The Green Forest tribune., 1909-12-24

as fnecen ,er 2S, commentaries the of the children in Bethlehem, under Herod This ln ltse Is sufficient to explain early recognition by the enurch The superstition that the day is an unlucky one-a dles nefasus-is only widely spread all over Europe put deeply rooted and can be traced back many huhareos of years.
 The superstition strong all through the middle ages In England fifteenth century it was thought so naspcous the day set for the coronation of Ed ward " Sunday. happening to be Chdemas the cere- mony was postponed until the following day In the County this day the superstition is carried even further whatever day of the week Chllde- mas may happen fal that day is held to be unucky throughout the year. The commencement of any new thought to be certain to be follWed by failure gives instance of this belief IL the Spectator of March l. 170l11. Thursday she, No, child if please God You shall not begin upon Childermas day Tell your writing that Friday will be soon enough.''
 The custom of whipping the children reminder of the commemorated by Childermas was common in France parts of Normandy to-day there IS still
 remnant among the country folks, but the re-
 gious significance has been partly lost. This method of assisting memory the uckless urchn by ing his epdermis formerly in vogue on other occa sions Holy Innocens' day In England it was for merly practice during the riding of the boun parishes and Ascension day to whip youngsters at every important disputed point This Christening in the days of his youth was remem bered aterward and the particular stone cairn or streamet marking the metes and bounds between adjoin ing parishes thus ndeliby mapped on his gray mat ter-a proceeding quite ef1cacious as survey.
 Although the festivities closely with
  shadowed those of the New Year. still there not few corners Christendom wherein the latter is held in much greater repue. In Scotland, in parcu lar it is the great holiday of the and the the day of New Year the Scot lets himself out with a vim. It would if his spirits pent up for a whole twelvemonth find vent at this patcuar
 In France Roman law and custom have impressed themselves perhaps strongly than elsewhere in Flu rope excepting Italy itself, and the close iical friendship which existed between Scotland and previous to the ascension of James VI to the throne still finds expression in the country to the north ally believed Many of the lowland terms of today merely French in Scottish guse. It is perhaps to this close political entente than to the spread of the Puritan doctrines-doctrines which held everything in abominaton that smacked in the slightest degree of church festivashat of the customs and super sttons current among the canny Scots closely resemble those of France. Christmas at time almost much of festival in Scotland to the south the border that in the cities least of people, with the Man in the Street, it is the that holds his heart and at the time disturbs his digestion and addles his brain. Any who has been in the "Canny Toun O Edinbro' Gas- New Years realizes the spirit of goodwill that regns his be split by the pandemonium of noise and eyes suffer by the reek of the torches and it is rareT that the Scot in all his joifcation at this period consrues liberty license The custom of welcoming in the New Year has, however, occasions