THE MICHIGAN DAILY
hanksg ving Da yParade Opens Holidays
By CYNTHIA NEU
n honor guard of toy soldiers
storybook characters ushered
ta Claus into the hearts of De-
ers in the 34th Annual
Gnksgiving Day Christmas Pa-
, Santa and his merry band pa-
raded down Woodward Avennue
before a crowd of 250,000 people,
amid cheers and laughter from
children and grown-ups alike.
The parade started on the more
serious side of the holiday season,
the first two of the many floats
being portrayals of the first
Thanksgiving and a Nativity
scene with the Wise Men riding
along side on white horses and
shepherds leading burros walking,
behind.
First Bands
These tableaus were followed by
the first of the bands which mark-
ed the step for paraders. The bands
were from Sexton High School,
Lansing; Melvindale; Ferndale;
Washington High, Ohio; Algonac
High, Hamtramck; Cass Tech;
Redford; Trenton; and the De-
troit Police Department.
Yogi Bearand Them-Miserable-
Meeses were up to their usual
tricks, as the mice bounced in and
out of a picnic basket, and Mr.
Jinks of television fame looked on.
Eighteen toy soldiers (the Amer-
ican Legion "Zouaves".from Jack-
son) sped by at 300 steps per min-
sute.
Music Box
A gigantic music box was graced
by two dancing dolls doing the
"Music Box Minuet."
Saint George battled fearlessly
with a snarling 15 foot high drag-
on, on a float which was chosen
from many ideas entered in a con-
test by Detroit students. The float
was suggested by a seventh grade
pupil at Finney School.
Mother Goose, on a 45 by 24
foot float, quacked and waved her
wings at the crowd, and the char-
~acters of her beloved poems and
stories were also on hand.
Large Frog
A red-vested frog rose to his
full nine foot height with each
croak, and Tinkerbell flitted in the
center of a lilly which opened and
closed on the pad.
Canines capered around in go-
carts as a rather befuddled dog
catcher tried to catch them,
against the rooting of the crowds.
Royalty also made its appear-
ance as the Queen Bee sat on her
golden throne surrounded by her
enttire court. -
Woodward Ave. was transformed
into the Mississippi River as Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
rode by on their raft, hitching a
ride on the back of a paddle-
wheeled steamboat. '
Little Chickens
Doctors tapped an egg with a
hammer, and it hatched into a
slew of fluffy chicks which ran
SANTA CLAUS-This was Santa Claus as he appeared in the
33rd annual Thanksgiving Day Christmas parade in Detroit.
down the side of the float in eand.
out among the paraders.
The friendly Doodlebug wove its
way down the street, its 125 foot
long body reaching across the
street and back.
Close behind was a turquoise
sleigh pulled by the trusty rein-
deer and loaded with a bundle of
toys, and, of course, Santa too.
Santa Arrives
Springing from his sleigh, Santa
went up to his castle on the mar-
quee of a department store, where
he waved merrily to the crowd.
Detroit Mayor Louis C. Miriani
was on hand to greet Santa and
to give him the key to the hearts
of all the children in the city.
After assuring the children that
if they were patient Christmas
would really comeandwarning
them to be good in the mean-
time, Santa went into his castle,
and the crowd headed home for
the traditional turkey dinners.
NATIONAL
Consider
Christmas
Customs
By IRIS BROWN
International students report
that Christmas celebrations in
their countries are similar to that
in the Umted States, though with
differences in tradition.
"In the Netherlands it is not
customary to give gifts on Christ-
mas, but rather on Dec. 6 which
is Nikolaus," Bob Scheepmaker,
Grad., said.
This day was first celebrated in
honor of a Turkish Bishop, Nico-
laus of Myra, who gained saint-
hood in the fourth century as a
benefactor of the poor.
U.S. Less Religious
Many students said that there
is a less religious emphasis on
Christmas in. the United States
that is non-existent in their coun-
tries.
In France, for instance, gifts are
not exchanged to any great extent.
A student who has spent Christ-
mas with a French family in the
United States said that they made
gifts for each other.
In Poland and Germany, chil-
dren's stockings are also filled on
Nikolaus. The holiday celebration
is then continued on Dec. 25 and
26.
Dec. 25 is considered the Holy
Day; the next a day of feasting
and celebration Traditional deco-
rations are the Christmas tree,
which originated in Germany, and
the' creche scene.
In France, Christmas Eve mid-
night mass fulfills the religious
obligation. Mass is followed by a
banquet comparable to our
Thanksgiving.
The Christmas tree is not part
of the celebration here,nbut chil-
dren place their shoes in front of
the chimney for Saint Nicholas to
fill.
Saint Nicholas
German children are taught that
if they are good, Saint Nicholas
will bring them presents, but if
not, an evil figure who accompan-
ies him will paddle them with a
twig.
In Greece, it is customary for
married sons and daughters to
spend the holiday at their parent's
homes. Children who go from
house to house caroling are given
money by the people. This was
called a modern innovation by the
international student.
English children hang not only
stockings, but pillow cases, to col-
lect their gifts, and in the Nether-
land, Christmas music is composed
mostly of choral songs, the stu-
dents said,
British Festities
Southern Christmas Mingles Traditions
CHRISTMAS?-Beach scenes may not be particularly reminiscent of the Christmas season and spirit to most people, but there ar
ever-growing number who take a holiday' from the snow each year and trek South for the warmer climate and sandy bea
Some places have genuine Christ-
mas. trees. North Florida is cov-
ered with scraggly, anemic pine
trees. The natives who have never
been farther north than Pensacola
think these are the real thing and
hang ornaments on them.
Nobody carols. Shoes would
probably come flying out of motel
rooms i anyone tried. An over-
abundance of seasonal music
blasts from transistor radios be-
side the pool and from the public
address system on the beach.
"Silent Night" often gets inter-
rupted by "The mail is now in" or
~Maid four please come to the
office. Maid four please come to
the office immediately."
The management always gives a
Christmas eve cocktail party. It's
free, but they only give two drinks
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Folk Carols, Hymns, Songs
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By PHILIP SUTIN
With the passing .of Thanks-
giving, three varieties of seasonal
songs: the Christmas hymn, popu-
lar song and folk carol crescendo
throughout the country.
Each type serves its purpose.
The hymn signfies the religious
aspects of the holidays rather
than the joyous side. The popular
songs are written with a commer-
cial purpose and miss the joy and
incipient promise for a better fu-
ture that marks the spirit of
Christmas.
The folk carol catches this spir-
it. Its many forms reflect the joy
Other songs of this type exem-
plify the great joy and happiness
attendent at the arrival of the
promised savior.
Although some folk carols have
originated in the United States,
the bulk of this heritage is from
Europe. The American Negro has
contributed a great number of
American songs, ranging from the
seriousness of "Mary Had a Baby"
to the boisterousness of "Children
Go I Will Send You" and "Little
Bitty Baby."
Displaced Northerners
Motel owners are usually dis-
placed Michiganders, and they im-
port their trees. The most popular
place for Christmas tree lights,
however, is in the palms.
One family who goes South for
the holidays has a tradition of,
decorating a tiny foot-high tree
with used flash bulbs and chewing
gun wrappers. Last year the tree
was blasphemed by the addition
of a string of miniature electric
lights. What is this generation
doing to our heritage?
It's absurd to lug Johnny's elec-
tric train set, Susie's life-sized doll
and Mother's vacuum cleaner 1300
miles south just to open them on
Dec. 25. It's also impossible to fit
people, luggage and presents in a
Ford.
Open Presents
Most families solve the problem
by celebrating the package-open-
ing part of Christmas before they
leave snow country. But of course
it would be sacreligious not to
open something Christmas morn-
ing, so everybody gets another
small present to be opened for the
big day.
This ceremonial rite takes place
on the beach. If the sand is very
white and the water very still,
everyone can pretend they're sit-
ting in the snow looking at ice-
bergs and things.
Since more and more people with
small children are going South for
Christmas, a generation of non-
apiece. Children are
they getrtheir own
weenie roast on the
two hot dogs apiece.
Actually, the South
place to celebrate
p
not allowed.
party
beach. Only
is the proper
Christmas:
Bethlehem has a Florida climate.
Unfortunately, the parts of tradi-
tions which most often remain for
vacationers are the non-religious
ones.
Somehow it seems incongruous
to many to recall the holiday's
origins while putting on suntar
lotion.
of the arrival of a promised savior
and the hope of a better world
through him. Some carols are seri-
ous representing the more religous
sides of the holidays.
Most folk carols sung in the
United States had their origin in
Great Britain. Representing both
attributes of this type of song,
many of them had their origins
In the Middle Ages. "The Boar's
Head Carol", "The Carnal and the
Crane", "Deck the Halls", and
"The Twelve Days of Christmas"
are just a few of the songs that
were first sung in Britian.
France and Germany provide
more of the serious carols than
the joyeous ones. "O Tennen-
baum" and "Bring a Torch, Jen-
nette Isabella" are the best known
of these songs.
Thus in the folk carol "the carol
of the folk, the people themselves"
Is the Christmas spirit caught.
MakeM MH Happy this Christia
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