Evening journal., 1909-12-21
FOLK LORE
OF CHRISTMAS
Belgian, Customs that ara Dying
Out In These Days.

Although not 50 keenly followed up
as I'm Germany and England. the fes-
tival of Christmas. as celebrated I'm
Belgium, still presents a certain amount
OF interest, especially IN respect OF its
traditional aspect. Many Of the old
customs. which to-day are but mere
inockery OF their original selves, are
traceable 10 heathen rites and prac-
tices.
The priesthood, realizing the venera-
tion in which these customs are still
held, not only refrain from discount
enancing practices which the Holy
Church regards as hereticai on account
OF their origin, but even enjoins their
! duo observance on the people. Wher-
ever possible, details of these customs
/ have been modified with view Of
! bringing them into as close obedience
as possible with the instructions of the
| Vatican.
one Of the easiest tasks in this re-
| spect was the encouragement Of the
old custom OF ceasing work for twelve
days after Christmas and postponing
the discussion Of all differences and
legal disputes for the same period.
Among the "seasonable customs and
beliefs" which have for the most part
been dying out, II they are not al
ready dead in many parts Of tho coun-
try. are the following;
Christmas eve being dedicated TO
Adam and Eve. boys born on that day
were christened Adam. and girls Eve.
Fortune telling on Christmas day was
INDUCED in; at Brussels, for example,
the burghers assembled around the fire
and roasted chestnuts, listening to
] hCI A .,
handful OF salt was cast upon the table
by the host; if it melted there would
DO g. death In the family or else
wet year in the country, though if the
salt remained hard q guest would die
n. by chance, one OF tho lights went
out at the critical moment
Among the metal workers OF tho
province OF Mainaut molten lead was
| plunged into water. and the figures pro-
duced by the operation were supposed
to represent incidents In the life of the
'plunger."
In the Ardennes, weather for the com
ing year was determined by placing
| lighted candles I'm walnut shells, which
were allowed to float on a basin Of
water. If the candles went out the
year would be bad one agriculturally
speaking; IL they remained alight until
the end Il would be a good year.
Nuts thrown on the fire by lovers
/ foretold Joy n they burned without
spluttering; sorrow, n there was any
noise
In Flanders peasants used to gather
round tho "kersavondblok." or yule log
and listen 20 tales Of tho wehr- wolf
drinking gin meanwhile. Tho tales arc
t4.. IL q.
on As before. Remains Of the yule log.
sprinkled with some OF the gin. were
distributed among the company; the
remains formed a charm against FIRE,
and were placed under tho bed for
that purpose.
At Moyeiaert, near Brussels the
young men were allowed 10 so blind
folded into the hencoops of the locality
IL they caught bird they could either
keep II or claim its value in money.
According TO an existing belief
everything living changes its position
. at the hour Of midnight on Christina.
day. Everything sown I'm the field.
that day is bound TO bear fruit-ever
though IL be sown on the snow itself.
While IL is considered unlucSy &c
, spin FAX on Christmas day, a slSirt
made from flax ON that night is good
, for many ills" Christmas day egg.
always produce fno chicks A farmer
, could ensure good crops from his fruit
, trees by striking them with an axe or
J Christmas day always provided that
{ nobody went near tho trees with a spin
! ming wheel within twenty y-four hours.
, In the province OF Antwerp the peas
ants say that a "hellwagen" or chariot
full gailop on Christmas night, the OK.
PLANTATION being that some impiou,
peasant dared TO so out wood gath
ering with his wagon ON Christmas
night, and that, by way Of punish
ment, he is condemne dto drive il
thorugh the sky year by year.