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With all the hustle and bus
tle of moving home for the
holidays and preparing for
and taxing finals, if s easy to
put off your Quistmas shop
ping and preparations. It's
often a shoddng discovery to
those who realize, as they
walk out of their last final on
Dec. 17, that Christmas is only
eight days away. Why not try
something new this year—be
prepared, plan ahead! In this
week's issue of At Ease we've
attempted to set the holiday
mood by recalling Christmas
traditions. We also have pro
vided ideas for inexpensive
and creative gifts you can
make yourself. Merry
Christmas!
by Bonnie Langford
Battalion staff
It's Christmas Eve. In Rus
sia children eagerly await the
arrival of the Christmas
grandmother. In Mexico fami
nes in the nativity procession
are looking for the home that
will welcome them. In France
the children have put out their
shoes, awaiting the Magi.
While the reasons for the
celebration of Christmas may
be the same, the customs and
traditions surrounding them
long ago took a colorful detour
from culture to culture.
Although Christians cele
brate Christmas because of
Jesus' birth, many customs re
volve around a man known to
Americans as Santa Claus.
The character of Santa Claus is
based on a real person.
Saint Nicholas, who was
Bishop of Myra during the
third century, is a saint whose
feast day is Dec. 6.
The bishop was famous for
his kind heart. He is credited
with helping three maidens
without husbands by throw
ing purses filled with gold into
the women's homes. Soon af
ter, the women were married.
After that, any unexpected
gift was attributed to Nicho
las. He later became the pat
ron saint of children.
Many European countries
celebrate Saint Nicholas Day
on Dec. 6. Children hang their
stockings in honor of his day
and he deposits small gifts. If
a child gets sticks, he has only
19 more days to be good be
fore the Weihnachtsmann —
the German equivalent to San
ta Qaus — comes on Christ
mas Eve.
The legend of the saint
eventually grew into the
American Santa Claus, but
not all cultures have the same
Santa Claus.
In Holland, Sinter Klaus is
the patron saint of Dutch
ships. On Christmas Eve his
ship supposedly appears with
gifts. He comes ashore
mounted on a white charger,
visiting homes.
The Russians have a female
gift bringer. Babushka is the
legendary old woman who
misdirected the Magi when
they were searching for Beth
lehem. To repent for her sin,
she now goes around the
world on Christmas Eve, look
ing for baby Jesus and distri
buting gifts to children.
The Italians also have a
woman for Santa Claus. She
gives gifts on Dec. 6 while
children roam the streets
blowing paper horns.
Legends say that she de
layed setting out for Beth
lehem when the shepherds
told her about the child. Every
Christmas since then, she has
wandered the world looking
for the baby.
In Spain, children don't re
ceive presents until Jan. 6
from the Magi. The gifts are
said to be left by the three
kings who are passing on their
way to Bethlehem. Parades
honor the kings on that day.
Even the Orient celebrates
Christmas. Japanese children
learn early of Hoteisho — a
god who always carries a pack
and has eyes on the back of his
head, so he can see children at
all times.
The Posada, which is the
Mexican enactment of the
nativity, lasts for nine nights.
Each night neighboring fami
lies join in a procession car
rying images of Mary and
Joseph. At the door of each
house they beg for admittance
and are refused. But at the last
house they are admitted to a
party.
Baking sweets is another
Christmas tradition. In Eng
land, Ireland and Scotland, a
cake is baked for each person
in the household. If anyone's
cake breaks, he will have bad
luck.
Plants are also an impor
tant part of Christmas. In
Mexico the poinsettia is the
flower of Christmas. Accord
ing to legend, a young boy
knelt sadly outside a church
on Christmas Eve because he
had no gifts to leave at the
altar. He tearfully proclaimed
his desire to offer presents to
the baby Jesus. When he
arose, a beautiful red flower
was at his feet. He joyfully en
tered the church to lay his gift
at the manger.
Cherry trees are used in
Czech celebrations. People
break a branch off a cherry
tree at the beginning of ad
vent, place it in a pot of water
in the kitchen. The twig
should blossom at Christmas
time. The branches that flow
er on that day are considered
omens for good luck.