Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1884-12-24
LUCKY AND UcKY DAYS.
MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN
CLINED TO BE sUPERsTITIOUs.

MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN
CLINED TO BE SUPERSTITIOUS.
8ew Christmas Bay and New Years
Day Are Regarded by Many-Cu-
rious Signs and What They Sig
nify-BurninG OF the Yule Log
Odd Stories.
Our Christmas holidays, which come
while
Full knee-deep lies the winter snow,
And the winter winds are YEARLY blowing"
have as many traditions connected
with them as the long and sunny days
of the merry month of May.
Christmas day is regarded by many
as a particularly lucky day on which
to be born, and an oft quoted saying is
that:
"a child born on Christmas day
Is fair and wise, and good and gay"
Our forefathers believed that by
decorating their homes at Christmas
time with evergreen would mark the
homes of the believers, and preserve
them from the intrusion and evil in
fuences of fiends IT is regarded as
a very bad sign if any of the leaves or
sprigs are dropped and left behind in
removing these decorations, and they
must never be thrown into the street to
be trodden upon. If wedding in a
family is very much desired by any
member, the Christmas greens" must
be burned by the oldest unmarried
member of the household, whether
male or female.
The ancient Romans highly priced
the mistletoe, and it was their custom
to send branch Of it to their friends
as conveying their good wishes.
The burning of the Christmas or
yule log has all sorts of superstitions
connected with it. In some parts of
England the last bit of the yule log
was, for good luck, taken from the
fire, and The next day hung close to
ceiling in the kitchen to be kept to
light the next Christmas Eve fire, or
else it was put upon the fire before the
new yule log was brought in. This was
sort of fire insurance policy-with
low premiums-for it was thought
that the house and all property belong.
Ing thereto would be kept from the
rayages of flames if this little black.
ened stick was carefully treasured; so
care was always taken not to let the
log burn entirely away. Before this
could take place the remnant would
be taken from the fire and put ON the
hob while the fire died out. 1t was
desirable to have good-sized log, for
If it burned out early in the evening the
company was obliged to 60 to bed or
sit shivering over the black and empty
fireplace.
In the Ceremonies of Candlemas
Day" Herrick writes:
"Kindle the Christmas brand and then
Till sunset let it burn;
Which quenched, then lay it up again
TIL Christmas next returns.
Part must be kept uherewith to tend
The Christmas log next year,
And where it is safely kept, the hend
Can do no mischief there"
In certain parts of Europe the yule
log must be of certain kind of wood.
In Devonshire it consists of sticks
OF ash fastened together, and
every time the burning wood cracks
each guest is allowed another glass.
The yule log must be large enough to
burn from Christmas Eve to sunset the
next day, and to bring extra good luck
to the house the Christmas candles
are lighted from the yule log. 1t is
thought very bad to snuff the candles
The Oldest person of the company must
extinguish them, but a small piece of
each ono is kept to light the fire on New
Years Eve. In order to make friends
during the coming year, an even mum.
Der should sit down to supper, and
none should leave the table until all
are through. Bad luck will surely
come to anyone who refuses food and
shelter to any if asked at Christmas
time. Theirs says that in France it is
thought to battle on Christmas Day or
Ash Wednesday will secure freedom
from fevers and toothache. Many of
the customs of the French people are
copied by Americans, and this health
full practice of taking bath once q
year is probably what has insured US
as a Nation from these maladies. 1t
is unlucky not to lend anything on
New Years Day. 1t is custom to
take twelve grains of corn on Christ
mas Day and to give to each the name
of one of the twelve months; these are
afterward placed on q shovel slightly
heated; beginning with that which
bears the name Of the menth OF Janu-
airy, and continuing to do the same
with the rest, and when there is one
that jumps on the shovel to feel certain
that corn will be dear in that month,