THE "RUSSIAN" FEAST

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 52, 26 December 1907, Page 15

THE "RUSSIAN" FEAST

To the Russians Christmas 'means a prolonged feast, lasting for days. A contributor to the New York ' Evening Post ' recalls that the Russians employed by Peary were^ willing to starve for a month if they could - feast themselves -for a week at Christmas time.

It is probably partly owirfg" to the dreariness of the Russian winter and the impcssili-ity of accomplishing much outdoor work that the people are inclined to - make so much of this great holiday. Jt. comes as a relief from monotony. In Moscow the winter day Usts only about five hours. It is not really light before. 9 o'clock, and the children on their- way to school carry lanterns. By 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon the lamps have to be lighted. The Christmas feast means to the people lots, of, light, as well as. food, for candles are burned everywhere while it Lists — m the ch'irrhes the markets' and the streets. As in Germany, it is the family festival of the yenr, and of_ IHr years the small Christmas tree, wiith its .many candles, is its universal symbol.