Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25

Druid god. Tutanus, who corresponds u
the Phoenician sun god, Baal. his laNoI'
tie among all trees and plants OF th'
forest was supposed to be the mistletoe
The number three was held In reverence
hy those ancient people. and because the
leaves and berries of this parasite grew
I'm clusters of three: this, In addition 10
the glory OF being Tutanus's ~fayorite'
made the plant sacred. and annUlliy
there was a great festival given in It's
honor. 1t was held on the sixth day OF
the moon nearest the new year. 10 the
oak tree from which the mistlet0e was
TO be cut We're bound two white bulls. n
priest clad i'm white then ascended the
tree. and with great ceremony cut the
plant with a golden sickle. a priest
standing below received the sacred
boughs in the folds Of his white roDe'
with equal ceremony. The bulls We're
then sacrificed, and sometimes children
and young girls were also offered up.
Truly, ii was the children's season with
a vengeance in that day.
Because or the association OF such pa
gan rites the mlstletoe was for centuries
forbidden a place in English church deco
rations at Christmas-tide. and IL was not
even mentioned in old rhymes until the
seventeenth century, in Herrick's time
although the holly and ivy had for two
centuries previous been the subjects or
various poetical illusions.
one tradition says that the mlstletoe
was the forbidden tree in The Garden Of
Eden. and another that it was the ac-
cursed wood out Of which the cross was
made. The Norwegian myth is that Bal
dur was slain by a dart of mistletoe at
the instigation Of the god LON, and as
a slight reparatiOn the plant was dedl-
Gated TO Friga 0he Scandinavian Venus,
the mother Of Baldur. 1t is hers so long
as IL does not touch the earth. as that is
the exclusive property Of Loki. This is
why the mistletoe is hung from the cell
ing: and the kiss given under IL is in
token OF its present powerlessness OF
misunderstanding. The golden branch
to which Virgil refers, and which was
used in religious ceremonies Of the
Greeks and Romans. was a kind Of mlstle-
toe which grew on fir-trees. II throve
best on the oak in England, and only
when found on that was it considered
sacred.
For some strange reason the young
people Of to-day do not mind the fact
that there are such ba%rbarous, pagan as
sociations connected with the beautiful
green and white parasite. and regret hat
the charm lasts only till Twelfth Day,
by which time all Christmas decorations
OF the forest order must be taken down.
or else Ill luck be upon the house for the
ensuing year. Herrick's old rhyme says,
in reference TO that belief:
Down with the rosemary, and so,
Down with the bales and mistletoe;
Down with the holly, ivy, all.
Wherewith we deck the Christmas hall.
THAT so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind;
For look how many leaves there be
Neglected there, maids look to me,
So many COLLINS you shall See"
P~lum-pudding and mInce-pie are minor
but necessary accompaniments OF the day,
md, strangely enough, the former was
.ong ago accepted as typical of the riches
and spices brought by the three wise men
10 the child in the manger, while the lat A.,
the christmas pie" was held In alb
by all members OF strict Puri-
.-anical lodies, who believed
"All plums the prophets sons deny.
II spice brOths are too hot;
Treason's in the December pie.
And death within the pot"
The day after Christmas. St. Stephens |
Day (Boxing-Day in England, Is cele- A,
orated I'm a queer way by some OF the
\IanX boys. and Ditchfeld says they feel
privileged 10 stone wrens at this time be-
Of a story TO the effect that In days
zone by a most dangerous siren was final
V compelled to assume the form Of a
wren once q year (On the 26th), and ulti- |
nately TO be killed by mortal hands. An
,ther tradition furnishes an excuse on |
ne ground hat IL was a wren that waken-
ID the guard Of St. Stephen just as the
after was about TO escape from prison.
Children used To be reminded i'm nj UNI
manner that December 2Sth
vas Innocents'-Day for II was consider J
d wholesome on that morning 20 give
hem a good cutting or other form Of pun
shment-presumably to remind them OF
he sins which were not committed by
he innocents whom Herod ordered slain
n that day. Fortunately every Yestige
4 this fashion is now blotted out.
In England and America the happiest
evels are over for children before New
y~ear's-Eye. but for Scotch children they
re Just beginning. This had its origin
n the fact that the Old Calyinists heiG
n horror the celebration OF Christmas.
nd It became almost entirely suppllnted
" "Hogmauay." usually held ln New
The name OF his frOlic Is
robably derived from the old sreeting:
gui menez'-"to the mistletoe co.:
p "Au gui Fan neuf'-'to the mistletOel
his New Year" 1t is distinctively q ju-
emile affair. and they prepare for IL
beforehand BY learning songs and
laking ''guisers' costumes. The guide
'ives I'm the small town and country dis
riots lay i'm a stock Of oatcn cakes. Some
ines cheese is also cut in bits. and even
brides" baked. and these are given 10
he children New Years Eve. when they
ONE TO the house doors 10 claim their
Iogmanay. crying:
"~Bogmanayl
Trollolay;
live us OF your white bread and none OF
your gray;
Or. as another form has Il:
Get up good wife. and shake your fea-
theirs.
nd dinna think that we are beggars:
We are BARNS come out % play;
let up and gie's our Hogmanayr'
SIN another HOgmanay rhyme is given
that most quaint and pathetic OF all
hid -stories, Sentimental Tommy"
toys who can sing are attended by a
iorc humble guiser called Bessie who.
e~vertheless. shares equally the happen
les gathered in. Sometimes several
users go around In a body and give n
flavor TO their entertainments.
hese. from custom. most often take
In the kitchen. and are witnessed
18th appreciative merriment by the
antilles so honored.
All holiday festiyity among Christian
atoms Is supposed 20 end with Twelfth