JAPAN ADOPTS CHRISTMAS.AS A COMMERCIAL STIMULANT

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U. S. STORES COPIED Spirit of the Season Is Adopted With All Its

Symbols to Be Found in Country’s Largest Cities.

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By Violet Sweet Haven.

JAPAN, in keeping with her pro-

gram of wholesale expansion, has adopted the commercial aspects of the American Christ-

mas to stimulate her domestic trade. During the Yuletide period a visitor from the United States may stroll down the main business streets of Tokio and fancy himself walking along P street. Michigan boulevard. Fifth avenue or Market street in his home- land.

Holly wreaths and figures of Santa Claus adorn the shop windows. Fir trees decorated with tinsel and cotton balls line the streets and fill depart- ment stores with Christmas cheer. Tinseled "Xmas” signs, carefully carved in English letters, are suspend- ed over sidewalks as hurrying throngs of excited, kimono-clad Japanese go In and out of shops carrying gift packages carefully wrapped in holly paper.

While the Japanese merchants needed nothing more than Santa Claus and effective sales managers to

put over the Christmas idea, in 1926 December 25 became a legal holiday. On Christmas of that year Emperor Taisho. father of the present Emperor Hirohito, passed away and the day was immediately proclaimed a national holiday in his honor.

However. Christmas is included in the Japanese calendar on its own

merits, as an annual period of re-

joicing for children. While originally considered a foreign innovation, it is now an important season to all Jap- anese living in the cities. ,

At Christmas time the grandest spectacle in all Japan is the bril- liantly lighted fir tree in each large department store. The huge tree

stands in the center of the vast ro-

tunda—a blaze of glory—and stretches Its branches to the ceiling a hundred feet or more above. From the base to the tip-top of the tree every branch glows with twinkling lights, tinsel, cotton balls, fruit, candies, toys and

nuts. I I

\TTSITORS crowd the store to watch jolly old white-whiskered Santa

Claus, dressed in his bright red suit, as he smiles and dances about under the low-hanging branches. Although at heart he is the American Santa, this masqueraded Oriental lacks the

rotundity and stature of our jolly old saint. But these Inconsequential de- tails matter little to the Japanese parents who smilingly buy “Xmas” gifts to give their small sons and daughters.

On each balcony-like floor of the de- partment store the Japanese gather to admire the gorgeous sight. By leaning over the railings the custo- mers can touch the branches of the Christmas tree as they watch the mill-< lng throngs in the rotunda below. Above the mammoth.tree tapers gently Into a point crowned with a glittering Ctar.

Tt, has hepn said that the Japanese adopt, adapt and become adept. Cer- tainly this is manifest in the way they have modeled their department stores after those in America and seized upon the Christmas holiday to en-

hance their seasonal trade. Early in the history of the Japanese depart- ment store, owners sent staff mem-

bers to the United States to study general methods, sales trends and merchandizing. For many years it had been the custom of the Yokohama Foreign Trade Association to send se-

lected representatives abroad to keep in touch with similar organizations and trade activities, but only since the 1923 earthquake did the merchants become interested in American de- partment stores. After studying the surface facts of wholesale marketing, they eagerly sought the reason behind the fascinating peak of America’s De- cember sales.

So they sent observing tradesmen to the United States to find out why so much retail business was done dur- ing that one month of the year. Dur- ing the Yuletide season these envoys visited the stores, took copious notes, attended conferences and went on

long tours of observation. To their amazement, they found that in De- cember American store sales soared to feaights unhead of in Japan.

Japanese observers watched • me crowds that swarmed into our

department stores to see the funny little white-whiskered man in a red play suit. They heard him called "Santa Claus.’' Sometimes he was

portrayed in cardboard. Frequently he was a real man dressed in bright regalia, who gave packages to the kid- dies. This struck the fancy of the •visiting note-takers, as children are

popular in Japan. While in the United States they

gazed with awe and wonder at tea rooms, plate-glass windows, marble pillars, thick carpets, silken draperies, escalators and morning-coated floor- walkers in the great department stores. They also saw that some stores even

t floors, shiny show- models. All these

tjftigs went down in the little black r£<te books.

Into the same pages went the facts that green fir trees were decorated with shiny balls and electric lights, tinsel was entwined in the chandeliers and holly wreaths were fastened in

thyrfoorwalkers’ neckties. Although they did not understand the images

of the Virgin Mary and the Christ

Child, the respect with which they were regarded reminded the careful note-takers of their sacred Kamakura Buddha back home. Also they copied letter by letter the signs reading “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men."

The observers gazed with perplexity at the throngs who came to see the sights and clustered around gayly deco- rated green fir trees. But most of all

they were thrilled to see great crowds of people going into and out of the stores carrying innumerable pur- chases. If only that could happen in

Japan! When these economic envoys re-

turned to Tokio they unpacked their little black notebooks and reported their findings behind closed doors of executive offices. Reams of notes and drawings, salvaged samples of tinsel, crepe paper and colored lights were

presented as evidence of their exact- ing work in America. -They marveled, I

(1) Making Japanese lanterns, which are strung for miles

along the streets from Tokio to Yokohama during the Christmas holiday. (2) A Christmas tree in Japan. (3) Christmas sales at street stands. (4) .Making grotesque figures for the Christmas festival. (5) In December every

floor of Japanese department stores is crowded with holiday shoppers. (6) Rotunda of a large department store in Tokio, which at Christmas time displays a glit- tering, illuminated fir tree. (7) Formerly the Japanese imported their toys, now they make their own. (8) Mak- ing baskets to be filled with foreign fruits for Christmas gifts.

they recommended, they advised. Executives went into secret sessions and formulated plans for great Jap- 1

anese department stores—a la Amer- ican.

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'T'ODAY behold! On your right rise marble pillars, under your feet are

thick carpet, shining show cases, plate glass windows and silken draperies. At Christmas time fir trees drip with tin- sel. Holly wreaths and Santas are

everywhere and one receives his holi- day purchases In orthodox Christmas boxes tied with colorful ribbon.

The Japanese love beauty and enjoy the bright lights Immensely. All- young and old and even women with babies strapped to their backs—crowd into the modern elevators operated by uniformed girls wearing Christmas holly on their shoulders. As each elevator shoots upward the operator calls out: “Christmas kimonos, obis, hauri coats, tabi socks, geta shoes, clogs, split-toed sandals and um- brellas.”

Farther on she announces: “Yuletide stationery, futon bedding, wooden pillows, shrine decorations for New Year, chopsticks, rice bowls, foreign dresses and foreign tables, pots and pans, belts and buttons, toys and tools, Christmas lights and cocktail sets.”

By the time the car reaches the sixth floor it is heavily laden with Christmas shoppers. The elevator girl smothes the holly on her shoulder and announces: “Christmas pageant, free show for the children. Everybody welcome.”

have come to see. An entire floor of the store is turned into a carnival of Christmas fun for the kiddies. Santa

Claus, the hero of the festival, reigns j in a world of Japanese art. Lining j the walls is every type of doll that a

little Japanese girls could possibly want for Christmas or New Year. There are dolls In wooden glass-top boxes and dolls in dainty red kimonos, all with straight black Japanese hair to delight the baby girls.

'J'HE boys swarm around the fish banners made of parchment or

paper. All their lives they have been taught to look forward to boy’s day in the Springtime, when each son is represented by a fish banner tied to the family flagstaff outside his home. After admiring the banners longingly they move on to see what’s new in toys, games, puzzles, bails and tennis rackets.

The most fun of all, however, are the tunnels and caves through which !

the children scamper with Santa Claus. They ride chutes down a m.n- iature Mount Fujiyama and splash in

the sandy imitation lakes below. They watch the dragons, laugh at

grotesque figures surrounding the pageant grotto, and delight in the rural scenes depicting the bamboo and

pine trees of their familiar country- side.

While the children romp and play the mothers sit back and whisper of tile exquisite beauty of the flowen and 13e painted sea. A picture of the

baby Jesus In the manger, although not understood by the masses, brings warmth to the Japanese heart. Scarcely a moment passes during the Cliristmas season pageants that a

group of sympathetic mothers are not standing before the holy tableau, speaking in soft, reverent tones. As they look upon the picture of the three wise men bringing gifts to the Christ Child they are reminded of their own age-old ceremony of giving gifts.

For centuries it has been customary for the Japanese to celebrate the New Year by gift-giving. The picture bear- ing gifts to the infant Christ Child strikes a responsive chord and tends to blend the American Christmas with the traditional Japanese New Year.

Therefore, Christmas enhances Japan's anticipation for the coming

i New Year festival. No family is too

poor to preserve a rustic bridge in its grassless back yard, or a battered rock lantern at the edge of its bamboo gate with which to brighten the coming of the New Year. Whether or not the people have lotus ponds in their gar- dens, they are excited and eager to view the street pageantry and holiday festivities in full swing downtown,

'T'HE Japanese delight in a parade A

and, barred that, will walk miles

to a temple ceremony. It is little won- der then that people from the sur-

rounding country storm the Tokio streets each evening when everywhere are gayly-lighted fir trees, jolly red- clad Santa Clauses. Christmas greet-

i ings. tinsel and gay streamers. The experiement justified itself, for during the Christmas season the Japanese j purchase a tremendous amount of

gifts and department stores do a bull market business.

Christmas spending in the Orient is not spontaneous. With heavy compe- j tition, and money scarce, the average ■

Tokio dweller is not prone to rush to

the city center and spend his last yen on a hyacinth to feed his soul. How- ever, all things being equal, if his New Year debts are paid he is most vul- nerable when Christmas lights are

I brightest. The Japanese, from an-

cestral habit, saves his money to clear

away his debts of the past year on

New Year eve. That being provided for, he may spend the remainder of his savings for gifts.

Taking advantage of this fact, Japa-; nese department stores have preceded their traditional New Year gift sale | with a Christmas ballyhoo that has heaped wealth untold upon the cap- j tains of finance. The 14 great depart- ment stores of Tokio and the 50 chain

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Modern Christmas Bells Echo Age-Old Yule Custom -- -5

Epiphany Chimes Bring Cheer to Downtown

Washington.

By Karen Kendrtkson. EATED each day at the organ

in the chancel of Epiphany Church, at a keyboard hardly more than an octave long, the

organist induces Washingtonians to pause in the midst of their workaday round and reflect on the message of the bells resounding in the tower.

In the performance of a task that cuts a spiritual path across the business of an uncharted era, he may realize not at all the sympathetic response which greets his simple noonday music. Yet it may be said with considerable reason that his homely hymns, to a greater degree than the counsels of clergymen, sus-

tain the spirit of Christmas through all the days. For what has it availed man to remember that Christ was

born on the twenty-fifth day of De- cember if, except for each Sabbath thereafter, he forgets that fact dur- ing the remainder of the year? Lest we forget—Him, is the message of the bells.

Epiphany’s chimes are the present- day echo of a custom that has its roots in antiquity. The bell as we

know it today had its inception when the bronze-makers of an ancient age were first thrilled at the ringing clang of hammer against metal. The earliest bells that have been found were small. One of the oldest, a bell found in Scotland, was quadrangular in shape, made of thin iron plates hammered and riveted together. While it is not known precisely when casting metals was first begun, there was a

perod in the 13th century when larger bells were made. The 16th century Amboisie bell of Rouen, France, weighe 18 tons.

It is recognized as fact that the bell preceded the tower, not the tower the bell Consequently the world is much indebted to bell casters for a feature of its architectural progress— the famous Venetian Campanile being an example. Epiphany’s soaring tower, with its beautiful lacework •perforations, was built to houfp its 162 bells In 1922. In early da& he

who commanded the bell, commanded the town. Today Christ’s spirit com-

mands the bells of Epiphany. American bells antedate the ar-

rival of Columbus, though they were

rarely found north of the Rio Grande. These bells of the Pueblo regions were made of metals. Others were

found In Florida and along the Pacific coast of South America. All, it Is believed, were evolved from rattles. Nut shells or gourds served as a

starting point, followed by clay models and eventually metal bells. In ancient

Mexico, bells of copper appeared be- fore the Spanish Conquest and the method of manufacture passed north to the United 8tates. It Is fairly evi- dent, however, ^hat bells as we know them today were Introduced into this

country by early colonists from Eu- rope and Great Britain.

It Is said that bells were first ap- plied to churches in A.D. 400lan in- novation of Paulinus, an 'Italian

bishop, but there is more authenticity to the story that Pope Sabinianus first

used church bells in the year 604. It is evident that they were introduced into Prance in 550. Bede, the first

English historian, relates that a bell was brought from Italy in the fourth

century by Benedict Biscop for his abbey in Wearmouth. He speaks also of the sound of a bell having been well

known in the neighborhood of the Whitby Abbey in 680.

Students, seeking authority for the tradition of bell-ringing at Christmas, find only opinion. Inasmuch as the festivities attending Christ’s birth pre- ceded the advent of beils, it is pre- sumed—and with much reason, it seems—that the bells were welcomed

as another outlet for the Joy that reigned in the world during the Yule season. Thomas North, in "English Bells and Bell Lore.” aaysJ that in

many parishes "the Christmas festival

Bell Ringer Receives Many Letters From Those Who

Hear His Message.

was and still is ushered in and wel- comed with bursts of melody from the

bells.” He recounts an old custom of

giving a benefaction to ringers of 5

shillings a year, in 1598, for “ringing a peal on Christmas eve, about mid-

night, for two hours in commemora-

tion of the Nativity.” In Yorkshire, a

curious custom was observed when a

single bell was tolled on Christmas eve, called the “Devil's Knell”—since the devil died when Christ was born.

The pervading spirit of joy that marks the occasion of the Nativity was

interrupted on its way down through the years by the profound piety of the Puritans Theirs was an asceti- cism that countenanced no music, no

singing, no laughter at such times. Carol singing had made the occasion more festive in carrying forward a

custom as ancient as Christmas Itself. It is believed that in the early years of the church, bishops were accus-

tomed to sing carols among the clergy on Christmas day. Even this practice was frowned upon by the Puritans.

However, their severe doctrines could not hope to prevail during the happy Yule season. Today chimes send the carols echoing across the earth, ad-

monishing mankind to “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

The poet has written:

"A hundred years ago, O friar gray, The bells sang in your tower at dawn

of day; A hundred years ago—and now as

then, Their song is Peace on Earth, Good

Will to Men.” There is inscribed on the great bell

in Epiphany's tower the words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” When, far below in the chancel, the organist strikes the key that transmits as

impulse to that bell, its Christmas

message reverberates in the man-

made valley* of downtown Washing- ton. So inarticulate is appreciation that he seldom knows.wbcther the city

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Christmas hymn or carol in the beauti- ful words of Mary, known as the •Magnificat,” where Mary gives praise to the joy in her heart, “Mv Soul Doth

Magnify the Lord.” In that same

chapter we find the outpourings of another devout soul. Zacharias. the father of the forerunner of Christ, who speaks the “Benedictus” at the naming of his son, John the Baptist. Words he had often spoken, hopefully as a priest, but now knowing that He who was promised to Israel was to be born, “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Then when that singular honor came to plain, humble shepherds watching their flocks by night. <An unusual

thing at that season of the year be- cause it is cold in the hills around Bethlehem at that time of year. But these were no ordinary sheep. They were sheep for the temple, and as

such were never to be stabled, but always out in the fresh air under the

heavens, and, therefore, had to be

carefully cared for and fires kept going for some warmth.)

To these was given the honor of

hearing the angels sing that first “Gloria in Excelsis." a carol to the Christ Child born of Mary In Bethle- hem.

Another hymn linking the Old Testament promises to tne fulfillment in the New Testament is in which, with the Child itself in his arms, old Simeon lifted his voice in those blessed words of the second chapter of the

Gospel of St. Luke, known to us as

“The Nunc Dimittis,” "Lord, now let- test Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word.” The beauty of these glorious words have been pre- served for us and are well known in

the chants of our various church services.

Vl/TTH these heavenly examples as

a background, no wonder that s.nglng has always been part of our

Christmas celebration. It has inspired men of all nations and times to give us words for songs, telling the story of the Babe of Bethlehem, the Savior of all mankind.

In the early Christian era, about the close of the first century, we find Clement of Rome advising the Chris- tians to keep the church festivals, es-

pecially the day of Christ's birth. In 340 A.D. Aurelius Ambrose,

Bishop of Milan, was born. He was

known and beloved as the "father of Latin hymnody." To him we are in- debted to what is probably our oldest Christmas hymn written in metrical form, namely, his famous “Venl, Re- demptor Gentium.” He introduced hymn singing as part of church wor-

ship and composed about 100 hymns. Luther, who gave the world so much of the beauty of the Latin language by translating it into the language of the people, liked this hymn so

much that it was among the first he translated into German. William R. Reynolds has given us the best Eng- lish translation, "Gome, Thou Savior of our race, chofceft gift of hsavealy

STORY OF CAROLS Music of Christmas Began With Song of

Angels Heralding Christ-Child’s Birth

in Bethlehem Manger.

By Mathilde K. Bartlett. HE very first carol ever heard

by mortal ears was that which was sung by the angels on

the fields of Bethlehem, when Christ was born, “Glory Be to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men.”

How fitting it was that the birth which the Christian world celebrates next Wednesday should be accom-

panied by such a glorious outburst of :elestial music! Pitting, too. that the

songs heard on the Judean hills should continue to be heard down through the ages! Carols, Christmas and Chris- tianity are inseparable.

Christianity is a religion of joy. It began with an angels' chorus from :he skies, and earth has reverberated with its echoes ever since.

May we go back to the time when Mary was t visiting her kinswoman. Elizabeth, as recorded in the first chapter cf the Gospel of St. Luke, and there find the very first Christian

grace! O, Thou blessed Virgin’s Son, be Thy race on earth begun.”

Then followed hymns from the pen of Spanish, Greek and other poets during the seventh and eighth cen-

turies. To make Christmas more real and

re-establish the faith in the incarna- tion, priests became leaders in the dramatic world and established man-

ger scenes in their churches, around which the people would gather and sing. These scenes advanced until they started to act out many stories of the Bible. These were called •’mystery” or •‘miracle" plays. Then Latm Christmas hymns were adapted to secular dance tunes and the folk danced and sang around the tableaux. These plays were, no doubt, the foundation of our modern drama and the added singing paved the way for the opera. St. Francis of Assisi Is given credit for puttmg a figure in a cnb to represent the Babe of Beth- lehem in his endeavor to make the story more real.

tesque ana extravagant exnioi-

tions in the churches and many of the songs and ''carols'' composed at this time .show the combination of the sublime and the ridiculous.

The Roman Church placed a ban on singing in the churches by the laity in the Middle Ages because of too much gayety of the secular type. So little or no church hymns were

written. This rule gave new standing to the folk melodies of the people. These were used with words that came from the hearts of the people and- were known as "carols.”

The carol came prominently Into being at a time when Latin was ceas-

ing to be a language of the people. One finds that during this transition,

about the twelfth to fourteenth cen-

tury, many hymns were a blending of the Latin and the vernacular. This type is called the "macaronic hymn.” One such famous hymn found in the book of Theodoricus Petrus is "Pru- dentius Corde Natus ex Parentis.” Another thirteenth century carol is "Dies Est Laetitiae,” translated into English by Dr. Neale's "Royal Day That Chasest Gloom.” A splendid German original of the fourteenth century is:

Ail U 111 L 1 JUUiiU Nun singet und seid froh, Unsers Hertzens, Wonne Liegt in proesepic Und leuchtet als die Sonne, Matris in gremio. Alpha es et O!”

At the time of the Reformation Martin Luther translated many good old Latin hymns into the German language. From the fifteenth century comes a gem of clear beauty which no doubt was originally a Latin hymn. However, the German is so lovely it seems like an “original.” It reads:

*'Es ist em Ros' entsprungea Aus einer Wurzel zart,

Als uns die Atten sungen; Aus Jesse kam die Art;

Und hat ein Blumlein bracht. Mitten im kalten Winter,

Wohl zu der halben nacht.”

The melody is a traditional Rhenish folksong. This English translation of

| first to fourth verses is by Harriet R. Krauth in 1875. The fifth verse by

; John Caspar Mattes in 1914.

! T UTHER himself was a splendid i ■L' musican and fostered music and

singing. One of the best types of ; carols is the "lullaby” or “cradle song.” I Luther's “Vom Hummel Hoch Da Komm Ich Her” is an outstanding example. In this group of lullaby carols the best are those originally written in German, owing to the won-

derful wealth of diminutives in that language.

Tnere is a real numan interest story

attached to this fine and rhythmic carol. It shows the sentimental and tender side of this strong-charactered man.

It was Christmas eve in 1534 and Luther was engaged In study and pre- paring his sermon for the following day. His good wife Catharine, too, was busy with the many duties of a

mother in preparation for the holiday. She did something many good wives

do. She knocked at the doctor’s study door and asked him if he would mind rocking the cradle of baby Paul, so

she could get her work finished. Lather obediently took his Bible and sat down by the cradle and proceeded to rock the babe. Paul soon fell asleep and as Luther looked at the sleeping in- fant his thoughts went back to an-

other Christmas eve and a Baby laid in a manger. The rocking of the cradle gave a rhythm to his thoughts. So inspired, he wrote out the words. He used the words with an old folk song which has a good rhythm to ac- company them. At Christmas his family sang the carol while he played on his lute.

About this time we find that many of the beautiful old carols lost their Identity by having secular, political or national words fitted to the music, Just as the need of a good swinging melody arose. Also church hymns were in need of this source of music. So the carol words were dropped and the music adapted to other words.

One familiar old carol that has ai- ways seemingly be^n part of Christmas

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