AMONG THE EMBASSIES

Evening Star, Issue 22542, 9 January 1937, Page 19

AMONG THE EMBASSIES

OBSERVANCES AT WASHINGTON From the outside the homes qf ambassadors and Ministers in Washington look like everyday American homes, and the day to day activities therein are not greatly qnlike those of the average American family, says the ‘ Christian Science Monitor.’ Then comes Christmas! If one could go from embassy to legation and from legation to embassy up and down Massachusetts Avenue and Upper Sixteenth Street looking through marble walls and drawn shades into brightly-lighted living rooms, he would see wondrous things at this season of the year. He would see the Germans smiling proudly over the shining Christmas tree balls that originated in their native land. He would find the little sons and daughters of the Dutch attaches putting out their shoes instead of stockings to receive their gifts and eating cookies, known as “ spikelaas.” He would see the Italians decorating with flowers instead of evergreens, and discover the British Ambassador presiding over a big plum pudding burning with a blue flame. All during the year diplomats are engaged in smoothing over differences of national temperament and _ background, but once a year—at Christmas time—they do as the Americans do, and revel in the customs and traditions of their homelands. They draw around them the families of the embassy staff and on soil which is legally a bit of their native lands celebrate the holidays in the manner they were taught as children—half in solemnity and half in jollity. Of all the foreign missions, the Germans probably observe the holiday moat intensively. Work is held in abeyance for two days. The old red brick home that has sheltered German ambassadors since before the war is the scene of much festivity. Instead of the brilliant electric lights with which modern-day Americans decorate their Christinas tree*., the Germans prefer soft, glowing candles that shimmer on the gold and silver paper wrapped around nuts and cookies. There are plenty of fragile balls, and under the tree is a manger with figures of “ Maria ” and “ Joseph ’ bending over it. The Germans are justly proud of the Christmas tree, because their forefathers introduced it to the world. At 6 o’clock on Christmas _ Eve the tree is lighted, amid exclamations from the embassy staff. Presents are distributed, and then they all go off to church. The holiday atmosphere at the Embassy continues at least a week. One afternoon the sons and daughters of the staff present a playlet. Then everybody, old and young, gathers around and sing cai’ols in German. Later in the week the ambassador gives a party for all his countrymen in Washington. > . The red velvet and white ermine of the Santa Claus suit used here in America is unknown in Czechoslovakia, a secretary at the legation explained. Their “ St. Nicholas ” dresses in bishop’s robes and wears a mitre on his head. “Of course.” she confided, “ if any child were brave enough to peek under the brilliant robe he would find a friend of the family, but then he -would get only coal and onions in his stocking next morning instead of fruit and nuts and other goodies.” At the Czechoslovakian Legation here there is much whispering and guessing as Christmas draws near, for there is a “ secret room ” that is kept locked for two weeks before Christmas. When a hell is rung on Christmas Eve it is unlocked to reveal a tree hung with candies, cookies, fruit, gold and silver balls, and paper streamers. The children of the secretaries at the Rumanian Legation must content themselves with carrying their huge paper star around their own house instead of through the streets, as they do at home when they are carolling and asking money for the poor. Their parents treat themselves to a dish of “ sarmani,” which _ every _ good Rumanian eats at Christmas time. It consists of chopped meat wrapped in cabbage leaves. The Danish Minister feels that he has a real part in the American celebration because it was a Danish postmaster who invented the Christmas seal. The Danish Christmas dinner consists of rice porridge, roast goose stuffed with prunes and apples, served With potatoes and red cabbage. For dessert there is Danish applecake. When the porridge is being served a blanched almond is hidden in one of the portions. The one who happens to get the almond is entitled to an extra gift, known as the “ almond gift.” The Scandinavians never forget the birds’ Christmas. If their homes do not afford a tree on which to hang tit-bits for their feathered friends, they stick a broom in the ground and tie them to its straws. The Orientals for the most part have adopted American Christmas customs, although they usually centre their festivities around New Year’s Day. At the palatial Soviet Embassy on Lower Sixteenth Street, Christmas Day goes by scarcely noticed, like any other day, for even the purchase of a holly wreath would be viwed with suspicion by Russian Governmental authorities, who are trying hard to forget the significance of this occasion that has persisted for 2,000 years.

For the last three years the Washington Board of Trade has arranged a unique celebration in which a score of embassy children from various countries describe the customs of their country and deliver messages of peace and goodwill to the world by way of the short wave radio.