The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-12-25
Christmas superstitions.
POPULAR IDEAS Connected WITH THE
'lIAILowED AND GRACIOUS TIME.

Christmas superstitions take many
forms. Though the day was not much
observed in Scotland it used to be con.
sidered unlucky TO spin, as causing cat
tie to 90 mad and lame. Bread baked
on Christmas Eve is said never to grow
mouldy. Yule dough kept unbroken
through the year is prescrvative a.
gainst perils by fire, water or sword,
and the Normans thought from mad
dogs also. The crumbs kept till spring
and mixed with corn the Danes and
Poles give as medicine for horses
and cattle. To this day in many parts
of Wales, eleven Christmas puddings
are boiled, one for each of the apostles
except Iscarlot. The last is only to be
eaten as the year is up TO insure good
luck. In Devonshire a hot ca Ike dipped
in cider is taken TO the orchard and
deposited on the forked branch of an
apple tree, while guns are fired and
cider thrown into the air, the company
singing the while:
"Bear good apples and pears,
Barns full, bags full, sacks full,
hoping thereby to secure a plentiful
fruit year, and should the sun shine on
Christmas day they. look upon it as an
augury of an abundant crop.
According to folk lore it is considered
lucky for the festival to fall on Sum
day, bringing strong winds, but fair
dry summer and greatness to children
born on that day; unlucky on Saturday,
in which case old people will die, as
well as children born on the anniver.
sary. Fruit and corn will fail, ana
the winter be severe and tempestuous.
Then there are the old lines:
Winter thunder.
Rich mans food and
Poor mans hunger.
The people of Kronz, on the Moselle
wrap a wheel in straw and, rolling
it down hill on fire, augur whether
they are to have a good vintage. 1t
is supposed to be favorable if it reaches
the water alight. Straw, strewn as it
used to be in churches at Christmas
time, was deemed the best preventive
against sleeplessness and the best pro-
lection for fruit trees.
Christmas charms and love oracles
have peculiar efficacy. While the Ger
man maiden melts wax into water
through the end of key, hoping
thereby to discover the form of her
future husband or, with her compan-
ions, taps at the door of the hen house,
fully persuaded that she to whom the
the cock crows in response will be first
married; or, not content with this,
names four onions after her several
suitors and determines which will be
the favored wooeri by the one that
sprouts before the Twelfth Night the
Russian girls place each her separ ate
heap of grain on the floor, and know
that whichever the cock selects to eat
from will be first wife. In all coun-
tries venturesome maijens have peered
alone into the glass, or, more coura-
geous still, into a well at Christmas
midnight, hoping to see the face of
him who is to rule their lives. The
Yule log has been beset with Christ
mas superstitions and observances ever
since those scandinavian feasts in
honor of the god Thor. Round it old
feuds were forgotten, a. the liquor
bubbled in the wasssil bowl amid sing
ing, shouting and merriment. 1t was
secured, charred and brought home
long before and finally lighted with a
brand from that of last year, which
was carefully preserved as a charm
against fire. Indeed, in Yorkshire, a
portion of it, thrown upon the fire, was
supposed to have the power of allay
ing storms. In France CHERRY, plum
or oak are the woods chosen and
sprinkled with salt and water, man,
healing properties are ascribed to them
In Devonshire it is formed of ash
faggots bound together, and for every
crack in burning the master is sup
posed to furnish an additional draugh
of beer or cider.
Travellers raised their hats to thu
Yule log as it was brought in, and il
was considered bad omen if a squint
ing person, at-footed woman, or an,
one with bare feet entered while i
was burning. All who helped t.
bring it in were guaranteed agains
spells of every kind. 1t might,
feasable, be kept lighted till Candle
mas day, when all Christmas decora
.. tons must be swept away, for as man
leaves as are left SO many goblins wi
appear ana d-ath in tn. house O
family is sure To ensue. When tn
Yule log is lighted Yule candles shoul
be burned, which must be extinguish
! ed by the Oldest person present, and n
= snuffers on any account must be uset
:, AT St. Johns college, Oxford, a lsrg
!, stone candle socket, ornamented wit
:, figures, still remains for the Yule canC
lesburned at high table for twelv
!, nights of Chiistmastide, a piece bein
y always retained for New Years Day
! To the misletoe many legends an
- supersttions are attached. The maiC
!, en- who receives no kiss beneath
= mus not hope to be married with
the year, In early times many curati,
powers were ascrbe to il. 1t was col
f sidered a sovereign remedy for epileps
II and an antldote to poisons. VIII
"a the priests gathered it with golde
n knife, two white oulls were tethere
o beneath the oak and sacrificed. No
e it is more frequently found on app
d trees. Its propagation was ascribt
q to the missel trush, which fed upon i
. berries. A Welsh writer a centul
II ago declared it to be the forbidden tr'
e of Eden, and while the holly was dec
n Gated to Saturn, Friga, the Northe
le Venus, was its presiding genius.
FILLED Ir-A Chicago young ma