Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1913-12-19
SOME ODD THINGS
ABOUT CHRISTMAS

hbUUl ChklSlmAS
IN Greece the kalikantzarol are gen.
| orally represented as mere tricky
sprites who live. as a rule, under
ground, appearing to men only on the
nights of the year between December
20 and January 6. They pass the days
during this period in dark caverns,
where they subsist on serpents and liz
ards, and come forth to dance in the
moonlight, either alone or in company
with the nereids. and also with mortal
women, IL they can lure any to join
them.
INDIANS say the best time to catch
deer is on Christmas night at
twelve o'clock. when they believe
the deer kneels.
DOUMANIAN girls can learn, during
IN the Christmas season, whether or
not they are going to be married
within the coming year. At midnight
they enter the stable and strike the
foot of the first OK they come across,
saying: This year; next year" II the
OK gets up at the first stroke the girl
will marry within the year; If it gets
up at the second stroke he marriage
will take place the year following; If
1t does not get up at all the gods have
not yet decided on her wedding date.
IN many countries where they go by
the old calendar Christmas is cele-
brated January 6, the celebration
beginning twelve days before.
CAKES weighing from one to twelve
u pounds are made in Friedrich
stadt. They place them in exalt-
ed position and play to them, repre-
senting, as they say they do, st. Mich
olas. OF rye bread they make a boar
or hog, six or seven inches high, with
gilt snout and tail, with gold rings
around its knees. The business men
put goods they have exhibited for sale
on a revolving disk and rattle them off.
" LINGEEST (Kind Jesus or Child
II Jesus) presides over all Christ
mas celebrations in Schleswig-
Holstein. He is supposed to bring
presents to the children, and some
times Furnishes naughty ones.
IN Christmas day in Ditmarsh the
" cattle get an extra allowance of
fodder. The cats and dogs. too,
get better meals. At times the cattle
are admitted TO the higher joys to the
extent that a candle is placed above
the trough from which they feed,
Just as each member of the family has
his own candle, made by himself.
These candles must be heavy and big,
for the one that goes out first will die
first.
GONE of the Germans believe that
y those born on Christmas day have
the power of seeing spirits, and
even OF commanding them.
THE after-dinner dishes must not
be washed at once. They must be
left until ten minutes before mid
night, when the young folks take them
outside to a we'll and wash them, for
In the water they can. at midnight,
see the faces of their future lovers and
sweethearts.
NXEN kneel in the stall at mid
" night on Christmas. says English
tradition. They kneel as If in
alteration of the Nativity.
WHEN Christmas draws near every
wv French family in easy circum'
stances sends for a cask of wine
and lays in a stock of southern fruit.
Those who have been enemies pardon
each other; marriages are fixed; mar
ried pairs who have been separated
are reunited.
A POPULAR saying in Spain for
n Christmas day is the bird of
dawning singeth all night long to
frighten away all evil things" q.
@HRISTMAS celebrations IN Mexico
Il begin December IL and continue
until December "A. Each night a
festival is held. nine in all. an invita-
ton being sent out to these ''posadas. "
"Posada" means inn" typifying the
day the holy travellers, Joseph and
Mary. sought in vain for rest and shell
ter.
THE young Armenians, on Christ
mas day, pay "hand-kissing Wis.,
its TO their elders.
TO learn the qualities of her future
husband the Roumanian girl, on
Christmas eve, partially disrobes,
Joosens her hair, bandages her eyes,