CHRISTMAS ABROAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 62

CHRISTMAS ABROAD.

In Russia Christmas is, in the first place, regarded strictly as a Church festival, and, for several days prior to December 25, the Russians fast and attend religious services. On Christmas Eve this mollification of the flesh its height, and it is a recognised custom that no food or drink of any kind must be partaken of until the first star is seen twinkling at night, and then only a special dish, made of raisins and rice, is permitted amongst those who strictly regard the Christmas observances. A WEEK'S FESTIVITIES. Afterwards, however, merry-making commences, and is continued very often for six or seven days. Russia's chief Yuletide meal consists largely of two dishes —one of wheat porridge served with honey, and the other of a curious compound of stewed pears, apples, oranges, grapes, and cherries, sweetened with ho.:ey and served cold. In previous years thii meal was washed down by liberal draughts of vodka, but as the Czar has now prohibited the sale of this intoxicant, our Russian friends will have to content themselves with something of a milder form.

Two very curious Christmas customs still observed in Russia might be men tioned. Little Christmas cakes, bearing the figures of kine, and sheep, and birds on cne side, and a Greek cross on the other, are sent with the children to aU the neighbours of the village to signify the desire of the senders that their friends shall be wealthy and happy during the coming year. The second peculiar observance consists of the custom of throwing, previous to the Christmas feast, a spoonful of porridge, known as kootya, against the ceiling, and according to how much sticks the future harvest of the forthcoming year is determined in the minds of those present. IN POLAND AND JAPAN? Equally curious is the custom of the Polish peasants who on Christmas Eve enjoy, by permission of their landlords, the right to hold a general fishing in preserved waters. As the rivers are usually frozen over at this season, holes are cut in the ice, and through this the fi hing is carried on with large coop nets The fish thus caught are distributed among the villagers. Strictly speaking, there is no Christmas in Japan, for the simple reason that the Japanese chronology does not even recognise the fact that 'Christ existed. There are no signs of revelry or religious observances in Japan on December 25, except in the English colonies, where, as far as possible, the plum pudding and turkey are duly consumed. So far as the Japanese themselves are concerned, however, they work as usual. Shops are open, coolies are at work in the streets and on the wharves, and there are no festivities. But as one traveller in Japan observed a short time ago, although they do not recognise the Christmas season themselves, "the little Jap looks with kindly and curious eyes on the festivities of his friend the Englishman on a day which he cannot understand." BELGIUM AND FRANCE.

Until recent years Christmas amon? the Belgians was practically unrecognised. Their festive day was St. Nicholas Day, December 6—Children's clay—and the little ones Avould pkce their shoes at the fireplace at night for the child Jesus to fill with sweets, a beautiful tradition which (he peop'e of the Low Countries owe to French. Of late rears, however, all this has changed, and Christmas Day will be all the more sad for our gallant Belgian Allies because they had begun to copv our Christmas customs, and make December 25 the day of all davs in the year.

Our French cousins are more fond of Christmas Eve than they are of Christmas Day. the latter being generally devoted to making calls on their friends and acquaintances. Supper on Christmas Eve, however, is given up to gaiety all round. It is practically a Christmas "wake." All the tables in the restaurants are booked, and toasts, songs, laughter, dancing, anct every form of boisterous and "goodhumoured merriment reigns until early morning.