How Royalty Spends Christmas.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 305, 24 December 1924, Page 1 (Supplement)

How Royalty Spends Christmas.

PRINCES AND THE FESTIVAL (By J. W. POYNTER.) The benign spirit of the festival of hii-ima- manifests itself, of course, in .11 essentia] matters, in much the same ivay in cveiv circle of society. The rcigi'oiis senliinenl of honouring the day if tlie nativity of the Founder of Chrisiniiily: ihe gaiety of a great annual •ciison of special rejoicing: the exchange. .f greetings with friends—all these dements arc much the same in every • phere, at least as regards essentials. However, it is only (o be expected that the outward features, with which the -pint displays itself, should differ in various surroundings. How, for cximple. does Royalty observe the Feast >f the Nativity in various countries? (lur own reigning family spends the season in a typical" British way. So far as is possible, all the members of the tamilv make it a point to gather tocethe'r. whether it be at Windsor, at Sandringham. or at Buckingham Palace. Probably there will be a ball on Christmas Eve. line feature of the Royal observance of Christmas is never omitted: namely, the sending of special presents to hospitals ami other institutions where they will bring rejoicing to the hearts of the unfortunate. On Christmas morning the King. Queen, etc., attend the special Christmas service at church. The remainder of the day is spent in much the same way —and. to a great extent, almost as simply—as in any other British homo. Spanish Festivities. Great arc the Christmas rejoie' Spain: A line feature of the , there is tho Midnight Mass; or. :. commonly called, "La Misa del 1;......," "ihe Mass of the Cock." because tho rejoicing lasts till cockcrow. Of course, Midnight Mass is celebrated in Catholic churches in nearly all countries; but the many picturesque customs, peculiar to the romantic Spanish race, make tbe ceremonial particularly striking. The Spanish Royal etiquette is extremely strict. Nevertheless, it partakes of the groat traditions which are implanted in the very soul of the nation, and tho rejoicings found in that nation as a whole are reproduced, on a stately scale, in Court circles. The King. Queen, and rest of the Royal family are present at Midnight Mass. It will be celebrated in the Royal Chanel if the festival is being kept in Iho Eseurial; but. whether it be there or in parochial church or cathedral, the ceremonial is splendid, amidst the strains of glorious music. One day which is scrupulously kept by the King and Queen of Spain is the Feast of the Epiphany ('-Twelfth Day." .January 0, or. to give it its colloquial Spanish name "El ilia de los Reyes," tbe "Day of the Kings." so called on account of tlie three kings "who from the Orient came" to the cave at Bethlehem on the occasion of the birth of Christ). There is a Spanish tradition, very devoutly believed amongst the children, that those Epiphany Kings will send treasures round for children on the eve of that day. For many days beforehand the youngsters are on tbe tiptoe of anticipation. Into this tradition the King and Queen enter with zest. Many are the young hearts that are mads | happy by Epiphany gifts that really do come from a King! hi Royal circles in Holland there are none of the elaborate and beautiful services which one sees in Spain. Kcvertheilcss. the spirit of joy and "reunion" is i found in tlie Hutch observances also, though less picturesquely displayed. {cards and gifts arc exchanged: the in- | tangible but powerful spirit of seasonal [goodwill permeates all things. On Christmas morning a special service is atI tended in the church, and the rest of jthe day consists of rejoicings very simillnr to those wo find in our own country. ill must bo remembered that, the Dutch Court is one of the simplest, as regards I ceremonial, in Europe: and there is Millie of that minute and gorgeous etiquette which is heart and soul of such hi Court as that of Spain. I Democratic Royalty. | -|-] 10 Christ tuns observances in Royal circles in Denmark and Scandinavia are I very similar to those of Holland as retriirds relative simplicity. The religion of those Northern lands, it is true, lis Lutheran, and no! Calvinist, and ' l.ullicranisni ha- a more ceremonial form 'of wo'sbip than the austere creed of the V.enovan Reformer has evolved. Neverj I |„.|,-ss. there are. of eiiiir.-e. none of tho elaborate services of Catholic countries. • The lo.val families of Denmark and i -i-atidiuaxia are essentially democratic. • The laic kine i hri-'i.m of Denmark, for example, would mingle amongst, the ! eon.-..ur-e in the -ir.-. ts of Copenhagen ' ;,,„ ~ ,„.,-,',. , equably with any passorll,v. The -i ill' T.-uiouic -pint, of course, has ii- million.-.-: bin that spirit is liable |t,, ,-h.in-je lii exuberant rejoicing, and j 11,}.. i. nut urally i.i !>•• expected at ' J Chri-lmn-. of Danish and ScanI dinaxiau 11- ;■ al oli-ervan'c of tho (Christinas season, it may be said that it is essentially similar to that of Holland, [with su.-h dilleren.es as arise from local - tradition. The development of the C-itholic cere- . monial of Christmas in'i ,-i'iced many remarkable s\-mbo]jsms in' ■ ihe serv ices at the Vatican at Ron.'- At. first , throughout the Roman Catholic I hurcli. there we,-,, two celebrations of Mass at < bri-tmas - one for the vigil ("eve" and "lie for the feast it-elf. At Rome itself, however, there were three, and tills '» tbe case now. Mass of Christmas. «'lelTHte.l by the I- is extremely »•*» fieonr. line cu-io.n may be mention On Christmas „i u ht the P«P* « ; ducal cap and svyord. h'ch U of gjv.-s t„ some prince wim 101-e sends as a present.