England

On Christmas Eve the yule log is brought inside and placed in the big fireplace. According to custom, each person in the family must sit upon the log and salute it before it is lighted to assure good luck for the household in the new year.

Religious services predominate in the English Christmas celebrations. Processions of carolers gather under the lofty arches of great cathedrals at midnight on Christmas Eve to sing the old and cherished hymns and carols. Christmas mummers are today enacting the same traditional plays which have been presented for the past several hundred years. Many of these plays, purely regonal in character, bespeak Norman, Saxon, Viking and ancient British origins.


Ireland
One of the most beautiful of all Christmas customs is practiced in Ireland. On Christmas evening, candles are lighted and placed in every window of the house, and doors are left ajar. The candlelight and open door are symbols of welcomed hospitality, assuring the Irish people that no coulple seeking shelter for a Baby who is the Son of God will be homeless. The candlelight must shine forth all night long, and may be snuffed only by those having the name Mary.

A cup and saucer is place on the table in each home for the entertainment of wandering souls from purgatory, who are believed to come home for Christmas.

"Feeding the Wren" is a custom that is based upon the legend of St. Stephen who was hiding in a furze bush and betrayed to his enemies by a wren. On St. Stephen's Day, December 26th, the young children gather together, obtain a wren, and place it in a cage on top of a furze bush while they go from door to door collecting money which will be used for charity.


Holland
In order to provide food and water for St. Nick's good white horse on Christmas Eve, the little children of Holland stuff their clean wooden shoes with hay and carrots and place them on the window sills. dish of water is set alongside them.

The childern are up early on Christmas morning to see what St. Nick has left them, and they are always pleasantly surprised to see that St. Nich has replaced the hay and carrots with small gifts, toys and many other surprises.

After church on Christmas morning, groups of men grotesquely dressed are seen parading and singing from house to house.

In the afternoon there are family gatherings when friends visit each other and there is skating on the canals.


Germany
The immortal carol, "Silent Night, Holy Night" ~Kriss Kringle~ handcarved toys and the Christmas tree are only a few of the many contributions to the joyous Christmas season by the Germany of yesteryear.

The greatest contribution of all is the "Tannenbaum" ~ the Christmas tree ~ which, decorated in utmost secrecy, is lighted on Christmas Eve and is a never-failing source of enchantment and excitement for young and old alike.

Toy-giving is an important part of Christmas in Germany. Skilled hands carve toys that breathe the spirit of the bright fairyland that lies in the dark forests.


Sweden

Italy


Poland


French Canada

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