years of'life, never ill in bed but never really vee11. They. have • conte to accept this low standard of physical health as the best they can expeot, and they would call themsel- ves healthy, meaning thereby that they are not sick in bed. Look around a class -room of chile •:dren and there you will find many de - grew of health. Take the child with =96right eyes and rosy cheeks, whose body is firm, and whose skin is smooth' and just moist, No one needs to tell -you that such a child enjoys a large er measure of health than daces the quiet pale child whose eyes are dull -and whose skin is dry. Snell differences continue through- -out life. It is not the difference be- tween health and disease to whieh we -refer, but to the variation in degrees of health, from the lowest to the :highest. When we enter this world, we have a certain endowment. What becomes •,of us depends very largely upon the use we snake of our physical and mental equipment. We cannot all -attain the same degree ofhealth, but 'for each of us there is an optimum edegree which can be reached if we pay reasonable attention to hygienic living. Is optimum health worth the ef- fort? If you are - satisfied and cone tent with second-best then it would not seem so. But if you want to get the most out of life while giving the most to -life, then the effort you make is well repaid. Unfortunately, there is a time -limit an this. offer. You cannot wait untilthe endowment is dissipated through ,carelessness and neglect, and then expect to claim it. You are not asked to make yourself a slave to a diet, or to exercise, or to any one thing. You are told to he reasonable, to use your intelligence which presumably differentiates' you from the lower animals, to pay or- dinary attention to the demands - of your mind and body, so that they may have a real chance to develop and function harinoniuosly at the height of, their capacity, which is„op. annum health. - Questions concerning Health, ad- dressed to the Canondian Medical Ae- soeiation, 184 College Street, Terme to, we/' IT -. ., , one i,-, letter. Patients Play Patience as Health Return's The gamo of "Patience” provides one moans of whiting away a pleasant -hour, for there are rib rostrictlOns upon the player and the cards (lay be gathered up et will and put away when Interest wanes. Another form of Patience' is 11(005 played by the Inmates of the Toronto JCospitai for Consumptives, 1110 Muskoka linspitttl for Oonsumplive5 and the Ouoon. 'Story Iloypitat far Consumptive Children but, there is a diltevenco—they can't leave off - when they wish, t1,1 these three sanctuaries for the frail victims of tuberculosis, the never-ending tight is carried on for the lives of anon,. women and children, Over a t Ousaud patients aro being cared for in these nospl•tals whore kindlydodo ' and nurses smile with; their :patients at gains Al weight and strength. There 19 hope .' !or their recovery if friends continue the voluntary contributions of .other years for 111s a fact that few of the patients can oay anything toward their keepand the throe hospitals must largely depend upon 31118 if the work is to continue. Will you please assist in this great worltby sending what you can to George A. Reid, Treasurer, [Gage 1ns1ltute, 220 Ponoge street Toronto 2. e e • • • • • • • • • • • k a a • 4, w, • • • • • a, e 0 • • • • • • • • „ • 4, • • • i• • • • • CHRISTMAS FRUITS When you buy your Christmas sup- plies of currants, raisins, figs, Bra- zils, or dates, • do you . ever wonder where they ,come from, Dates, from Arabia and Persia, grow on the date -palm. The name is derived from the Greek word "dactylos," meaning finger. Dates, before being pressed, look erectly like human fingers, and the resmblance still remains in. those you buy. "Brazils" are from Brazil:`They are the produce of a tree called the :'ju via." They grow in a hard shell about the size and shape of a child's head. and each shell contains about fifty nuts, . Currants are a variety of small grapes, dried. The name is our cor- ruption of "Corinth" -.-where they grow most abundantly. - Tit -Bits (London). ON CHRISTMAS EVE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE Ole WESTERN PRAM. IES SING CAROLS AND BREAK FAST Twelve National Dishes Used To Re- present Twelve Apostles; Christ- mas Is Celebrated On January 7 When on Christmas eve the dusk softly blots out the outlines of the Western prailue lands the people of the Ukrainian communities. in Mani- toba can imagine that they are once again in the old country, as singing the traditional Christmas carols, they go from house to house' in small groups. These people make it as much like the Ukrainian Christmas as possible, On Christmas eve the fast of three weeks is broken and the people have ' a supper: at night. All day'there is complete fasting and then at night the festivity begins. It is a big feast. They try to have 12 of their own na- tional dishes, one to represent each of the 12 apostles. And yet with all these courses there is no meat, and ne meat is used in cooking. Straw Brought In When the meal is ready hay and straw is brought in and placed in the room and on the table which is then covered with a cloth, The house is made to represent a stable and the table is the manger, In this setting reminding them of the first Christ - rias the Ukrainian people commence their Christmas celebration. Their Christmas is not the Cana - ' t dian Christmas, in observance or in time,' either. The majority of the Ulcrainian people celebrate Christ- mas on January 7, going by the old Julian calendar which Pope Gregory', reformed in the 16th .century. Every 100 years a day is lost and up to the present time the Ukrainian Christ- mas is 13 clays behind the English Christmas, New Year's is on January 14. Some people observe both Obristmas sea- sone and others either the Canadian or the Ukrainian., M •. •' • -e * • * Care of Children OUR RECIPE' FOR TODAY • We shall be eating a good many kinds of rich foods dur- ing the next few weeks and it would be well to mix in Some apple dishes, as apples are great aids to digestion. Here are a few recipes which are a little different from the more or less ordinary apple- sauce: . Baked Apples Wash, core and place apples in a baking :dish in a moder- ate oven. When apples begin X10 soften, fill core 'with honey or brown sugar and sprinkle with lemon juice. Finish bak- ing. Serve hot. Apple Transparent Peel and core nice, firm ap- ples, like ,Spies, Gut the quad- ters in thick slices if apples are large and put in rather wide sauce pan so that the ap- ples will not be crowded. Bring to boil then add sugar and cook until the slices are transparent. Pour into a glass dish and serve cold. These slices if lifted out of the syrup and cooled are nice to add to a fruit salad or cocktail at the beginning of a meal, Apple Ginger Wipe, pare, core, ,quarter and finely chop sour apples. 2 cups. Put in saucepan and gradually bring to the boiling point. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and thin shavings of rind of lemon and a tiny piece of ginger root. Simmer, stir- ring. frequently until the ap- ples are transparent. Great care must' be taken during cooking, otherwise mixture will burn very easily. Turn into glass dish. Serve cold. • • • s ► f • • • P • O • i • • • • • • a • 8 * • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 • • Some Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern The singing of carols ` during the Christmas season is an old establish- ed custom. In England groups of mon and boys known as waits go about the streets of the country towns and villages singing carols and hymns on Christmas eve, and in cer tain French-Canadian districts of Canada the Guignolee or street sing- ing in g-ing still prevails at that season, The carol originally meant a song aceom, ponied by dancing, in which sense it HOW THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS KEPT IN OTHER PLACES Out in India the day is usually one of hot sunshine. Although holly is practically unobtainable, yet native mistletoe and bougaincillea make ex - unmet substitutes for decorations. Where there is a garrison they hold a full dress. church parade . Curiously enough open-air picnics are held in the afternoon, while dinner parties and fancy dress balls are the more conventional means of spending the evening. In regions like Baffin Land the men in the isolated posts of the Hud- son's ud-son s: Bay Company pass the loneliest Christmas in the world, for they are absolutely eut off from the world each winter until the following July, and in many cases the last letters or presents they have received will have been posted as far, back as the prev- ious July. Yet these hard-bitten, fur - clad men manage to enjoy themsel- ves. Others are more fortunate, for air mails and dog sleighs deliver their Christmas mails. All over the seven seas ships great and small are away on the waves for Christmas, but that never causes the day to be forgotten, rather it is an- ticipated with even more .relish --df that is possible, than at home. In little fishery protection sloops, traw- lers, coasting steamers, and ordinary tramps, special dinners with plum puddings are made aboard, and "dog- watches"—short spells of duty—are worked to enable the seaman to ene joy his share of the good things. On the great Atlantic liners im- mense preparations are taken to en- sure that Christmas is : a success. Huge quantities of speeial Christmas provisions and drinks are .carried, and these combined with crackers, beauti- ful decorations and a dance, make everyone ahppy. The kiddies too, are equally well -catered for, for Father Christmas "lands" onthe ship and distributes presents among then]. In addition pierrot concerts keep them roaring, huge well -laden Christmas trees and a wonderful feed melte thein all look forward to another Christ- mas afloat. is frequently used by the old poets. 1 It appears to have been danced by many performers, by taking hands, forming a ring and singing as they i went around. Carol singing is of great antiquity among Christian come munities, as the carol of Aurelius . Prudentius, of the 4th century, indi- cates, The Middle Ages were espee. ially familiar with these songs. The first authorisation for a collection of such carols to be made was issued to Thomas Tysdale (1562), Foe a while they disappeared under the Puritan regime, but with the Restoration book appeared called The New Car- ols for the Merry Time of Christ- mas,to Sundry Pleasant Turner. Hark the Herald- angels sing (1730) and While Shepherds . Watched Their Flocks by Night are two well-known carols: A CHRISTMAS CAROL .- "What means this glory round our feet," The Magi mused "more bright than morn?" And voices chanted clear and sweet, "To -day the Prince of Peace is born!" "What means that star," the Shep- herds said, "That brightens through the rocky 'glen?n And angels, answering overhead, iSang, "Peace on earth, good -will to men!" —James Russell Lowell. THE DAY OF DAYS The air is cold, the skies are sad, But all the hearts on earth are glad; What though there be no stars to- night? The lamps of Earth are all alight; And though there are no birds to sing Yet all the belts of Earth do ring, For now the day of days is here. The best beloved of all the year. A thousand buds unfold in May, The flowers are dead- on Christmas Day; Red apples deck the summer's prime, No tree bears fruit , at Christmas time, But still this frozen time is blest, And praised and loved above the test, For on this day of holy mirth Came Love and Pity down to Earth; And where's the lily, where's the rose Can match these .blossoms of the snows?. "The Children's. Newspaper."' *t#* PEACE NOW I was not in uJdaea, I did not see the Star, . 1 followed not the journeyings Of Wise Men from afar. The cattle in the stable, The shepherds gathered there, The gifts of gold and frankincense, The spicy, fragrant myrrh.. These saw I not, but last night When all the winds were low And stars walked in the heavens And blue was on the snow, My heart became a manger, And as I knelt me there I saw the little Christ -Child The light on Mary's hair I was not in Judaea, The Star I did not see, But ring ye bells with "Peace, now, For born indeed is Het" —Ella H. Eckel, in the Canadian Magazine. - Our own Christmas foods are so well - known that it is interesting to hear about the different dishes fav- oured abroad. Thus roast goose following a rice pudding, is enjoyed in. Norway, and Sweden, Germans also patronize roast goose, followed by a pudding very similar to ours; and thee' whole is washed down with much beer. More unusual is the roast suck- ing -pig which delights the Serbians and -even stranger the sweet calces of honey and almonds which tickle the palates of the Neapolitans. **%il'. HOW FAR IS IT TO BETHLEHEM? How far is it to Bethlehem? Not very far. Shall we find the stable -room Lit by a star? Can we see the little Child. Is Ile within? If we lift the wooden latch. May we go in? May we stroke the creatures there, Ox, ass, or sheep? May we peep like them and see Jesus asleep? If eve touch his tiny hand Will He awake? Will Ile know we've come so far, Just for His sake? Great Kings have precious gifts, And we have naught; Little smiles and little tears Are all we brought. For all weary children Mary must weep. Here, on His bed of straw, Sleep, children, sleep. God, in His Mother's arms Babes in the byre, Sleep, as they sleep who find Their hearts desire. - --Frances Chesterton. STAR OF BETHLEHEM O Star that led the Wise Men front the East, Shine on our revels santify our feast! They sought the Prince of Peace; we seek Him, too: But not with myrrh and frankin- cense—with rue, The. Flower. of Repentance, meet for those. Who saw the Light and yet. the Dark- hese chose. Though - sometimes it may wax and sometimes wane, Yet beams that Star—yet beckons us again. Eternal challenge to the mystic Quest For peace, which, till he find, man may not rest. And it shall shine until its task be done, With all men Brothers, and all na- tions one. Shine on - our revels—sanctify our feast, O Star that led the Wise Men from the East. —Florence Van, Cleve. * * ak MY LORD He was not only hated and despised Nay, He was honored at His hum- ble birth - By shepherd men and sage and angel choir Singing "Good will to man and peace on Earth." He was not only spit upon and curs- ed, And crowned with cruel thorns and crucified, Nay, He was Ioved and sought by multitudes, Before Him evil fled and demons cried. He did not cringe or quail when death drew near, But suffering on Be"sought lot souls to save, He was not conquered by the mad- dened mob, Nay, He arose a conqueror of the grave. - There always will be those who hate my Lord, But there, are also those who love Him dear. And on that day when ail shall be revealed, Well you with those who love Him then appear? —Victoria Brekken, CHRISTMAS GREETINGS All hail! This joyous Chr!stmatside, This birthday time of peace and love, That bids us turn from care aside And leads our thoughts to things above. At other times the bane of strife Too often keeps our ways apart, The sordid cares of selfish life Too often sear the kindly heart. In earnest efforts to attain Some better law for human good, We sometimes lose as much as gain, Because not better- understood. This Christmas morn, then let us try To greet, as it was greeted when The Herald Angels filled the sky With "Peace on earth, goodwill to men." In many homes afflictions' rod Will tinge with grief the festive cheer, But thoughts of Him sent us from God Will help to wipe away the tear, And all those happy girls and boys, With hearts still' free from care sand strife, - Let's fill then up with Christmas joys, The joys that make for better life: Then hail this welcome Christmastide This glorious time of peace and i love, That bids us turn from cares aside And leads our hearts to joys above. —H. J. Pettypiece. *ek'?l THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM It was the eve of Christmas,' The snow lay deep and white, I sat beside my window, And looked into the night; I heard the church bells ringing, I saw the bright stars shine, And childhood came again to file With all its dreams divine.' Then as I listened to the bells, And 'watched the skies afar, Out of the East majestical There rose a radiant star; - And every other star grew pale Before that heavenly glow, It seemed to bid me follow And I could not choose but go. Street to street it led one, By many a mansion fair, It shone through dingy casements On many a garret bare; From highway on to highway, Through alleys dark and cold, And where it shone, the darkness Was flooded all with gold. - Sad hearts forgot their sorrow, • Royal hearts grew soft and mild, ' And weary little children Turned in their sleep and smiled; While many a homeless wanderer Uplifted penitent eyes, Seeming to see a home at last Beyond those starry skies. And then the gates rolled baokWard, I stood where angels trod; It was the Star of Bethlehem That led me up to God. —F. E, Wletherley, A CHRISTMAS CAROL There's a song in the air, There's a star in the sky! There's a mother's deep prayer And a baby's low cry! And the star rains its fire while the Beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a Ring. • There's a tumult of joy O'er the wonderful birth, For the Virgin's sweet boy Is the Lord of the earth. - So the star rains its fire and the Beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a Ring. In the light of that star Lie the ages ihnpcarled; And that song from afar Has swept over the world. Every hearth is aflame where the ' Beautiful sing o] In the homes of the nations that Je- sus is nig. We rejoice in the light And we echo the song That comes down through the night From the heavenly throng. We respond to the lovely evangel they bring, As we greet in I•Tis cradle our Sav- iour and Ring. --J. G. Holland. 'GOOD KING WENCELAUS Good King Wenceslaus looked out On the feast of Stephen, When the snow lay i,ound about, Deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night Though the frost was cruel, 'When a poor man came hi sight Gathering winter fuel. "Hither, page, and stand by me, If thou knowest it, telling, Yonder peasant, who. is he? Where, and what his dwelling?" "Sire, he lives a good league hence . Underneath the mountain Right against the forest fence By Saint Agnes' fountain." "Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, Bring me pine logs hither, Thou and I will see him dine When we bear them thither." Page andmonarch forth they went, Forth they went together, Through the rude wind's wild lament;, And the bitter weather. ' "Sire, the night is colder now, And the wind blows stronger, Faints niy heart, I know not how, I can go no longer." "Mark my footsteps, my good pager. Treadthou in them boldly, Thou slhalt find the winter's rage, Freeze thy blood less coldly." master's steps In his mas ps he trod Wlhere the snow lay dented. 1 Heat was in the very sod That the saint had printed. Therefore, Christian men, be sure, Rank or wealth possessing, Ye who now would feed the poor Shall yourselves find blessing. 1 ei r English baulk'