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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1925-12-17, Page 6SPANGLES ON THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE BY LEREINEBALLANTYNE. ` This story is told of how spanglesas not to lose their, way, They crept came to be draped upon the Christmaai up the candles very close to the flame , boys and girls even thou trees: Long .years ago„. bgfore little and let the warmth of the glow pene-, ght Af having trate their bodies, and it felt:veryl a tree, trimmed for Christmas, there good. Then one old father spider said, lived in a large house on the top of , "Come, children, let us go before wo a,bleak hill some little boys and girls are swept out again." They thought with their parents and the servants of, that very good advice and one by one the home. •Thole father had gone on, they all followed their silken trail a long journey, and they were not back• again to the window, and out sure that he would return in time for the Yule festivities, However, they watcheddaily for him with their lit - they went, down the wall and back again to their new home in the balsam tree, tle facespressed close to -the latticed Soon after that the star which the window. Wise Men had followed years before, As they looked out they saw no- appeared in the sky, and the Christ - thing but the wide sweeps of snow, child came to earth again to discover broken only by „the scattered spruce where the children dwelt who loved and cedar trees standing here and Him, He saw the bright lights from there like sentinels upon the land- afar on the tree .which was tehnined scape. Suddenly they got the idea to do honor to His birthday, and He that Alley would like to have one of came and stood in the room to .be the trees in the house, to light their hold it. He was so surprised to find it. Christmas candles upon its branches + covered with tiny cobwebs, and al - So they ran to their mother and asked her if they might do this, and after thinking about it for a few minutes she agreed that it was a pretty thought and said they might have the tree So she called the servants and though Ile loves every creature, even the tiny spiders, yet Ile knew the children did not mean to have them on the tree. So He touched the silken webs with His finger; touched them ever so told them that the house must be gently, and lol the tree stood covered cleaned from the outer doors up to from top to bottom with glittering the attic, and not a speck of dust must remain, for the children were going to light a tree with candles to honor the birthday of the Christ -child. silver spangles -the most beautiful tree in the world! And because the story of it spread afar, to this day we `still hang spangles upon . the The servants started cleaning the Christmas Tree, house, and they began right up at the attic. They cleaned and brushed and swept every atom of dirt out, and Before attempting to dress aChrist- every little cobweb from every littleP g Christ - corner. Then they came downstairs mas tree it should be made very firm and again they cleaned and brushed by placing the plant in a barrel of every bit of dirt and every little cob- soil or sand if it is of any size. Even web from every corner. And hidden if the tree is a small one it is advis- away among the little cobwebs were able to do this, although in such case many little spiders, and one by one a large flower -pot will serve the pur- they were swept out with the dust, Pose - The dressing of the tree should al- ways be started from the top, working downwards. Pix the heaviest toys to the upper parts of the strongest^ The Christmas Tree's Toilette. Until at the end of the week there -remained not a single little spider in all the house, nor a speck of dust, nor a cobweb. Then with great ceremony the old- branches and suspend the more fre- est servant was despatched to select tips.There the most beautiful tree of perfect should be no happy-go-lucky distribut- proportions, and it was cut down, and ing of the gifts, but even'the smallest brought into the house. When made toy should be labelled for some child. This not only makes more fun, but there is a finality -about such an ar- rangement that does away with all jealousy. After the Christmas tree is dis- mantled plank it at once, if youhave a garden and the tree has roots. But many Christmas trees have no roots. when lighted the whole tree would ap- In that case let the children have pear to be a wonderful harmonious them to prepare for the birds. They blaze of light. At the very top of the may be decked with morsels of fat wig and a few partly shelled nuts. Our tree, fastened to the highest t which points straight up to Heaven, feathered friends are hard put to they fastened the tallest and best it. at this time of year to fled enough candle. It was late when they finish- food, andthe children will love to ed and they were all tired, so they went to bed, after opening the window just a teeny weeny bit so that Santa fast, candles were brought; and the little boys and girls spent a most delightful days fixing them upon the tree. They did not tie one here and an- other there—oh no! Each one was placed carefully so as to be just a certain distance from the last, so that know they are giving the birds a party of their own. If you have some time to spare for Claus might be able' to get in, when decorating, don't forget that delight - attracted by the brilliant lights, if he ful Christmas friezes may be bought considered their conduct had been at most big stores in three -yard good enough during the year to merit lengths. One design may show reward. Father Christmas tearing through the The household was soon asleep, and snow with his sleigh and merry bells, at midnight no one save the dog in another a happy family of kiddies his kennel beard the exquisite tinkling dancing round the Christmas tree' of bells which rang out upon the clear and there are many other artistic frosty air, when Santa Claus drew up designs, all charmingly colored with - with his magic sleigh before the win- out being crude. These are in so much dow. Softly he entered the house and better taste than the old colored paper tip -toed first to the room where the chains and the paper roses in impos- children slept to see if they were all sible shades. abed and sleeping soundly. Not even These friezes should only be fixed a little mouse was awake so he went in place here and there with small back and after surveying the wonder- drawing -pins, so that no ugly marks ful tree, he left toys, sweetmeats and show in the walls when the decora- all sorts of good things, including a tions are taken down. fresh supply of candles, for the little The best kind of Christmas cake for boys and girls to find in the morning. children is one of the plain variety, When he had gone and the last iced with water icing. It may be de - tingle of his bells died away on the aerated with the little gold and silver crisp frosty air, the moonbeams crept balls, candied flower petals, and other softly in to see the tree. And the little decorations sold at all confec- little birds wakened by the jingle of tioners for the purpose. bells came out of the trees and looked decorations will decorate several cakes in through the window to behold the decorations will recorate several cakes tree. And all the little spiders which' and make them look so Christmasey had been swept out, and had been hud- that they will give far more pleasure dling together in the depths of a bal- to the children than a rich cake not ascii tree outside, were disturbed by so prettily decorated. A rich fruit the commotion of the birds, and they cake with layers of almond icing is too opened their tiny eyes and saw the i unsuitable for children, especially at tree glowing with a blaze of light in- Christmas -time, when there is so much side the window. rich food about. If children are al - 'Oh what a pretty thing!" sighed lowed to overeat it will spoil the fun one little spider. !for everybody. "Let us go closer to see it," urged` another. "Come along," ventured a third. So all the little spiders ran down from the tree, and hurried across the snow so as not to get their tiny feet frozen, and they ran up the wall to the window. There they sat a long time lost in amazement at the extra- ordinary sight. Suddenly one of them said, "The moon -beams have gone inside; let usl go in, too." So they all ran in through the win- dow, for Santa Claus had forgotten to close it. After being swept out, there they were, every fast one of them, back inside the house again. One fellow more venturesome than the rest wanted to go right up into the tree to discover why it should have bright star -lights flickering upon it while the trees outside had no such warm glow about them. The older spiders decided that might be a bit dangerous, but the more adventurous. ones argued that the moonbeams were already playing in the tree, and no harm hadcome to them. So up they all went, and examined it to their hearts' content, running over, every branch, bat always weaving a silky thread as they went, that they might have a trail to ,follow back, so How To Carve The C ristmas Turkey A Few Tips. for Father, Which if 5FoIlowecl, Will Give,; Mother' a Chance to Enjoy Her Dinner Too -fes..,.,. Each of the Sketches Above Show a Step in the Correct Procedure for carving a Turkey. The Accompanying Story Tells You.How in Detail. By Sister Mary After mother has roasted the Christ- mas turkey to a turn, it is up to father to take a hand and wreck the work of art to enhance it, according to his skill at carving. Every woman has sat with bated breath the first time the man of the house wielded a carving knife over a turkey. Since no ordinary man carves a turkey every day here's just how it should be done. First, be sure that the carving knife is sharp. A dull knife will mean trou- ble and consequent embarrassment. If au unusually -large turkey platter is used, well and good, if not, a.emall platter should be at hand for the The Champion Pie Eater. A mammoth Christmas pie was sent from Berwick to London in 1770 as a gift for Sir Harry Grey. It measured 9 ft, in circumference, and weighed 168 lbs, An enormous pie of similar weight provided the chief dish ata banquet at Gorleston some years ago. It was built in three sections, and walled in with a stout crust 3 ins. thick. The ingredients consisted of kidneys, beef- steak, and rabbits, mingled with po- tatoes, onions, and carrots. This monster pie was made by an old trawl skipper and took forty-eight hours to cook. After the feast the remains of the pie were made into ten gallons of soup for distribution to the poor. When the pie -eating championship of New Jersey was decided, each pie consisted of a layer of pastry ee-inch thick, spread with canned fruit. The average weight of the pies was 1/4 lb. Thirty-five young men entered the contest, during which the State record of twenty-six pies in half -an - hour went by the board, for the win- ner managed to eat twenty-seven in the allotted time. For this feat he was awarded the championship belt. God Be Praised. Now God be praised, The years are long, The winds of time Blow loud and strong, But still our hearts can catch afar The shining of a star. Come storm, come change, We listen still To angels singing on a hill, lAnd Christmas never falls amiss— Now God be praised for this. —Nancy Byrd, Turner. wings, thighs and drumsticks. The platter should be so placed that the breast of the turkey will be at the left band of the carver, This is im- portant. Follow "Instructions. As in illustration No. 1, insert the carving fork firmly midway of the breast bone, plunging tt,{leep, The fork must balance the turkey on the platter while the disjointing and care- ingef the breast is accomplished, No. 2. Make a sharp downward cut through the skin between the second Joint and the body on the side of the turkey farthest from the carver. Cut through the flesh and skin all tile way around the joint, No. 3. With the point of the kn e find the socket, then with a quick out- ward turn of the ble;de the thigh is severed from the back. This removes both of the leg joints at one time. No. 4. The procedure in No. 3 be 101- lowed to remove the wings, cutting straight down between the wing and the body No. 5. The legs and wings shoukl be placed on a side plate . for. carving later. ' No. 6. With the fork still firmly grasped in the left hand, cut the breast In thin slices,•' beginning where the wing was removed and slicing parallel to the breast bone. 1. •�... yrs,,;,:r, If You're Good. Santa Claus will come to -night If a you're good' And do what you know ie right, As you should:" Down the chimney he will creep, Bring for you a woolly sheep, And -a don that goes to sleepy _ If you're good: Santa Claus will drive his sleigh Through the wood, - But he'll come around this way If you're good. With, a wind-up bird that sings And a puzzle made of rings, H© will bring you many things If you're good.; .Jumping jacks and cars that go, If you're geed,; And a rocking -horsey, Oh`! If he would! And 'a 'dolly that can sneeze, That 'says,' "lMIamma!" when you squeeze,- He'll bring you one of these ,• If you're good. - No. 7. Now remove the fork from the breast bone and separate the second joint from the drum stick. Cut. this meat in slices and serve a slice of white meat and a slice of dark meat on each 'plate. - To Remove Stuffing. To remove the stuffing, make a sharp incision through the skin .and serve with a large spoon. linlesa a very large party is being served,; only one side of the turkey is carved for the first serving of plates. After the plates are.served the tur- key is turned cut side Clown against the Wetter and the carving knife and. fork --are placed together across the end of the platter until needed. Christmas boxes originated in Rom- an times, when an altar was erected i in every village, and people put money in a box. On the day after Christmas Day the money was distributed: Christmas Comes Again. Once again we welcome in the happy Christmas tine, Hopefully we listen to the joy -bells' merry chime; How their happy clamor seems to banish grief and pain, Chiming "Joy be with you, for, old Christmas comes again." Once again we gather round the yule- Iog's cheery blaze, Happily on all the faces dear to us we gaze; As the sparks fly upward, we can hoar the bells' refrain: "Love and Peace be with you, for old Christmas conies again." Whistling winds and snow -wreaths cannot reach the ingleside, Home, sweet home, is sweeter now,; where love and joy abide; From each happy homestead, as the bells sing their refrain, Send forth Peace and Goodwill, for old Christmas comes again. —Alice Wise. Christmas Time. Moth—"How nice,, Santa, has left'a nice lighted candle for me to fly around!" A good conscience .is a continual Christmas. -Franklin. 1 sent my message up into the sky "^". To the millions of stars shining on high; They promised me they'd look down, from above, •'^" ^"" At this Christmas time on the friends I love, j'- - `leo scatter my wishes. of Christmas cheer NOW gladNei 0 ons i`througha Y loot j will That 1 11I. C. G r�.i._ Year. CAROL, SWEETLY CAROL! Santa grieves when ypu;are had, As he should:, But it makes him very glad When you're good. He is wise and he's a dear; Just do right and never fear; Reell-remember you each year, If 'you're good. A Carol. Long ago in a distant land On Christmas Day 3n the morning, The patient .wondering beasts did stand, On Christmas Day inthe morning; They looked at the little one born that day, Cradled safe on a nest of hay. -- Guarded by humble fri&•ids • le lay, On Christmas Day in the morning. And because of the link they have forged with us On Christmas`Day in the morning, When they watched over our Baby thus, On .Christmas Day in the morning, It werewell-if for one short day at Joust Man's tyranny, cruelty and greet had ceased, Rejoicing in brotherhood, man and beast. But the poor little bodies must grace our feast Ori Christmas Day in the morning! —M. Mears. —For the Christmas Party. Why is Christmas Day weak? Because it can't help falling on De- f+' Stories of Our Christmas Songs. comber 25th. Few of the people to whom "Good stated while Charles Wesley, to What is the key most in use at King Wenceslas" Is familiar know whom wo indebted it, was on Christmas? that it is set to the tune of "Tempus his way to church one Christmas The tur-key. adest Floridum," a Spring carol of the .morning, he was so much impressed When, at Christmas, do most cooks thirteenth century. by hearing the bells ringing that he tell fancy tales? 81111 less generally known is the said— When they stuffa turkey.p What letter means life or death to a turkey? "A" because it turns roosting into it.. roasting. What is it that will not keep more than twenty-four hours at Christmas? Christmas Day. Why does a cook never make a square plum pudding? Because she wants it to go round. e that are for curious story of "Adestea, fldeles" ("Comet all ye faithful"). It wasaflret sung tri England at the old chapel of the Sardinian Embassy in London, Bark! how all the welkin rings Glory to the King of kings. But, though his popular carol may have originated thus, he actually wrofe where it was heard by the. Duke of it, not under the gloomy winter skies of England, but amid the sunbaked plantations of Georgia. It was, moreover, a happening at sea Leeds., who, imagining it to be peculiar to the Portuguese service, introduced it at a concert of ancient music under the title of "The Portuguese Hymn." that tnrn•ed leis thoughts to hymn -writ - it' afterwards it was sung—for ing. The vessel In which he and his. the first time in Scotland—at the brother left England was struck by a Christmas service in St. Andrew's storm that nearly overwhelmed it. Chapel, Glasgow, Errand boys, it is perilous as was the situation, a num- ber streets, and of the passengers—Moraviana— gaithered together on deck and calmly sang the hymns of their country. This so impressed the Wesleys that both turned hymn -writers on landing in Georgia. • The openinglines of the carol in Charles Wesley's MS. are identical with those attributed to him on his hearing the Christmas bells, and they are so printed in "Hymns, Ancient and Modern." But the general form is— the very blackbirds in the squares joined in the chorus. Written for His Daughter, It is, However, not peculiar to th country after which !t is named, (s known throughout. the R.ozna Catholic Church. It probably belong to the Latin hymnody of France the end of the seventeenth century. carol with a romantic history. t -Hs:rkl the herald angels sing Christmas, 1live its author, John Glory to the new -barn Bing. Byrom, who lived at Kersall, a few Who made the alteration is not miles from Manchester, a fulfilled a pro-lrOOWO, - mise lie had mato to his little laugh- Some collections of carols eeataln ter to "write something nice for more. than one thousand, including Chartres—something that was to be numbers of great antiquity, There !s "all for herself." She found on her in existence a carol of the fourth a is plate, when she came down for break- tura;, but the oldest`' printed collec- tions in England are�, by Wynlcyn de Woode, 1521. Christmas Birthday Beliefs. In many• countries of the world there still exists a belief that people the born on Christmas Day - have t power of healing by the "laying en of hands," and also possess second sight. There "are several other supersti- tions connected with "Christmas chil- dren'," one:. of which is that they are able to excel in music. They are also credited with possessing abnormal intelligence. In the South of England many folks Believe that boys born 'on Christmas' Day are destined to become clergy - ]nen,' while the girls ought to become nurses: It is supposed that they will succeed in these occupations.' Should they decide not to follow them, how- ever, their lives will be dismal fail urea. , G This day shall change all griefs and 1 quarrels into, love.—Shakespeare. e but n s about "Christians, awake!" is ano er, fast, a tiny sheet of notepaper, on which was written the now famous carol, "Christians, awake!" The tune to it was composed not long afterwards by the leader of Ker- sail church choir, who sang the carol on Christmas Eve a few years later under the windows of Byrom's house. A romance is also connected with "Hark! the herald angels sing." It is The Kid's Solicitude. Mall trim the tree without Pa's aid. It seems to be a crime, Bob knaves hie Ma and he's afraid It won't be dressed 1rn time. Chorus Make we merry, both mon and Jesse, For new ys the tyme of Crystymas! Let nb man cum into Nile hall, Grome, page,nor yet marshal, But that sum sport he bryng withall, For now yet the tyme of Crystymas. Make we snery, etc. Yffe that he say he can not syng, Sum oder sport then 'lett hym bnyng,. That yt mayplesae at thys festyng, For now ys the tyre of Crystymas, Make we mery, etc. Yffe ye say he can nowght do, Then, for my love, aslc hyr no mo, But to the stokke then lstt'liym go, For now Ye the tyro of Crystymas. Make we mery, etc. ' —Old Tudor Song, about A.D. 1500. ett Christmas: The bid light of Christmas is tile fairest light of all. Put the candle by the -hearth, the holly in the hall; g‘.1 Open door and heart and hand, ring the bells across the land; The old joy of Christmas is thegreat- est joy of: ail. ' '