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^mmmm ^ "A^ HE children of our Royal family have spent the years since their parents' ascent of the throne in rapid- ly growing up. The royal nurserii-s at Buckingham Palace and Windsor stood empty for many a long day, and until Princess Mar>', Vis- countess Lascelles, presented t h ei r Majesties with a grandchild, there were no immediate- ly related babies for the King to play ..--' ' Father Christmas to. It is a mistake, however, to think that children's parties died out of the royal residence when the last of our princes grew to man's estate. As a matter of fact, all the young members of the royal family, from the Prince of Wales downward, have retained a de- lightful attitude toward this childish form of entertainment; and there have always been some schoolroom relations over whom a fuss could be made at this time of year. Young Master Ramsay, Princess Patricia's son, is now of an .'.ge to appreciate the things which are done for him during the holiday season, and in a year or two, when the tiny Princess Eliza- beth is able to join Masters Harry and Hubert Lascelles to take in the Christinas fun. Master Ramsay will have ftne companionship. Indeed, there is every likelihood that Christmas in the royal family will be far more of a children's feast during the next decade than it has been during the last. Queen Victoria, guided in this matter by her German consort, did much to make the English royal Christmas a more impressive and pageant-like affair. It was by her example that the Christmas tree was brought into the land; her idea also to give the boar's head a leading place in the procession of festive viands to the dinner table. The nursery of Queen Victoria was a large one, and, with so many brothers and sisters to share the fun, one can guess that rather lively scenes were at times enacted, with the young Prince o; Wales as ringleader. Queen Victoria inaugurated the custom of letting her children participate in distributing the gifts from a giant Christmas tree to the royal servants every Christmas night. y. _Xiiis custom was preserved after her death, and it is still followed b" those members of the royal family who happen to be at home when Christmas comes round. The favorite in the nursery T)f Queen Alexandra was Princess Maude, now Queen of Norway. Being the youngest of the family, . sh' carried the nursery traditions well on into the old Queen's reign, wiiile her father was still Prince of Wales, and the present King, with Princess May (as Queen Mary was then called), set up house- kt' ping at York Cottage, Sandringham. Later when Nor\\-ay was mule a monarchy and her husband became king, Queen Maud con- tiiaed to pay annual visits to her mother, and her son. Prince Olaf, ha.l a nursery at Buckingham Palace, which was just as permanent as his nursery at Christiania, for he spent half his time there. His Christmas pleasures were shared with Prince Eddie and the other ro\al children, and for many months he would treasure his Christ- mas toys, playing with them in the corridors of Buckingham Palace and occasionally inviting the servants to admire them. He was a lonely, rather delicate little boy, and none foresaw in him the hand- some man he has since become. Everyone who came in contact with him admired his great natural politeness, which he extended to lourtiers and visiting tradesmen with equal grace. All the children of the present King and Queen were very simply brought up. Queen Mary, who is an ideal mother, saw to it that they were eever pampered nor left without suitable em- ployment when lessons were done. She kept their time fully em- ployed. Princess Mary especially was trained from an early age to be expert with her needle, and although the attendant discipline sometimes caused tears to flow, there is no period that the young princess enjoyed more than the months preceding Christmas, when she was allowed to sit with her mother and prepare little gifts for 'erljrStRers.'tier friendi and the attendants about the court. Queen .Mary to this day does a certain amount of Christmas work every autumn, and many a poor mother's baby has been made comfort- abK by a shawl, a petticoat or some other warm garment knitted by the Queen's own hand. Princess Mary's favorite pastime consisted of threading beads She developed this into quite an elaborate art, and many of her girlliood friends still treasure beautiful necklaces which the Daughter of tlie Nation worked for them. All the royal children were extremely fond of conjuring enter- tainments, and their grandfather. King Edward, took pleasure in encouraging this. If the children were spoilt at all, the spoiling process took place outside their own home. Invitations to Christ- ma.^ ijarties were showered upon them, and, as all their hostesses wer anxious to gain the royal favor, they were lavish in their gifts. A luckless conjurer who frequently officiated at these parties, tells of 1 istesses who expected him to produce from an ordinary hat a lari, -sized fully-equipped doll's stove for Princess Mary, a rocking hot-- for the Duke of York and many other equally bulky presents. He usually managed to compromise in the end by canioutiaging the ibjects under a table cover, and drawing them out unexpect- ed! after he had attracted the attention of his audience to some- thir â-  at the other end of the stage. IntfrraJing ptrtitrr in "i^torg nf ®lir (Earol" AN interesting picture of ancient Yuletide festivity is presented in "The Story of the Carol," written by Edmonstoune Duncan; 'Y'lik Cathedral on Christmas Eve was wont to be decorated with •lis !i toe. Stuckeley sees in this surviving rite of ancient Druidisni, when the mistletoe, or sacred 'all-heel', was laid on the altars em- •lenitically of the advent of the Messiah. "This mistletoe,' says .c, tt-ey cut off the trees with their hatchets of brass, called Celts, iixei! i.pon the staffs that they bore'. "^'ork had a similar ceremony, mistletoe being set upon a high ita \-hen pardon and freedom, public and universal liberty were roi li ned at the gates of the city. Heralds blew the Youlegirth on. tl-e four barrels to the four quarters of the heavx-ns, and e\-er>- •le i i<! welcome for the Twelve Days, no restraint for the time siatf ! ijeing set upon dicers, carders and common and unthrifty folk. \t the sound of the trumpet all the people in token of re- joiciii- both in church and at the four gates, cried, 'Ule! Ule!' ' V,ith the houses and halls gaily decorated and great fires kimi''-; on the hearths (one Elizabethan house paid taxes on 5-t hear 'i tires), Christmas morning dawned brightly on the good souls prefkiring for the w^(« a( multitudes of kinsmen, guests and stray w'it of e^'ery cftscriftion. None w«re suffered to go away empty. The halls were full to o\-erflowing with goodly companies of gentle- folk, yet still room was found for minstrels and peasants, who, on this day, dined with the lord of the manor. "Rustic sports whiled away the tedious hours before the great repast. Hunting owls and squirrels was popular with the rustics. But in ancient times even the clergy came booted and spurred to Mass, with a hawk at each wrist, ready for falconry and hunting the moment Mass was said and breakfast over. At the feast which followed the bunting of the Yule-log, Yule cakes were intrcducedi ##®# handed round, impressed with a figure of the Child-Saviour. A favorite dish was the frumenty (or fumety), made of ci^djwheat boiled in milk with sugar and nutmeg." (EarniB (^amtlof (§ih Baga 3NSEPARABLY linked together are the* Yuletide and music. In the long ago carollers and troubadours wafted sweet melody on the mid-night air on Christmas E\-e. The custom, which has been fostered through the ages, still brings cheer to the homes of raise their voices in such old favorites as: "O Come All Ye Faith- ful," "Silent Night, Holy Night," "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," "Luther's Cradle Hymn," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen," "O Little Town of Bcthlehsm," and "The First Noel." Then out of the nipping cold of the frosty night the carollers may lead the audience, which is sure to have gathered into the warmth and glow of the church or hall. A program of Christmas music may be rendered within doors that will long remain green in the memory of those privileged to listen. The cream of the com- munity's soloists and choristers should be selected as well as an ,. ^ '^.X,WAS the night before Christmas, when all }hi U^ through the house Not a creature was stining, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads. i ND filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" â€" C/tincnt C/arfce Moore. kM-W" ^A /j^to 0-fy^il»r^c^i*<yKc/ro//j 11 <t4*^ 7^.^^^ the sick, the shut-in and the infirm. Community Christmas trees are frequently a feature in a downtown section or a park area with the folk of the neighborhood gathering around the tir, twinkling with myriads of colored lights, singing the old carols. Song is ever a feature of the Sunday school and public school concert at Christmas. There is no more excellent plan for fostering the Christmas spirit than to arrange a community Christmas con- cert. As a prelude to the evening festival of music the folk of the community may gather around the gleaming tree in the square and organist of ability. Playing of the carillon bcHs, if a set of chimes happen to bless the neighborhood, will provide a delightful number. A children's chorus would contribute much of the Yuletide musical festival and the numbers might include: an old French caro, "Carol of the Birds," and "Joy to the World, the Lord is Come," De-Reef's "The Manger Babe." , In some instances a Christmas operetta, such as Johnson's "Wonderful Christmas Tree," might be rendered effectively by the children of the community. X I t f ♦ I V I i •:> •:• I i t Greetings for Christmas and the New Year To both our ba.ina.ss and ^ social friend;, we wish th? 4- best of all thing> good vor 5; the Christmas Season. X A. E. Haw GENERAL MERCHANT C E Y L X I I 'k •>♦<>•> •>•><>•><>♦•><»•>♦>•>> â- Â»Â«X»«»'>.j, •t' •I' •;• t Merry Christmas Our heartfelt v/ishcs for a Very Merry /"â- â€" istm--. plus our thank^^ your constant patrsH^ and t'ricndEhip. V X *? Y y y t i G. Eby GENERAL MERCHANT FE\'ERSHAM .»>,;.,;~5.:..>.x«<~:«<:<>K~:«':~:-:~:":« Christmas Greeting May Christmas bring; you <^ 23 much good cheer as your continued patron::;,-; and support has brought us. .Mcrrv Christmas: ? t Eli Robinson GENERAL MERCHANT FEVERSHAM ♦ I X i I I The Season^s Best Wishes Our Chr'3tma<i wishes for you arc double those for ourr;clvc.- â€"r yof.T fricndsh.'p and support have been and arc prcciuu:; boons. i H. Alexander | Tailor, Ice Cream. Candies X and Fancy Goocj v FK\'ERSHAM ^ :'«:-<«««>X'<«>:-:":->«»x •>:'Oo< <