In a message dated 11/9/2008 1:50:52 PM Mountain Standard Time, [email protected] writes: - see the German children's song "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne<http://german.about.com/library/blmus_laternegeh.htm>") There aqre some old Christmas cards and postcards in a relatively primitive style that show a village church brightly lit and with holiday evergreens around the door. (After reading about how all the women in the village worked to make fresh garlands, wreaths and nosegays for lavish decorations in the church one knows that inside it must be a wondrous sight.) >From all directions family groups, couples and single people are going to the church, each carrying a lantern to light the way over the snow. I have always thought that picture was one of the most evocative of the old GB Christmas tradition that I have every seen.. I no longer recall where I found it. A schoolgirl once told me that each pupil in the school had a sheep to surround the Christmas Creche. She said that their obedience and studiousness in school allowed their own sheep to approach more closely or at the head of the herd. She said that she just could not seem to please the nuns no matter what she did and her sheep was always one of the farthest back in the herd. She was very frustrated so, one day after class when no one was in the chapel she took all the sheep and put them in a long single line all the way to the back of the church -- with her own at the lead. She said that the next day she was in soooooo much trouble but it was worth it to make her point about using the Christmas Creche as a means for competition among everyone at that little school. Karen **************AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. Search Now. (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212792382x1200798498/aol?redir=http://searchblog.aol.com/2008/11/04/happy-holidays-from -aol-search/?ncid=emlcntussear00000001)