Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-22
CHRISTMAS FANCIES
QUAINT IDEAS SURROUNDING
THE HOLIDAY.

The Christmas mistletoe sprig Is potent
mascot, and the hostess who following a
quaint old fancy, presents her guests or
callers with sprig Is not only presenting
them with good luck and good fortune, but
Is doing what Of old the priestly pruids
did when they gave the worshipers OF the
supreme Being, typifed in the form OF an
oak, portion of the parasitic plant to keep
religiously as long as it lasted. The mistle-
toe sprig was supposed to give power to
perceive witches and evil-doers, and insured
prosperity; to those whom the Druids dis
liked or wished harm they refused the mis-
tletoe sprig. No one could poison the holder
of piece of mistletoe. for the sprg would
discover poison no matter how cunningly
administered, and save the owner from all
harm. To childless folk the mistletoe
brought offspring. and to the SICK health
In fact, 1t was the symbol of health, wealth
and prosperity; and the house that sports a
branch of mistletoe at Christmas will never
be unlucky.
1t Is from the Druids, too, that the Gus
tom Of decorating our churches and homes
with eVergreenS comes, for they believed
that all the sylvan sprites fiocked together
on these boughs, there to remain until the
warm weather. In the midwinter the Druids
sent around sprigs Of Ivy and mistletoe to
remind people to decorate their dwellings
with evergreens, in order to propitiate the
sylvan sprites and secure protection from
froSts and wlntry blasts.
Holly berries possess and give wonderful
power when worn in the shape of a wreath,
which must be made, in imitation of the
sacred crown of thorns and of berries, as
red as blood, and the wearer must go alone
at midnight on Christmas and sit in a
church in the dark. Second sight will then
come to him. and into the church will file
all those of his friends who will die during
the coming year. Worn on Christmas eve.
the holly wreath will evoke visions of spirit
forms coming in the air to sing their noel
songs and all the beasts will be to
kneel down in worship. If preserved for a
from violence. In some parts of England
1t is believed that unless every bit of holly
be removed from the house by Twelfth
Night some i'll luck will come.
Mince pies can also bring luck, but Only
one must be offered and eaten in the house.
To take two would be decidedly unlucky.
The one accepted and eaten will insure to
the eater portion of good luck on a day to
come in the ensuing year. To eat two
would spoil the luck, and If three be eaten
on Christmas in one house Ill luck VII fol<
low. II the pies crust be in the shape of
a manager (the first mince pies ever made
had crusts of this shape), then the luck is
better. To represent the Manager strips of
pastry used to be laid crosswise over the
pie.
The Yule cake has the same power as the
bride cake on Christmas night for if a
maiden place piece of it under her pillow
on this night she will dream of her future
husband. Also portion of the cake should
be kept for the next year, it brings luck
in the house The plum pudding must al
ways be kept and again partaken of on
New Year day if one would have a sue
ceSSful year.
Tie ancient Saxons burnt the Yule log
az a symbol Of the turning of the sun to-
ward spring. They. by the way, considered
the mist1etCe berries unlucky and symbol
of their hell-Nifheim, abode of the death
goddess.
A brand from the Yule log snatched from
the fire used to be carefully preserved, kept
dry and used to light the Christmas fire
the next year, because 1t preserved the
house from fire during the year and sub
dued the spirit of the flames. It's powers
were bestowed in the days OF the Druds,
when the beltine fires were lighted, and
the brands secured from the fire to light
the fire the next year
Even the moon contributes its share to
the Christmas SuperstitionS. for. as the
legend runs, IF Christmas cones during
the waning moon We shall have a very good
year, ard the nearer to the full moon the
better" If this be So then the man in the
moon Will smile on us next year.
1t is surprising how many of the stories
of this man in the moon are connected with
the Chrstmas-tide. The Frsians say that
one Christmas eve an old man, thinking of
his next days dinner, climbed the fence
and stole his neighbours fine CabhageS. Just
he lifted his burden on hs back how
ever, the Christ Child rode by on His white
horse carrying gifts for good children, and.
spying the tn!e1, SAID. because tnOu mast
stolen on the holy eve. thou shalt stand in
the moon and be seen by every one forever
and forever So there he is, and on every
Christmas eve he is permitted to turn
around once.
Russian folklore tells that this man IN
the moon was one who seeking the isle
in which there is no death At last, after
travelling far, he found the lonsed-for haven
and took up his abode in the moon. After
a hundred years had passed Death called
for him one Christmas eve. and fierce
struggle ensued with the moon who was
victorious; and SO the man stayed where
he was.
Devonshire, England, noted for its APP
pies, boasts curious custom. On Christ
mas eve the farmer and his son stand be-
meath the oldest and best apple tree, all
bearing jug of cider, and sing:
Here's to thee,
Old apple tree,
Whence thou mayst bud,
And whence thou mayst blow,
And whence thou mayst bear,
Hats full,
Caps full,
Bushels bushels sacksful
And my pocket full, too
Huzza! huzZa!'
After passing the cider jug around they
betake themselves home to a good supper
and much merry making.
The Jamaica negroes collect all bits of
odds and ends of finery with which to array
themselves on the eve of Christmas, and,
choosing a king and queen, follow these
leaders about, making as much noise
possible, blowing horns beating drums and
doing mischief generally.
In Holland a pretty custom exists. On
the night before Christmas, in commence
ration of the Star of the East the young
men of the town assemble and carry
through the dark streets a large, bright
star; all the people go out to greet 1t, and
give to the bearers of this Star of Bethle-
hem (as 1t is called aims for the poor.
The custom of giving gifts at Christmas
came not from the presents of gold and
silver given to the Christ Child, as many
believe, but from an cid custom of priests
putting on board of all outgoing ships n
box for aims. This box was opened at
Christmas time and masses said for the
givers of the aims, and was called a Christ
mass box, and from this has come our