Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-12-23
Legend Of the Roars Head.

An HfUliG uE iornUN arc ffiT - INr '|
bp'r'4 be1d. long an integral part OIL.
thH feast. specially ~ Queens cpi-
iDgs. oxford A young colegian.
stror.ug so 5hotovor Forrest read.nz
bis Aristotle. WIS threatened Dr. %
wild boar that dashed toward MIN.
open Tno'Ithcf WIEN admirable
prcerncs % mind ha merely exclaimed.
"G~occum est" ard thrust 1.s book
into Tho beasts open Jaws. The phil
osoDhy was too heavy FOR the boar
and checked him. or 80 tho story goes.
M.rce pic. another Chr.stnas dish.
r-as originally IN tho form 81 a cradle
Dr Manager "a honor n tae Christ
child. Some historians ualvelv Credl.
.he spicy plum pudding and mincc
pic 90 ne specs carried hv The Wise
Men.
4 possible explanation = roast
+ chicken might 90 laid to no super
st.t!on that at Christmas The cock had
+ uncommon intelligence and frequently
/ crowed during fhe stlN December
/ nights 20 drive away the ey1l spirits
The great Yule Jog which was ae
much n part of the Christmas ceicbra-
ton ~ he bowl OF Vvassau. qcccullng
. 90 come authorities. vas derived from
.he Dru.ds. Others say g. came fruu
/ the scandinavian custom ~ urhuns
. huge bonhres lr honor IT Thor. Z,
seems part % the universal cr.s-
tom OF having bright lights dur.nc
Z the winter sO..stce. tor we find IN
northern Germany candles burning 2.
lEht rhe Virgin and angei on rle..
way. gh's n 'he windows ~ Scan.
dsuayiA and other lands. The West
,rn Church long called Christmas "th,
Feast OF Lights and tho Babe cam,
when the Jewish altar was hIaZ.r-
during tho native feast 81 lights. Ir
Rome tho SauIrnalia wis celebrate
with great glow - lights
/ Perhaps The tradition that he p0pu
lar bayberry candles. r. revival " az
early American custom. should aIr'
- -he socket viii be found en- the oi
superstition that the Christmas ca1dl
should burn from early dawn 20 n
close Of day lest evil besau the family
Tradition also required shat a pee
OF me Ytls clog also be kept 90 STAR
rext wars fire.
+, Use of Eyergreens.
, 4 whole host OK traditions cluste
! about our use IT evergreens. 1ezen
{ attributes the Christmas tree 20 Ml-ti
!. Luther. - Bcnfa,s. and other h"roe.
r IEs,orv on that point * very vague
T, one suggestion malles les debtors 2
= the Egyptians. 4 palm tree puts fort
"A branch every month. hence th
- ancient Egyptians employed a spr1
e Il palm with twelve branches NJ tim
OF tho winter so,Stice rs 4 symbol
- the completed year.
n M.stletoo and holly were used wit
s other eversrcens 90 provide 4 shelts
e for sylvan spirits whose preScn nc
| brought gOod luck 20 the house. y,
! mistletoc was known 90 the ancient
Tor Virgil compared tho golden boug
IN InfCrnls 20 the m!stletoe. and a
!, article IN The Gentlcraan's Magazln,
n for 1871 defines mistletOe as a magic
3. shrub. appeared 20 be the forb.ddC
}. tree On the middle Of the trees OF E,de
3. Certain 10 Is that the DR. ,id belicv,
d m lts peculiar medicinal virtues az
r considered IL a sacred plant. BecaH
n of the pagan association win q. mi
m tletoe Is not allowed in church decor.
j. lions.
n The tradition that a man may ri
a 4 maid under the mistletoe goes ba,
% % Scandinavian Mythology pald'
the beautiful was loved OF all 20,
and men except the evil Loki. 4
= things In earth. air. water and q
o we're pledged not 20 harm Rim. All b.
J. the apparently harmless mlstletoe.
u parasite OF other plants. The vi
Lold used It as a means Of slayir