ed to bring presents in Germany; in
France, too, it is sometimes _le petit Jesus_ who bears the welcome
gifts.{68} In Italy we shall find that the great time for children's
presents is Epiphany Eve, when the Befana comes, though in the northern
provinces Santa Lucia is sometimes a gift-bringer.{69} In Sicily the
days for gifts and the supposed bringers vary; sometimes, as we have
already seen, it is the dead who bring them, on All Souls' Eve; sometimes
it is _la Vecchia di Natali_--the Christmas old woman--who comes with
them on Christmas Eve; sometimes they are brought by the old woman
Strina--note the derivation from _strenae_--at the New Year; sometimes by
the Befana at the Epiphany.{70}

A curious mode of giving presents on Christmas Eve belongs particularly
to Sweden, though it is also found--perhaps borrowed--in Mecklenburg,
Pomerania, and other parts of Germany. The so-called _Julklapp_ is a gift
wrapped up in innumerable coverings. The person who brings it raps
noisily at |279| the door, and throws or pushes the _Julklapp_ into the
room. It is essential that he should arrive quite unexpectedly, and come
and go like lightning without revealing his identity. Great efforts are
made to conceal the gift so that the recipient after much trouble in
undoing the covering may have to search and search again to find it.
Sometimes in Sweden a thin gold ring is hidden away in a great heavy box,
or a little gold heart is put in a Christmas cake. Occasionally a man
contrives to hide in the _Julklapp_ and thus offer himself as a Christmas
present to the lady whom he loves. The gift is often accompanied by some
satirical rhyme, or takes a form intended to tease the recipient.{71}

Another custom, sometimes found in "better-class" Swedish households, is
for the Christmas presents to be given by two masked figures, an old man
and an old woman. The old man holds a bell in his hand and rings it, the
old woman carries a basket full of sealed packets, which she delivers to
the addressees.{72}

There is nothing specially interesting in modern English modes of
present-giving. We may, however, perhaps see in the custom of Christmas
boxes, inexorably demanded and not always willingly bestowed, a
degeneration of what was once friendly entertainment given in return for
the good wishes and the luck brought by wassailers. Instances of gifts to
calling neighbours have already come before our notice at several
pre-Christmas festivals, notably