Árdís - 01.01.1951, Blaðsíða 64

62
ÁRDÍS
stirring the mob to the condemnation of Jesus. So it is ever with the
forces of evil in the world.
Amateur actors gave a professional touch to the Passion Play
with their attention to detail in scenery, costumes and acting.
Beautiful orchestration and choral music provided a suitable back-
ground and helped to interpret the theme. A prologue and a tableau
introduced each scene. The tableaux of Bible scenes were strikingly
effective, alive and perfect in detail. With the sky above the stage
and mountains in the distance, a natural touch was lent to the per-
formance, giving it a realism which could never be obtained in an
ordinary theatre.
Christmas in Norway is celebrated much the same as at home,
especially among us Canadians of Icelandic descent. The city has
its lighted Christmas trees in front of the University and at the
intersection of two of the main streets. The stores have their dis-
plays and practically every shop and office has its decorated tree
in the window. Every home has its tree, holly and other evergreens,
and a sheaf of grain outside for the winter birds. I attended a
service at four o’clock on Christmas eve, a service to which all the
children come with the grown-ups prior to the celebration in the
homes. In the spacious Frogner church every inch of standing room
from back to front was occupied. Two lighted Christmas trees and
candles on the altar adorned the church. The pastor addressed the
children in particular. After the service I was invited to a Norwe-
gian home where, following dinner, gifts were distributed from a
pretty tree.
I have touched upon the highlights of my stay here but you
must not think that we are having an endless holiday. We do the
best we can with our annual three weeks’ holiday plus the Nor-
wegian statutory holidays. In between we have stretches of hard
work, sometimes of monotony with gray skies overhead, seemingly
endless periods of snow, rain and drizzle. But, following a long,
dark winter we are rewarded by a beautiful spring. It was late
this year, but now we have had a week of warm weather and sun-
shine.
Thinking of you all in convention I wish you realization of all
your hopes and success in all your undertakings. May God bless
your service.
Yours sincerely,
LILJA GUTTORMSSON.