ILLUSTRATIONS

[Christmas in Naples. An Italian Presepio]
(Page [135])[Frontispiece]
FACING PAGE
[King Olaf's Christmas][26]
[Serenaded by the Waits][38]
[Toy-Making in Germany][60]
[Decorating the Christmas Tree][64]
[On the Way to Christmas Eve Service in Norway][82]
[A Christmas Bonfire in Russia][110]
[A Christmas Tree in Paris][126]
[A Game of Loto on Christmas Evening in Naples][138]
[Christmas Festivity in Seville][150]
[Lighting the Yule-Log in Colonial Days][178]
[Children of Many Nationalities at ChristmasCelebration in a New York School][192]

CHAPTER I.

YULE-TIDE OF THE ANCIENTS

"There in the Temple, carved in wood,
The image of great Odin stood,
And other gods, with Thor supreme among them."

As early as two thousand years before Christ Yule-tide was celebrated by the Aryans. They were sun-worshipers and believed the sun was born each morning, rode across the upper world, and sank into his grave at night.

Day after day, as the sun's power diminished, these primitive people feared that he would eventually be overcome by darkness and forced to remain in the under world.