gmmmmmmrmmmmmmww M ' w â€a% zig'e’vnwkm JP mggï¬vgggggggggggï¬s is . 3‘ . .. i 9 . A V .. YCï¬Cï¬aW’Cfl‘a’ï¬olï¬Gï¬mhï¬ . m5§§§§§§§§gg§§$ Reed Block, Pine Street South INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Dominion Bank Building - . .3 Cedar Street North Timmins Smiles for your lips. Twinkles for your eyes. Music for your ears. Cheer for your hearts. Those are the good things we wish you for Christmas. SIMMS, HOOKER DREW N0 end of fun, and gobs of laughter, and a heap of Happy Thoughts. That’s what we Wish you for Christmas. During 1930 the members of our community have been kind and faithful to us. We wish them the merriest of Christmas Days DRY CLEANING, DYEING AND PRESSIBY ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS HARRY HERMAN WM. DALZELL Timmins Timmins Timmins THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, TIMMINS, ONTARIO The Celts and Germans from the old- est times celebrated the season with the greatest festivities. At the winter Sol- stice, the Germans held their great Yule feast, in commemoration of the return of the ï¬ery sun-wheel. and be- lieved that during the 12 nights from Dec. 25th to Jan. 6th, they could trace the personal movements and interfer- ences on the earth of their great Dei- ties In some parts of Germany there are religious ceremonies in honour of Christ kiudlier as “the Christ Child is called, the people light every window in their houses on Christmas eve so that the Christ Child may more easily ï¬nd his way from house to house. ‘The old custom of ï¬lling the shoes with toys by the good Saint Nicholas as he rode around the world seeking good little boys and girls., while for the bad children the rod of discipline was left, decorated with ribbon in hon- our of the special occasion. German children preserve their toys in the attic. This shoe idea has been improved by substituting the stocking. Likewise came the custom of decorating the ï¬r tree with candles and with gifts. Many of the beliefs and usages of the old Germans passed from heathenisms to Christianity, and have partly sur- vived. But the church has combatted and banished the deepwrooted heathen feeling by adding its grandly devised litany, besides dramatic representations of the birth of Christ and the ï¬rst events of his life. In Russia the children try to keep awake the night before Epiphany that they may see the old woman, Bahoush- ka. The story goes that she was a care- ful housewife, lived on the highroad between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and as the Wise Men neared the end of their journey, passed by, they found her busy cleaning house. She question- ed as to where they were going and was told that. they were journeying to offer homage to the new born King of the (By Miss Alice Goodfellow) In some of the countries where Santa Claus is welcomed, although not al- ways by that name, the children do not celebrate with a tree. nor hang up: their stockings; but they have other customs as interesting, and their welcome is no â€The people who ï¬rst brought the Christmas tree into favour were the Germans. It is very popular all over Germany and is growing in favour in England. Santa Claus 'is known as Kris Kringle in Germany. Some of the Beliefs and Customs 0b- served In Lands Across the Sea to Note the Chrbtmag Time. Some Heathen Cuqtoms Adopted. UBSERVANBE [If CHRISIMAS IN MANY (“HER [ANDS Jews As she was not willing to leave her work unï¬nished. they went their way. She started out later to overtake them. but was unsuccessful, so has ever since been wandering all over the world to find the Christ Child Jesus. So on the eve of Epiphany, Jan. 6th, she comes down the chimneys and leaves gifts for the children, as that is the date when the wise men found the stable where Jesus lay. The week before Christmas they celebrate by telling for- tunes and following other ancient cus- toms. Italy The Christ Child is known here as “Bambino.†The most famous Bam- bino is in the church at Rome. The little waxen- eï¬ï¬gy, made to represent Christ. is dressed in its ï¬nest clothes and placed in ,a tiny cradle. Every church has these. and special cere- monies are performed. All Over Italy the children empty the pockets of their clothes on the eve of Epiphany and hang them around the great ï¬replaces. During the night they think the woman whom the Russians call Bahoushk'a comes down the chimney with candles and other gifts for the good children, and birch rods or charcoal ashes for the bad. ' Spain The Spanish children believe it is Balthazar, one of the three kings who comes on the eve of Epiphany and leaves gifts for all. They have their plaster representa- tions of Christ and the little manger, trimmed with green, while many candles are burnt. They believe that the kind of things that happen on New Year’s day will be repeated in the days to follow. It is pleasant to have a for- tunate and happy day to set the ex- ample for‘the rest of the year. “my†w. v..- ---- -_ -__- ,_---_ The prgctioe of placing a great com- munity Christmas tree in our parks, decorating it with coloured lights and a. great star, while crowds gather about and 'sing Christmas carols, is taken mm the street festivals of Italy and Spain. France The children place shoes or slippers by the chimney on Christmas and the little Jesus is supposed to ï¬ll them with sweatmea‘ts and candies. The celebration of Christmas in Par- is really begins at midnight on Christ- mas Eve with an impressive Mass in all churches. The people flock to them to attend the Mass and to hear the ï¬ne music, the organ, the choral singing and solos. The family reunions and the mial gatherings are held in the evening. ex- cepting the gifts to the children, there is no exchange of presents, that is re- reserved for New Year's Day. Austria-Hungary In Austria-Hungary Christmas is celebrated with particularly pretty customs in this quaint country. All through the year the best of every crop, and all other provisions have been sav- ed ior the Christmas feast. An enor- On Christmas day, he lights the se- cond candle, after a short prayer, he extinguishes it and pushes it down into the cup of grains. They believe that whichever kinds of grains stick to the candle those kinds will yield the biggest crop next year. The holly wreath, which we hang in our homes at Christmas was copied from the English, who believed the holly leaves represented the thorns Christ wore upon the cross. while the little red berries typiï¬ed the drops of blood. A quaint Colonial custom was to en- close a sprig of mistletoe in the letter or card which carried the Christmas greetingâ€"a symbol of happiness and a wish for prosperity through the com- ing year. On the table stand the three tapers ready to be lighted. Besides the can- dies, delicious eatables and two loaves of bread make the table a pretty sight. Near the bread is placed- a. ,small cup ï¬lled with wheat. barley, oats, and other grains. The father lights the ï¬rst candle and the family sing a hymn. he announces "Christ is born," and fa- mily Join in. Holland In Holland Santa. Klaus rides a white horse, children leave their shoes with hay, oats and carrots to feed his hun- gry steed, while Santa ï¬lled their shoes with toys. Giving the poor gifts, originated with the folk-tale that among beggars who come to our doors, one might be Christ in disguise, and whatsoever hospitality is given the poor at this time is really given Christ. Christmas Customs One of the prettiest of Christmas customs is the exchange of little re- mlemlbrances wlhich signify thought- fulness and affection. They engender a warm heart glow if given and receiv- ed in- the true spirit. But the trouble is that the true Christmas spirit. is very often wholly lacking in the ex- change of gifts. People frequently give because they received last year, or think they will receive this year; they feel obligations. There is often a pretty rivalry as to who will give the greatest number or the most expensive presents; there is often an unworthy jealousy; there is worry for days and weeks before, and money spent which can be ill-afforded. burnt. Three wax tapers are an important part or the celebrations. these are made by the grandmother. Two loaves of bread are baked to represent the 01d and New Testaments. When Christ- mas Eve comes the family wait for the church-bell to ring out and summon each family to the living room. The last candle is always burned on New Year's Day. From Scandinavia comes the custom of burning the Yule 13g, and hanging up the mistletoe. , Great Britain In the British Isles carol. singing and burning the Yule log are both very popular. mous log is brought from the tomst. wine is sprinkled on it before being Thus the day becomes one of bitter- ness and bad feeling, instead of joy and good will. It’s glorious import is lost. I believe on this account that there ought to be less giving of presents at Christmas. Let the custom be conï¬ned to members of one’s own family and one or two out- side its circle who are very dear, and to even them let the gifts be simple and inexpensive. Then if given with sin- cerity, they will be priceless. Three Things Needed for Happy Christmas Time Three things are necessary to a hap- py Christmas, according to a New York divine. These are “a home, a child and a loving heart.†“It is only in the home, the real home, that Christmas can be enjoyed," he says. “One feels sorry, at Christ- mas time, for people who live in hotels. A tree in‘ the lobby is a poor substitute for the holly and mistletoe at home. A hotel, like 'the inn at Bethlehem, seems to shut out the spirit of the sea- son. ' < E (1.1375) cm (239-. “A Christmas without children is as impossible as Mary and Joseph without their Babe. Even one child will doâ€" and this is a joy’ that even the childless family may know. Why not bring Christmas to some family who has no home? Why not eborrow those loneli- est of human beings and bring happi- ness and joy and gladness to them? “A loving heart, the third ingredient of a happy Christmas, needs a home to protect it, and the dear dependence of the children to nourish it. And the home needs the loving heart to make it glow and the children need the loving heart to make them happy. “If our machine age, as certain pes- simistic prophets declare. is at once the last period of the rise and first period of the decline and fall of civilization, it is because the mechanism of our society threatens to give neither time nor place for those intimate personal relations of heart with heart which make earth a reflection at least, of heaven.†NOT THE VALUE BUT THE SURPRISE THAT COUNTS In the matter of Christmas gifts many people needlessly worry because their gifts are “cheap." If they have beauty and interest and come as a pleasant surprLce to the recipient, they will find appreciation and they will be truly valuable on that account. At Christmas time it is the thought heâ€" hind the gift that countsâ€"not the price it cost. Many a gift that cost but lit- tle is cherished because of its interest and beauty and the kindly thought be- hind it, while other more expensive articles are not nearly so much appre- ciated. “9-†h E Timmins DUNCAN FRUIT COMPANY WHOLESALE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES To you who have co-operated with us during the year of 1930 we extend our thanks and wishes for a Happy Christmas. Thursday, Dec. 18th, 1930 Ontario ammg c)‘