THE COLUMBIAN, HOLIDAY EDITION.
12
NORWAY AND SWEDEN
YULETIDE CUSTOMS IN THE LAND
OF THE VIKINGS.
Bnperntltlnni Regarding Klmim, the Scan
dinavian Hunt Clan Prank of the
Hired Men Legend of the Brother
UlT and Grimm.
TJjo peasantry of Norway and Swcdon
generally build their nonius as near each
other as convenient Often five to soveu
families live adjoining! constituting a
miniature village After the first day
has passed the enjoyment coraniencm
Dancing is tho principal enjoyment for
the youth, while tho old people and the
children stay at homo and rehearse
tales that are replete with orgies and
MNlssen," or "Tomtegulibca," as he
also is railed. The latter is a miniature
being that corresponds in many respects
to the Scotch brownie, but is quite
Santa Clausliko in general appearance.
The tales that are told have been handed
down from generation to generation,
and were at one time believed, and even
in some districts considerable credence
is still given to what is stated about
these unnatural beings.
Nissen is the being that is of the
greatest interest to the young. He is
not a bud fellow at all, if he can only
have his way. Where he lives no one
knows. It is supposed that ho spends
the days sleeping in some of tho hills
or under the ground. Although he is
moll, he is possessed with super
natural power and can do much to
shape the fate of a person, either good
or bad. Great care is theroforo exer
cised to do what is known will please
Kissen. Special attention must be given
him Christmas ere. Should he come
around after midnight and his favorite
dish, romegrod, has not been placed
outside near the door, trouble will re
mit When the people awako in the morn
ing, they can expect to find their cattle
in a terrible condition. Nissen general
ly vents his vengeance on tho animals
of the farm. They will be tired the
next day, showing that Nissen has been
playing some prank with them, theroby
keeping sleep from them. Articles in
the barn will be found topsy turvy,
while the horses have been turned
around in their stall, but if the dish
has been placed out for him he is hap
py. He shows his gratefulness in deeds.
When the hired man in that case goes
out to tho barn Christmas morning, he
may expect to find all his chores done.
The horses have been curried so they
look fine as silk, while tho cows give
twice their usual amount of milk. In
many cases the wood has been split
Many superstitious peoplo on this oc
casion bar tho door with a piece of steel.
They are afraid of him, and steel is
the only thing that Nissen has no power
over. He has often been known to have
entered tho houso and stolen food. Many
a hirod girl can vouch for tho fact that
she has heard him climbing about on
the shelves of tho larder, and even in a
few cases ho has been seen.
The youth still in a manner retain
the habits of their ancestry. At eventide
they gather together from the small
Tillages and visit their neighbors. As a
rule, the ground at this time of year is
heavily covered with snow, and tho trip
has to be mado on skis. This is ono of
the most delightful features of tho cele
bration. Tho ski is the national articlo
of locomotion, and tho boys and girls
are adepts in tho art of standing on
them in the deep declines and rugged
hills. The young people go from neigh
bor to neighbor gathering more of them.
They have often no particular destina
tion, but know they will end some
where. When they come to some partic
ularly large farmhouse, they drop their
skis and go inside. Here everything is
in readiness for them in tho way of
food, drink and musia The fiddler
strikes up his morry tunes, and thoso
present aro hurled into a vortex of mer
riment In most parts of tho country this foa
tore is in no way marred, and tho dance
goes on until late in the morning, when
the young go homo, only to meet souio
where else the following night.
In some of tho primitive parts of Nor
way, as Guldbrondsdalcn and Yobs,
fights were indulged in in years gone
by. This custom has not entiroly chang
ed, but the fatalities that wero so com
mon then do not exist now. Then when
a couple went to ono of these dances
the girl would generally take her lov
er's funeral gown along, fully expoct
ing that he would need it before the
night had gone.
In the southern part of Sweden, Yul
lotto, a custom that is very beautiful, is
recognized by the peasantry. Tho early
morning mass at 4 :80 Christmas day is
attended by nearly every one. Tho
members of the congregation have of ton
as far as sevon miles to walk through
the snow. They coma from all direc
tions in delegations, each carrying a
long pole upon whioh a piece of pitch
is burning. As the surroundings are
till in darkness, the sight cf thoso
moving lights toward one center is im
posing. The hired men in this part of
the country have a rather peculiar joko
that they try te play upon each other
Christmas morning. It is to try to get
op early and g over to the neighbors
and perform the choros of the hired
man there before he gets up. Great de
light is taken in the perpetration of this
trick.
In the early part of the century it
was a belief that on Christinas eve all
the unnatural beings joined together in
a grand carousal. They wero led by
Thor, tho god of the elomeuts, and they
flew through the air, creating a terrible
noise and often damage. Johaa Welha
ven's poem "Asgaardsrcion" tells of a
deed that was committed by this flock.
It was Christmas eve, and a wedding
was being celobrated. The bride was of
the fairest and tho bridegroom tho
worth lost Many had boon invited, and
the genoral onjoyment was enhanced by
the free flow of liquor. When every one
Was in a sleepy condition from its su
perfluous use, tho doors flew open, and
the brothers Grimm and Ulv entered.
Ulv had recently been refused by tho
brido, and ho was out for revenge. An
attack was made. Tho women huddled
together, whilo tho men tried to rally.
Tho brothers bnd prized tho bridegroom,
and Ulv was about to plungo his dag
ger Into his breast. Then a terriblo
crash was hoard, and it seemed as if
10,000 demons wore on theoutsida Tho
brothers stood n. if transfixed. They
knew it was Axgaardsreien, and they
faltered. Tho doors flew open, and Ulv
was seized by tho throat and dragged
on tho outside. Then tho peeilo gather
ed in tho houso heard a shrill whiz, as
of something flying tjirough tho air,
and then all was quiet, but Ulv was
nevor soon again. His brother Grimm
was bodly hurt, but recovered, and on
Christmas evening in ycart'W hereafter
ho told to the children the wedding fes
tival that was visited by Asgaordsreien.
Minneapolis Tribune,
CHRISTMAS GREENS.
A Beautiful Cuatotn Which Come to C
From th Roman.
The fashion of docking the house with
greens as we do at Christmas dates
back into old Roman times, when a
feast in honor of Saturn was celebrated
and the temples of the dwellings wero
dressed with green boughs possibly a
remnant of that tree worship which,
"in itsolf," soys Ruskin, "I boliovo
was always healthy," when "the flow
ers and trees are themselves beheld and
beloved with a half worshiping delight
which is always noble and healthful. "
The plants most in demand for church
decoration at Christmas time in Eng
land as well as in this country are hol
ly, bay and laurel. English holly is
sometimes imported, but tho American
holly, which comes from Virginia and
other sections of tho south, is a very
good substitute for it The bay is tho
rarest plant of the three in this country,
but ground laurel is commonly sold and
is one of the most effectivo of tho Christ
mas greens.
In decorating a room with Christmas
greens it should bo remembered that a
very slight touch of color should bo used
with green and that tho most objec
tionable of all things is too profuse doc
oratiou. Christums greens are usually
kept till after Twelfth Night which
oocurs on Jan, 0, and tfiey should cer
tainly be cleared away by tho 2d of
February, or Candlemas, day, or other
wise, as tradition says, a goblin will
appear for every green leaf left behind.
It certainly must have been a slovenly
housewife who would leave her Christ
mas greens up for so many weeks, and
goblins of discontent and unclcanllnoss
would be sure to invade such a houso.
Philadelphia Times.
Chriatma In Denmark.
The tree is always lighted on Christ
mas cvo in Denmark, and the family all
meet together then. The older people
got their presents on a plate at their
places at the table, and the children's
gifts are on tho tree. Roast gooso is al
ways the chief feature of our Christmas
eve dinner and a dish of rioe is eaten
on Christmas eve before dinner is serv
ed. Apple fritters are eaten instead of
plum pudding. Christmas day itself is
observed strictly as a religious festival,
but the day before and tho day after
Christmas are holidays. The theaters
are open, and tho young poople give
dancos. Our little Danish children do
not know about Santa Clans. They
havo instead what they call a Nissen,
meaning a Christmas brownie in tho
shape of a little old man with a large
gray beard who is supposed to live un
der tho ground. Another Danish super
stition is that at midnight Christmas
eve tho cows in tho Btable riso and low
in salutation, and on Christmas ovo
young maidens tell their fortunes by
breaking the white of an egg into a
glass of water and watching tho shapes
it assumes.
"Glagelig Jul!" is the Danish greet
ing for "Happy Christmas!" Selected.
CHRIST CHILD LEGENDS.
Chriatma In England.
I fancy an English Christmas is too
well known to need much description.
English novels havo described it fully,
and tho English illustrated papers at
Christmas time give a good idoa of the
festivities. Every one who has a coun
try place goes thore for Christnma
There is generally a largo houso party,
and dancing and skating help to pass
the tima The houses and churches are
decorated with holly and groeus, and
"mistletoe hangs on tho castle wall. "
The tree is almost as universal an insti
tution in England as in Germany, and
the evening is given over to amusing
the childron, who play blind man's
buff, snap dragon and hide and seek.
Tho proverbial English Christmas din
ner always Includes roast beof and plum
pudding. Every self respecting English
man goes to church on Christmas morn
ing, and in some country parishes the
"waits" still sing their carols from
house to house on Christmas ova
In other respects it is kept very much
ns the American Christmas. British
Consul in Chicago Tribune.
Chrlitma Song.
In ths darknoa ol the morning
Shepherd on the euatorn plain
Baw glorloua brightnuM dawning,
Hoard a Joyful, rweet rut ruin:
"Ulory in the highest!
Peaou on earth!"
Thon before thom, wondering, listening,
Came ths benuteoua angul trntn.
Came In gurmenta brightly glistening,
Hinging o'er and o'er again:
"Olory In the liighoatl
Ponce on earth I"
Toll to all below th story '
Of the wondrou Havtour' birth,
Tell ot how he came from glory
To be orowtHKl the King of eurth. '
Ulory in the higuoutl
Peaoe on earth I
Bin no more ahall clone heaven' portal.
Upeu fur and wide thuy awing,
For Meaatab unto mortal ,
Full forgiveness now doth bring.
Glory in the highestl
Piane on earth I
. .. Y ' W. Falconer in Chicago Beoord.
Brant and Bird Have a Prominent IMao
In Christina Lor.
The story of tho hunting of tho wren
in the islo of Man every Christmas is
well known. Sho is known as Our La
dy's hen, God's chicken, Christ's blrdt
beeauso sho was present nt Christ's
birth, brought moss and feathers tq
cover tho Holy Bubo and mado a nest in
his cradle.
In Franco tho cuckoo was believed to
have flown from a Christmas log.
A Lntin poem of the middle ages telle
that tho crossbill hatches her eggs at
Christmas and her young birds fly off in
their full plumage at Euster.
The Mohammedans have many leg
ends of Isa, or Jesus. One tells that
when ho was 7 years old he and his
companions made birds and beasts of
clay, and Isa proved his superiority by
making his fly and walk as be com
manded. In the Tyrol they say the ravens used
to have snow white plumage, but one
day Jesus wanted to drink at a strewn,
and they sploshed and so befouled tho
water that he could not no ho said,
"Ungrateful birds, you are proud of
your snow white feathers, but they
shall become block and remain so until
tho jndgmont day."
A Russian legend tells that tho horse
flesh is considered unclean because when
Christ lay in his manger the horse at
the hay from under his bed, but the ox
would not and brought back on his
horns to replace what the horse ate.
The Britons believe that the ox and
tho ass talk together between 11 and 13
o'clock every Christmas eve.
In Germany tho cattle kneel in their
stalls at that hour. Another version
says they stand up.
The ass and the cow are sacred be
cause they breathed upon the Holy Babe
in his stalL
The ass is the most sure footed of ani
mals because ho carried the holy fami
ly to Egypt by night He has hod a
cross on his bock ever since.
Old women used to sprinklo holy wa
ter on the ass and tho cow to drive awuy
disease.
Bees are said to buzz in their hives
at tho exact hour of our Saviour's birth.
In north Germany the version of the
man in the moon is thus told: One
Christmas eve a peasant greatly desired
cabbage, but as he had none in his own
garden he stolo from his nolghbor.
Just as he filled his basket the Christ
Child rode by on his white horso and
said, "Because thou has stolen i on
Christmas evo thou sllt sit in tho
moon with thy cabbage basket" And
there he still sits. Philadelphia Lodg
er. CHRISTMAS GIVING.
A Custom That Come From the Three
- Wise Men Who Followed th Star.
Of course yon need not be told of the
origin of presenting gifts at this season
of the year. The three wiso men who
followed the star until it remained sta-'
tiouary over the stable in Bethlehem,
and who, entering the hovel wherein
were the cow and the ass, knelt down
before the beautiful Babe in the manger,
placed before him prosonts of myrrh,
frankincense and gold. Their example
is the example that yon follow today,
1,805 years after the Magi made obei
sance to the Child Jesus, and when you
place presents before the little ones who
are mode in the image of the Divine
Babe you aro doing what was done by
the eastern kings, but remember that to
carry out their example to tho full the
babes in tho mangers, tho little ones in
hovels, must not be forgotten.
Most of our Christmas customs come
from tho ( German. Kris Kringle is a
legendary myth whose origin is involv
ed in much doubt Formerly in the
small villagos of Germany tho presents
mode by all the parents were sent to some
one person, who, in high buskins, a
Whito robo, a mask and an enormous
flax wig, and known as Knocht Rupert,
went from houso to house. He was re
ceived by tho parents with great rever
ence, and, calling for the children, pre
sented the k'ifts to them according to
the aocounts of thoir conduct received
from the parents. It appears as highly
probable that this custom gave rise to
our present innumerable legends about
Santa Claus. Philadelphia Times.
CurWtma Weather.
In a note following some quotations
regarding Christmas and winter weather
tho author of an old London publication
says, "These prognostics of weather,
etc., I look upon as altogether uncer
tain, and were they narrowly observed
would as often miss as hit " Besides
being quoted as above tho proverb is
varied as follows: "A hot May makes a
fat churchyard" and "A green winter
makes a fat churchyard." To tho latter
proverb is added this uote, "This prov
erb was sufficiently confuted in the
yoar 1007, when the winter was very
mild, and yet no mortality or epidem
ical diweaso ensued tho summer or au
tumn following." Philadelphia Lodg
tr. ' Christina.
Heap on more wood.
The wind is chill.
But, lot it whittle a it will,
We'll kuop our merry ChrlHtmaa itUL
Walter Hcott
Lol, now is come our joyful'at teastt
Lot every man be Jolly.
Each room with ivy leave la drcst
And every post with bully.
-Wither.
For little children every whom
A joyous season still we make.
We bring our precious gifts to them, N
Evon for the dear child Jonas' auke.
Wwube Oury.
Blow, bugle of bartlo, the mnrche of peace I
East, west, north and south let the long quar
rel cease,
Bing the song of great joy that the angola began.
( Blng of glory to Cjod and of good will to man.
WiiiUler.
Agnln at Christmas did we weave
The holly round the Christmas hearth.
The silent snow possessed tlio earth.
Tounyson,
The Leader Department Stores.
CHRISTMAS ANNOUNCEMENT!
Every department filled with Holiday Specialties. The
greatest variety to select trom.
Albums Toilet Cases Dress Patterns
Books Work Boxes Fancy Rockers
Games Umbrellas Ladies' Desks
Toys Neckwear Chiffonieres
Dolls Collar & Cuff Sideboards
Candies Boxes Rugs
Nuts Cuff Buttons Carpets
Oranges Rings Parlor Suites
Lemons Gloves Parlor Cabinets
Olives Coats Parlor Tables
These and a host of other things to
select from.
mmmTrnm jdegqbaeions
IN FINE TISSUE.
Make no dirt Cheaper and more beautiful than
evergreens all colors.
THE LEADER DEPARTMENT STORE,
4th and Market Street.
BLOOHSBURG, PA.
CHRISTMAS:
What will I select as a present for wife, daughter or son.
. - - - New Pianos of all Grades.
ON INSTALLMENTS. EASY PAYMENTS.
The cheapest we handle, $191.00, up to $450.00.
See our higher grades of Uprights and Grands from $500 to
$2000. Second-hand pianos and organs taken in exchange.
WBW ORGANS OF AtXE, GRADES.
The cheapest we handle, $50, up to $150.
See our fine 7 octave Piano Case Organs just received.
NEW SEWING MACHINES. The cheapest we handle, $15.00,
up to $00.00.
Headquarters for genuine high arm Singer Sewing Machines, $5 down, and $3 per month.
All latest sheet music, one-half price. As as extra inducement, we are offering 10 music les
sons to every purchaser of a piano or organ absolutely free, and throw in a stool cover and
book for good measure. Musical merchandise of all description. Pianos and organs tuned
and repaired. Also sewing machines repaired. Sewing machine needles, and oil for
all makes of sewing machines. Leading wash machines from $4.00 to $8.00.
Main St., below Market. Bloomsbur-. J. SALTZER MUSIC ' ROOMS.
ST 1
BJ f ii'iy,,w., Mm
NEW BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAY TRADE,
ALL AT CUT PRICES.
VA store full of
Handsome Gifts.
Ikrgfe $todk of jtaw' Gf;kire.
S. HE?,. BIDLBMAJST.
WYiK
MB SEgHES,
ALL THE LEADING BRANDS.
Also a nice line of Confectionery. Beautiful Meer-
chaum and Briarwood Pipes.
W tA7nn fftfLM COR. MAIN &
IS I WyiklKJn MARKET.
URKSD
You can spend your leisure moments at the new
BILLIARD AND POOL PARLOR,
FINcl0F CHAS. KITZMILLER, Prop. UNDBffiIAK0B
4