Many Christmas Traditions Come With A Foreign Accent Krom Atlantic shores to Hawaiian coastlines, the world's Christmas joys and customs enrich the holiday season in the United States. In the Southwest. Mexican traditions create seasonal fiestas. To begin the Christmas season, a mari achi brass band sometimes plays at Roman Catholic Mass in Albuquerque. N M. Near Las Cruces, N. M., American Indian dances mix with Spanish religious processions, the National Geographic Society says. Three centuries ago Canadian Frenchmen known as Acadians grew fond of a German cookie called Lebkuchqn. They added a dash of this and that and made it their own. Acadians Save Cookies In 1755 the Acadians were banished from Canada. They lost a homelandr but they saved precious tradi tions. including their Ger man holiday cookie, which they continue to enjoy in Louisiana. In rural Alabama even WONDKK OFC.'IIHIS IMAS shines in > oinineves al a Mora vian Christinas K\e lo\eleast in Old Salem. North ( arolina. Tilt' lo\efeast, a shaimu ot a simple nival with music and meditation, is one oflhe maiix customs Irom other lands th.it hriuliten the holiij^ix^scason tlnounhoiit the I niled States. county sheriffs break the law on Christmas Eve. Forbidden firecracker blasts rock the night. The earsplitting custom recalls noisy Spanish and French celebrations during the rowdy early days of Dixie. A century and a half ago German immigrants brought a treasure trove of yuletide delights-Christ mas trees, lights, bright tinsel decorations, fancy cookie cutters, spices, chocolates, marzipan, and dozens of other decorative and tasty holiday items. Among Scandinavia's con tributions are dovelskatter, or "devil's cats." These special buns served by Swedes on candlelit St. Lucia day in mid-December recall an ancient belief that evil spirits roamed the earth about the first day of winter. A Christmas Eve love feast bridges the present and past in Old Salem A tranquil fold of the past set in the heart of modern Winston-Salem, the restored town recaptures the sights and sounds known to hardy Moravians who built it on a wilderness hillside begin ning in 1766. Decorated the Lawns The Moravians who came to America from lands now forming part of Czechoslo vakia introduced the custom of decorating their lawns and the outsides of their churches and houses during the holiday season. The custom soon spread throughout the country. Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, arrived in the New World in the 1600s with Dutch settlers who called him Saint Nickolaas and Sinter Klass. Nativity scenes came from medieval Italy, but they can also be found today all over the United States. including Hawaii's Waikiki Beach where figures of ihe Three Wise Men may be decked out in leis of orchids Holiday dinners in the 50th state are often far from traditional Big favorites are turkey teriyaki with all the .Japanese trimmings and shv i n'v Korea 11 beef koggi _ vsmsmms A Word To The Wise... Selecting Safer Toys Awareness on the part uf holiday buyers ean help elim inate needless accidents with tlimsy or poorly constructed toys. These guidelines will help responsible Christmas shoppers make safe selections: Be sure tlie toy is suitable to the child's age. and ability and that the instructions nr.- easy to follow Toys that release small objects if broken are dangerous Tiny toys or dolls with button eyes, or pieces that ean come loose easily, should b.> avoided as Kilts for younirci chil dren. A small child could choke on am of these. Be on the alert for sharp edges and corners or pointed objects. Small fingers could be trapped in small, tight spaces Check for these. Most toys,-games and dolls are packaged by the time they reach the store. Examine the open .sample carefully before making your selection. You'll be happy you did! POINSETTI AS ARF. A CHRIS TM \S HIGHLIGHT \T CALLAWAY «.\RI)F\S PINfc MOUNTAIN. Cia - As the season of Christmas approaches, the Greenhouse at (Vllawav (.ardens in Pine Mountain. (■"••><.- Conservatory with the spirit of the season throuiji December. Hours are daily from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.in. Gardening IinQheJouthj CMHIS I'M \S i'l i )V\ !■ RS bv n: \\k II \M.m\ Uorticulluri •. ( (liii-i!'ns Christmas is many colors, but predominately red Hurt arc red ribbons ami bo'Vs, candy canes. red nose s.. tin nil suit »>l Santa. and of coursi : I dramatic red of poinscttias. ttie flowpriiip symbol of il.i season. Soon thousands of h d poinscttias will appeal in churches, homes, offices anc public buildings, liut few people. who know their beauty, .now (In history ml' these traditional plants Poinsettiie- were .1 cultivated by the ancient K< In 11 a n - Ions; be' ore Christianity came to l Hi continent Hecause i lit flowering time coincided with the Nativity. early. Spanish missionaries gathered masses of these red bloomine flowers :..id decorated churches and processional routes with them. In tile early 190(Vs. Joel Poinsett. the first IS ambassador to Mexico and a prominent botanist. was impressed with this member of the milkweed family He sent plants to his home in (Ireenville. S l ... to cultivate and further distribute It i from Poinsett th« plant derives lis name Poitisel tias. as we know them tod,i\ are a tar cry Iroin t! osi original plants Hie lick' family of California inn instrumental 111 hybridizing and distributing poiHsrtiias throughout \merica Because of scientific breeding and selecting, today 's poinscttias come in whites, pinks and reds and arc relativity diseasi In ■ . long-lasting and hold their v'olor long after Christinas Poinscttias are an cvcllcnt seasonal buy. with something for everyone from four inch: "Pixies" to massive Hanging baskets There are other wonderful plants you need to consider for the holiday season. licgonias, the traditional flower of Scandanavia and northern Kurope. are steadily pTTT n:g 111 popularity "irTTfie* I nitcd States. Otto Reiger, a I iri'pca.n breeder. produced th< first Klatior' or 'Reiger' b • .011 la. by crossi ng w i nt er flowering fiberous It. with tuberous hcgohias. These multi-flowered a - brids come in the "Aphrodite series". with pendulation flowers and 0(1.00(1 to SI million Eleven others made grants of more than $100.(MM), and the grants of the remaining 18 founda tions ranged below the SUM),(MM) level. The study also revealed that at least 21? foundations located outside the South east made contributions totalling over $7 million to North Carolina recipients. The leading grantors (rang ing from SI. 165.000 to $200,000) were: Kresge Foundation. Rockefeller Foundation. Ford Founda tion. W R Kenan. Jr. Trust. Lilly Endowment, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Weyer haeuser Company Founda tion. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. W K Kellogg Foundation. Russell Sage Foundation, and Charles A. Dana Foundation. The Southeastern Council of Foundations, headquar tered in Atlanta. Georgia, is a professional association of more than 168 philanthropic foundations operating in eleven southeastern states.