[Illustration]
YULE-TIDE IN SCANDINAVIA
The horn was blown for silence, come was the votive hour;
To Frey's high feast devoted they carry in the boar.
--_Frithof's "Saga," Trans. Bayard Taylor._
"To Norroway, to Norroway," the most northern limit of Scandinavia,
one turns for the first observance of Christmas in Scandinavia, for
the keeping of Yule-tide in the land of Odin, of the Vikings, Sagas,
midnight sun, and the gorgeous Aurora Borealis. This one of the twin
countries stretching far to the north with habitations within nineteen
degrees of the North Pole, and the several countries which formed
ancient Scandinavia, are one in spirit regarding Christmas although
not in many other respects.
In the far north among the vast tribe of Lapps, in their cold,
benighted country, as Christmas approaches each wandering tribe heads
its reindeer toward the nearest settlement containing a church, that
it may listen to the story of the first Christmas morn which is told
year after year by the pastor, and yet is ever new and interesting to
the people who come from great distances, drawn over the fields of
crisp snow by their fleet-footed reindeer.
The Lapp is apparently a joyless individual. Men, women, and children
seem bereft of all power of amusement beyond what tends to keep them
alive, such as fishing, hunting, and traveling about to feed their
herds of reindeer. They have no games, no gift for music, they never
dance nor play cards, but year after year drag out an existence,
living within low earth-covered huts or in tents. Even the best homes
are low and poorly ventilated. For windows are not needed where
darkness reigns for months together, where the sun is not seen at all
during six or seven weeks of the year, and where people live
out-of-doors during the long summer day of sunlight that follows.
In their low, stuffy homes which at Christmas are filled with guests
from the wandering Lapps, there is no room for the pretty tree and
decorative evergreens. The joy afforded these people at Yule-tide is
in the reunion of friends, in attending church services, in the
uniting of couples in marriage, and, alas, in the abundance of liquor
freely distributed during this season. The children are made happy by
being able to attend school, for at Christmas they are brought into
the settlements with friends for this purpose. They have only a few
weeks' schooling during the year, from Christmas to Easter, and while
the schoolmasters are stationed at the little towns, the children work
hard to gain the knowledge of books and religion which they crave.
In this terrible winter night of existence, amidst an appalling
darkness of Nature and Mind, the one great occasion of the year is
Christmas. Not the merry, bright, festive occasion of their more
favored brothers and sisters, but what to them is the happiest in the
year.
Christmas Eve passes unnoticed. The aurora may be even more beautiful
than usual, its waving draperies more fantastic, more gorgeous-hued,
but it is unnoticed by the Lapps who have seen it from childhood. Men,
women, children, servants, guests, and animals, crowd into the small,
low homes, without a thought of Santa Claus coming to visit them.
Children have no stockings to hang up, and there are no chimneys for
Santa to descend. In fact, he and his reindeer, with their loads of
treasured gifts, probably left this region with the sun, bound for
more congenial places.
The church bells break the terrible silence of the sunless towns on
Christmas morning, and as the fur-encased natives wend their way to
church, greeting one another as they meet, there is a faint approach
to joyousness. Of course there must be real sorrow and joy wherever
there is life and love, although among the Lapps it is hard to
discern.
During Yule-tide the Lapps visit one another, attend to what
governmental business there may be, give in marriage, christen the
children, and bury the dead, whose bodies have lain beneath their
covering of snow awaiting this annual visit of the Norwegian clergyman
for their final interment.
Think of Christmas without a tree, without wreaths and flowers,
without stockings full of gifts, with a dinner of reindeer meat and no
plum pudding! And imagine what would be his sensation could a Lapp
child be put into a home in England, America, Germany, or even in
other parts of Scandinavia! What would he say could he receive such
gifts as were given you last Christmas!
But Lapps are only a small part of the population of Norway. Norwegian
children have many jolly times around the Christmas trees and enjoy
hunting for their little gifts which are often tucked away in various
places for them to find. Then there are all sorts of pretty games for
them to play and quantities of appetizing food prepared for their
pleasure. The young folks earn their feast, for all day long before
Christmas they are busy tying bunches of oats and corn on the trees,
the fences, the tops of houses and of barns, and on high poles which
they erect in the yards, until
"From gable, barn and stable
Protrudes the birdies' table
Spread with a sheaf of corn."
The Norwegians begin their Christmas with divine services, after which
they meet together for a repast which is an appetizer for the feast
to follow. A pipe of tobacco is given to each man and boy present,
then they smoke while the feast, the great feature of the day, is
being made ready. Fish, poultry, meats, and every variety of food
known to the Norwegian housewife is served in courses, between which
toasts are given, healths drunk, and the songs of Norway rendered.
Among the latter "Old Norway" is always included, for the people never
forget the past history of their beloved country.
One of the pretty customs of these occasions is that each guest on
arising turns to the host and hostess, who remain seated at either end
of the table, and, bowing to each, expresses his thanks for the meal.
[Illustration: ON THE WAY TO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE IN NORWAY.]
Sometimes after the serving of tea at seven o'clock, little boys in
white mantles, with star-shaped lanterns and dolls to represent the
Virgin and the Holy Babe, enter the room and sing sweet carols. Often
strolling musicians arrive, such as go from place to place at
Christmas. After a large supper the guests depart on sledges for their
homes, which are often miles distant.
Do you suppose on Christmas Eve, as they look toward the fading light
in the West, the children of Norway ever think of their Scandinavian
cousins, the little Icelanders, in their peat houses, on that isolated
island in the sea, where the shortest day is four hours long, and
where at Christmas time the sun does not rise above the horizon for a
week, and wonder how they are celebrating Yule-tide?
Christmas is a great day with them also, for they cling to the old
songs and customs, and could the west wind convey the sound of glad
voices across the wide expanse of water separating the island from
the mainland, Norwegian children might hear the Icelandic children
singing one of their sweet old songs.
"When I do good and think aright
At peace with man, resigned to God,
Thou look'st on me with eyes of light,
Tasting new joys in joy's abode."
In Sweden there is a general house-cleaning before Christmas;
everything must be polished, scrubbed, beaten, and made clean, and all
rubbish burned, for dirt, like sinful thoughts, cannot be tolerated
during the holy festival.
As early as the first of December each housewife starts her
preparations for the great day. Many have worked all the year making
gifts for the occasion, but now the carpets must come up and be
beaten, the paint must be cleaned, and the house set in order. The
silver which has been handed down from generation to generation,
together with that received on holidays and birthdays, has to be
cleaned and polished, so must the brasses--the tall fire-dogs, the
stately andirons, and the great kettles--all must be made to reflect
every changing ray of light.
Then the baking for a well-ordered household is a matter of great
moment, and requires ample time. It is usual to begin at least two
weeks before Christmas. Bread is made of wheat and rye flour, raised
over night, then rolled very thin and cut into discs twelve or
fourteen inches in diameter, with a hole in the center. After having
been baked, these are strung on a stick and left to dry under the
beams of the baking-room. As they will keep a long while, large
quantities are made at this season in each household.
Then follows the making of sweetened, soft, rye, wheat, and other
breads, as well as the baking of the light yellow (saffron), the
chocolate-brown, and thin gray-colored cakes, and those that are
filled with custard.
The preparing of Christmas drinks always requires the close attention
of good dames, for there must be an inexhaustible supply of Christmas
beer, made of malt, water, molasses, and yeast, and wine with almonds
and spices, and various other decoctions.
Then the cheese must be made ready, not only the usual sour kind, but
the more delicious sweet cheese that is made of sweet milk boiled
slowly for hours and prettily moulded.
The Swedish wife is relieved of the burden of making pies, as her
people know nothing about that indigestible mixture so acceptable to
American palates.
The festivities begin with the dressing of the tree the day before
Christmas. In this the older members of the family, with friends and
relatives, join with great gusto, preparing paper flowers with which
to bedeck the tall evergreen tree which reaches from floor to ceiling.
They cut long ribbons of colored paper for streamers, and make yards
of paper fringe to wind with the tinsel among the boughs, from which
are hung bright colored boxes of sweetmeats, fruit, and fancy balls.
The children are, of course, excluded from the room and obliged to
content themselves with repeating the tales of Santa Claus, as told by
their elders. When a gift is offered in person, or, as is more
generally the case, is thrown in the door suddenly by an unseen hand,
there rings a merry _Glad Frill_ (Good Yule) meaning "Merry
Christmas," for that is the wish of the preceding day or days, rather
than of Christmas itself.
On Christmas Eve at early nightfall, when the colored candles are
ablaze over the entire tree, and the great red ball of light shines
from its topmost branches, the children are admitted to the room
amidst a babel of shouts and screams of delight, which are increased
upon the arrival of a veritable Santa Claus bestrewn with wool-snow
and laden with baskets of gifts. On the huge sled are one or more
baskets according to the number of bundles to be distributed in the
family. Each bundle bears the name of the owner on its wrapper,
together with funny rhymes and mottoes, which are read aloud for the
amusement of all. Santa Claus always gives an abundance of valuable
counsel and advice to the young folks as he bestows upon them his
pretty gifts.
After the distribution of gifts and the disappearance of Santa Claus,
all join in dancing and singing around the tree simple, childish
jingles such as the following:
"Now is Christmas here again,
Now is Christmas here again,
After Christmas then comes Easter,
Cheese and bread and Christmas beer,
Fish and rice and Christmas cheer!
--etc."
One of the prettiest dances is that of "Cutting the Oats," in which
girls and boys--there must be an extra boy--dance in a circle,
singing:
"Cut the oats, cut the oats,
Who is going to bind them?
That my dearest will have to do,
But where will I find him?
"I saw him last eve in the moonlight,
In the moonlight clear and bright,
So you take one and I'll take one,
And he will be left without one."
The boys represent the cutters and the girls the oats, and great
merriment prevails as the cutters' arms encircle the waists of the
pretty oats, leaving the unfortunate cutter, whom they all dance
around, bowing scoffingly as they shout:
"No one did want you,
Poor sprite, no one wants you,
You are left alone,
You are left alone."
Many of their games are similar to "Blind Man's Buff," "Hunt the Key,"
and "Hot and Cold," or "Hunt to the Music," the latter being one which
by its modulations from pianissimo to forte indicate the hunters'
nearness to the object sought for. The game of "Blind Feeding the
Blind" causes much amusement among the juveniles; two players sit
opposite each other blindfolded and endeavor to feed one another with
spoonfuls of milk, and their mishaps are very entertaining to the
on-lookers.
Between the hours of ten and eleven comes the grand Christmas supper,
when all adjourn to the dining-room to partake of the annual feast for
which the housewives have long been preparing. The table is usually
tastefully and often elaborately trimmed with flowers and green
leaves. The corners of the long snow-white homespun cloth are caught
up into rosettes surrounded with long calla or other leaves; possibly
the entire edge of the table is bedecked with leaves and flowers. The
butter is moulded into a huge yellow rose resting on bright green
leaves, and the napkins assume marvelous forms under the deft fingers
of the artistic housewives.
The Christmas mush holds the first place in importance among the
choice viands of the occasion; it is rice boiled a long while in milk
and seasoned with salt, cinnamon, and sugar, and is eaten with cream.
Several blanched almonds are boiled in the mush and it is confidently
believed that whoever finds the first almond will be the first to be
married. While eating the mush, each one is expected to make rhymes
about the rice and the good luck it is to bring them, and the most
remarkable poetical effusions are in order on these occasions.
The Christmas fish is to the Swede what the Christmas roast-beef is to
the Englishman, an indispensable adjunct of the festival. The fish
used resembles a cod; it is buried for days in wood ashes or else it
is soaked in soda water, then boiled and served with milk gravy.
Bread, cheese, and a few vegetables follow, together with a pudding
made of salt herrings, skinned, boned, and cut in thin slices, which
are laid in a dish with slices of cold boiled potatoes and hard-boiled
eggs, covered with a dressing of cream, butter, and eggs-then baked
and served hot.
The fish, rice, and a fat goose are said to be served at every table
on Christmas from that of the king to that of the commonest of his
subjects.
Christmas morning opens with an early service in church, to which the
older members of the family go in sled parties of from forty to fifty
sleds, each drawn by one, two, or even three horses, over whose backs
jingle rows of silver-toned bells. The sled parties are an especial
feature of Christmas time. They start out while the stars are still
twinkling in the sky, and the lighted trees are illuminating the homes
they pass.
The day itself is observed with less hilarity than other days during
the season; the "Second Christmas," or day following, being far gayer.
Then begin the family parties, with the looking forward to the great
Twelfth-Night ball, after which the children and young folks end their
evening parties by untrimming the tree of their entertainer amidst
peals of laughter, songs, and shouts.
The tree, of course, has been supplied anew with candles, fruit, and
candy. The first are blown out and the last two struggled for while
the tree is drawn slowly toward the door out of which it is finally
pitched by the merry crowd.
The Swedes have four legal holidays at Yule, beginning the day
previous to Christmas, and they make merry while they last. Besides
having the _Jul-gran_ or Christmas tree, each family places in the
yard a pole with a sheaf of grain on top for the birds' Christmas
dinner, a pretty custom common to many countries.
Business is very generally suspended during Christmas, the day
following, Twelfth Day, and the twentieth day.
"Do as your forefathers have done, and you can't do wrong," is said to
be the motto of the Swedes. So the customs of their forefathers are
strictly observed at Yule-tide.
_Svea_, the feminine name of Sweden, the "Queen of the North,"
contains what is popularly believed to be the burial-places of Wodin,
Thor, and Freya. The mounds are about one mile from Upsala and are
visited by travelers from all parts of the world. Antiquarian
researchers, however, have recently had a word to say in doubt whether
these mounds contain the remains of the renowned beings, those ancient
travelers. The Swedes, however, still cling to the belief that the
bones of Wodin, the Alexander of the North, rest beneath the sod at
Upsala. In these mounds have been found the bones of a woman and of a
dog, a bracelet of filigree work, and a curious pin shaped like a
bird, but no sign of Wodin's presence. Yet peasants believe that Wodin
passes by on dark nights, and his horse's shoe, with eight nail-holes,
is exhibited in the museum at Utwagustorp.
New Year's Day is of comparatively little importance; the Christmas
trees are usually relighted for the enjoyment of the poorer children
and gifts are made to the needy. The Yule festivities are prolonged
for two weeks in many places, during which the people visit from home
to home and enjoy many social pleasures. The devout attend church
services each day, abandon all work so far as possible, and on
January thirteenth generally finish up the joyous season with a ball.
The Swedes do not trim their churches with evergreen at Yule-tide as
that is an emblem of mourning with them, and is used instead of crape
on the door and often strewn before the hearse and also upon the floor
in the saddened homes, so of course at Christmas they would not think
of using it for decorations. But where they can afford it or can
procure them, they use flowers to decorate their homes.
In Denmark, Christmas is a time of unusual merriment and rejoicing. No
one who can possibly avoid it works at all from the day before
Christmas until after New Year, but spends the time in visiting,
eating, and drinking. "May God bless your Christmas; may it last till
Easter," is the usual salutation of the season.
With the people of Denmark the favorite dish for Christmas dinner is a
goose; every one, even the cattle, the dog, and the birds, receive the
best the larder affords on this occasion. There is a peculiar kind of
cake that is made for each member of every family, and, for some
reason not explained, the saltcellar remains on the table throughout
Yule-tide.
Those who own fruit-trees feel it incumbent upon them to go at
midnight on Christmas Eve and with a stick in hand strike each tree
three times saying as they do so, "Rejoice, O Tree,--rejoice and be
fruitful."
In Denmark it is believed by many that the cattle rise on their knees
at midnight on Christmas Eve, but no one ever seems to have proved
this saying to be true.
In this country also the children delight in listening to stories of
trolls who have been driven to the island of Bornhern by the parsons
although they once ran riot through Zealand, and the little folks sing
pretty songs of Balder, the sun god, which are a special feature of
the season.
It is customary to usher in the New Year with a noise of firearms of
every description.
THE CHRISTMAS SHEAF
Far over in Norway's distant realm,
That land of ice and snow,
Where the winter nights are long and drear,
And the north winds fiercely blow,
From many a low-thatched cottage roof,
On Christmas eve, 'tis said,
A sheaf of grain is hung on high,
To feed the birds o'erhead.
In years gone by, on Christmas eve,
When the day was nearly o'er,
Two desolate, starving birds flew past
A humble peasant's door.
"Look! Look!" cried one, with joyful voice
And a piping tone of glee:
"In that sheaf there is plenteous food and cheer,
And the peasant had but three.
One he hath given to us for food,
And he hath but two for bread,
But he gave it with smiles and blessings,
'For the Christ-child's sake,' he said."
"Come, come," cried the shivering little mate,
"For the light is growing dim;
'Tis time, ere we rest in that cosy nest,
To sing our evening hymn."
And this was the anthem they sweetly sang,
Over and over again:
"The Christ-child came on earth to bless
The birds as well as men."
Then safe in the safe, snug, warm sheaf they dwelt,
Till the long, cold night was gone,
And softly and clear the sweet church bells
Rang out on the Christmas dawn,
When down from their covert, with fluttering wings,
They flew to a resting-place,
As the humble peasant passed slowly by,
With a sorrowful, downcast face.
"Homeless and friendless, alas! am I,"
They heard him sadly say,
"For the sheriff," (he wept and wrung his hands)
"Will come on New Year's day."
The birdlings listened with mute surprise.
"'Tis hard," they gently said;
"He gave us a sheaf of grain for food,
When he had but three for bread.
We will pray to God, He will surely help
This good man in distress;"
And they lifted their voices on high, to crave
His mercy and tenderness.
Then again to the Christmas sheaf they flew,
In the sunlight, clear and cold:
"Joy! joy! each grain of wheat," they sang,
"Is a shining coin of gold."
"A thousand ducats of yellow gold,
A thousand, if there be one;
O master! the wonderful sight behold
In the radiant light of the sun."
The peasant lifted his tear-dimmed eyes
To the shining sheaf o'erhead;
"'Tis a gift from the loving hand of God,
And a miracle wrought," he said.
"For the Father of all, who reigneth o'er,
His children will ne'er forsake,
When they feed the birds from their scanty store,
For the blessed Christ-child's sake."
"The fields of kindness bear golden grain,"
Is a proverb true and tried;
Then scatter thine alms, with lavish hand,
To the waiting poor outside;
And remember the birds, and the song they sang,
When the year rolls round again:
"The Christ-child came on earth to bless
The birds as well as men."
--_Mrs. A.M. Tomlinson._