Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-12-10

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health, wealth and prosperity. and in
those days long ago the house that
sported branch of mistletoe at
Christmas would never be unlucky.
1t is from the Druids 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 wealth
er came. In midwinter the Druids
sent around sprlgs of ivy and mistle-
toe to remind the people to decorate
their dwellings with evergreens, in
order to propltiate the sylvan sprites
and secure protection from frosts and
wintry blasts. Holly berries long have
been considered as giving wonderful
power when worn in the shape of a
wreath, which must be made and worn
In imitation of a sacred crown of
thorns and of berries, and the wearer
of this crown must go alone at mid
night on Christmas and sit In the
dark, and, in accordance with that
ancient tradition, when 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 seen to kneel
down in worship.
The Yule cake and Yue log, too,
have their important part in this an
cient Saxon tradition for the Christ
mas festival season. The cake had the
same powers as the bride cake has on
Christmas night. The Yule log was
used to light the Christmas fire the
next year because 1t preserved the
house from fire during the year and
subdued the spirit of the flames.
Its powers were bestowed In the days
of the Druids. when the betting fires
were lighted and the brands secured
from the fire to light the fire the next
year. The ancient SaXons burned the
Yule log as a symbol of the turning Of
the sun toward spring.
Even the moon contributed its
share to Christmas superstltions, for,
as the legend runs, If Christmas comes
during the waning of the moon we
shall have very good year, and the
nearer to the full moon the better
Holland, perhaps, has the prettiest
custom of all nations for the Christ
mas festival. On the night before
Christmas In commemoration of the
star of the east, the young men of
their towns assemble and carry
through the dark streets large.
bright star; all the people go out to
greet and give to the bearers of this
"star of Bethlehem" as It Is called,
aims for the poor.
Seven days before their New Year,
the Chinese worship the Kitchen God
by preparing dishes Of candy and vari
GUS sweets with which they smear his
mouth. Later they burn him amid the
firing off Of crackers, the deity being
sent up in chariot of smoke and fire
to conference with the king Of the
celestial regions. The idea of smear
ing his mouth with sweets is that he
may not say anything but honey
ed words, or that his lips may stick
together and so prevent his talking
too much.
The Kitchen God, according to story,
had been Ill treated by his brother and
sister-ln-law, who were very rich and
had many servants but allowed their
brother to work with the servants and
have dinner with them. Their cruelty
developed day after day, until at last
they treated him heavenly by seating
him In sedan chair made of paper.
The creation Of giving gifts at
Christmas came, not from presents of
gold and silver given to the Christ
child, as many believe, but from an
old custom of priests putting on board
Of all outgoing ships box Of aims.
This box was opened at Christmas
time and masses said for the givers
of the aims, and was called Christ
mass" box, and from this has come
our custom Of Christmas boxes and