The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-09

don't spin nov; have only one COW,
and can not afford to lose it, This
was in 100, but the superstition held
its own in isolated parts of the coun-
try till a much later date.
Even the Animals.
It was, however, not only human
kind who should have the benefit of
this peace proclamation, the animals
were also included. AS long as JULIE
tide lasted man should live in peace,
even with his worst enemies, such as
the wolf, bear, etc.
Christmas evening, after the house
had been otherwise fixed up and dec
grated, the floor was covered with
straw, on which the inhabitants of the
house slept that night, and sometimes
a few more nights beside. But the
beds were all made up just the same.
Often also all the feather beds at
command were dragged out. This
J special care in preparing the beds that
night taken against the possibility that
Christ and the angels should do them
the honor to visit the house. The
straw. used for the floor was though,
to possess certain supernatural powers
afterwards, and was believed to bring
|luck for the coming year if placed in
! crosses before the doors, or put on
the trees or in the fields, and was
given the cattle as a preventive against
accidents before they were let out IN
! spring.
The cattle and household pets all
had something extra put on their bill
should know that it was Christmas
The Bathing Custom.
One main feature was the general
bathing that took place. Everybody
should be clean before starting in with
the Christmas celebration proper AL
the members of a household left the
| house for the bathhouse. If any one
then stole away from the bathhouse
out into the dark, and with a bow
filled with beer, walked backwards
three times around the bathhouse he
would at the end Of the journey have
a chance to see his future life com.
panion, who, preceded with noise
of which no notice should be taken
however, would come forward, empty
the bowl and disappear.
| 1t was, perhaps, a somewhat diff
cult task, this backward walk three
times around the bathhouse on dark
winter evening, but even in our over.
civilized days people spend lots OF
time, energy and money beside on for
tune tellers, SO this old-fashioned Nor
| Wegian way of trying to get a peer
| into the future might have been equal.
ly as good and certainly cheaper thar
the modern way Of doing such things
The last one leaving the bathhouse
had instructions to fire up good wher
1 departing, so il any Of the spirits Of
relatives and friends felt like cleaning
UP a bit, they should have a chance
1 to do so.
This trait shows very distinctly il
what a high esteem the bath was hello
| by the inhabitants of the Scandina
Wan countries in those days.
! The next on the program was tc
dress up in the best outfit one pos.
sessed. The Christmas candles were
lit, and the "Jule-log'' put on the fire
Next came the distribution of pres.
lents, which varied from pieces OF
cakes to expensive pieces of jewelry
Christmas Evening Meal.
The Christmas evening meal con.
sisted either Of dried fish and swee
porridge, or of roast pork with cab
bage and. porridge; these dishes are
ieven now predominating on the same
occasion, with more or less modern
ladditions. Before the meal was fin