The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 22, 1950, Image 14
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THE NEWBERRY SUN
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l HRISTMA3 is one of those rare
occasions where cur thoughts turn
from the more material things of
life to more beautiful ones ... to
the happiness we can bestow on
others. As an expression, there
fore, of our genuine appreciation
of your good will, we extend sincere
good wishes for Christmas and a
hearty thanks for all past favors.
Odorless Gleaners
1109 FRIEND STREET
TELEPHONE 177
Curioiili}, Mope
Qreet Mew y[ear
Mand in Mand
Curiosity and superstition always
have greeted the New Year hand
in hand with mankind’s bright hope
(or the future.
In olden times, families sought a
glimpse into the year just begin
ning by observing the ‘dipping’
custom. With his eyes closed, the
head of the house opened the fam
ily Bible and indicated a passage
with his finger; the text, solemnly
read and interpreted by the family,
was indicative of the luck—good or
bad—that was in store.
Probably one of the most wide
spread superstitions concerned the
“first-footer,'* the first person to
cross the threshold on New Year’s
morning. Women and light-haired
men were considered unlucky
“first-footers." as were people who
walked pigeon-toed.
In some villages, the superstition
was taken so seriously that a dark
haired man was given the first
footer Job and, going from house to
house, he would be the first per
son to cross the threshold, thus
preserving the good fortune of the
community.
Anglo Saxons, believing that
something might happen when the
New Year burst in, often climbed
upon the roof on New Year’s Eve
so as to have a good view of any
such event.
And we moderns make as much
noise as possible, presumably be
cause our primitive ancestors be
lieved that noise would keep evil
influences at a distance.
By Dorothy Boys Kilian
Weeded by Scoti
On WeuA yea/i'l Coe
Nobody goes to bed in Scotland on
December 31. There are too many
other things to do.
It is a great night for the youths
who, reminiscent of ancient super-
sititions, go about switching the
trunks of fruit trees and petitioning
the gods of fertility for a “good
howling crop.”
Before the advent of modern
plumbing, teen-agers made quite a
fuss about the “cream of the year”
which was the first draught drawn
from the nearest spring immediate
ly after midnight and supposedly
entitled the drinker to anticipate a
‘luckier’ year.
The Wassail Bowl is, of course,
the center of adult festivities. Its
origin is lost in antiquity, but tradi
tion has endowed the Wassail Bowl
with legendary romance. Is is orna
mental in design and decorated with
branches of greenery. The mixture
within is warm and sweet, and wine
is sometimes added to the ale and
sugar and* spices.
After having enjoyed the concoc
tion within the home among inti
mates at the stroke of midnight, the
Scots pile into wagons or sleighs,
with kettles full of the Wassail,
muns, cheese and other food and
set out to tour the community. The
party stops at various houses and
the refreshments go ’round at each
stop Nobody pays the least atten
tion to the approaching dawn, be
cause nobody goes to bed on New
Year's Eve anyway.
New Year in Bulgaria
New Year’s Day is a great day
for Bulgarian children who receive
their presents and small sums of
money in return for the gifts they
ceremoniously present.
Teen-agers go visiting and, wish
ing neighbors a happy New Year,
expect treats and refreshments.
But unlike our *trick or treat* of
Halloween, should the supply of
goodies run short, the situation is
accepted graciously.
Tht Longest Year
The year we now refer to as 1
46 B. C., was the longest year In
calendar history. It contained
445 days, and for a very good
reason.
, Noma Pom pill us supposedly
created the Roman calendar In
the seventh century B. C. This
calendar was revised several
times but by Julius Caesar’s
time. It was two months behind
the sun.
When Caesar’s experts de
vised the Julian calendar, which
went along without revision un
til the 16th century, there was
the problem of catching up with
the sun before the new calendar
could take over. So, two months
w e r ~ Inserted between the
months of November and De
cember. Thus, 46 B. O. con
tained 445 days.
•HIS HOUSEHOLD is in for a
lean Christmas, all right,"
Bill Bobinson said bitterly to his
wife who had just come into the
the living room, dressed for market
ing. Seated in an easy chair, he
looked disgustedly down at his still-
bandaged leg stretched out straight
on an ottoman.
Margaret leaned over and brushed
her cheek against his “It’s enoup 1 '
for us to see you getting well
again, honey. When I first saw you
after that auto accident, I was
plumb scared for your life.”
Bill squeezed her hand. “You’re
a brick, dear. But we can’t expect
our three- and five-year-old off
spring to understand that doctor
and hospital bills have completely
strapped us Why we can’t even
afford a tree, let alone presents ”
Margaret was quite for a second.
Then . she stood up and. turning
toward the door, said, “Speaking
of the children. Bill, they're out in
the kitchen with their water colors.
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“What a swell bunch of fel
lows,’’ be managed to say.
and the two little Johnson girls are
with them. Mrs.* Johnson had some
last minute shopping to do, and 1
knew you wouldn’t mind watching
them again.”
“O.K.,’’ Bill answered. “That’s
the least I can do after the neigh
borly way they treated us through
all this mess.’’
"I’ll try to be home before your
Cub Scout group descends upon
you. Seven lively boys are a terrific
handful, I know.”
^JOICES FROM the kitchen broky
Y into the silence. Judy Johnson
was saying excitedly, “I think I’m
going to get a doll buggy.”
Back came his own little Margie’s
answer. “I’m going to get a doll
house.’’
“How do you know?’*
• “Oh, because I asked for one for
my birthday last summer, and
Daddy smiled and said probably
one would come af Christmas.”
Bill winced. It had been so easy,
promising things for six months
ahead.
Just then he he^trd Mrs. Johnson's
hearty voice at the kitchen door.
“Where’s Mr. Robinson? 1 have
something here for him.”
“Oh, a Christmas tree!” The
shrill voice of a child exclaimed.
M RS. JOHNSON was laughing as
she appeared at the living
room door. “Did you hear. Bill?
Yes, I went shopping for our tree,
and picked one up for you folks at
the same time. It isn’t so very tall,
but it’s big enough to cheer you all
up
Mrs. Johnson went on talking,, to
cover Bill’s embarrassment. “I’ll
take all the youngsters over to my
house for awhile.” And she was
gone.
“Some neighbor!” Bill glowed.
“Still.” his face clouded over, "That
tree may only point up the lack of
much under it—”
A loud commotion at the front
door drew his attention. “Come on
in, the door’s not locked,” he called,
recognizing the voices of hia Cub
Scouts. '
A whirlwind of blue-clad boys
swept into the room, their eyes
sparkling with happy mischief.
“Oh, Mr. Robinson,” the smallest
one shrieked. “We’ve just finished
all the—”
“We’ve been working after school
every day at my house, making toys
for your children,” a second Cub
burst in. “You should see—a doll
house for Margie, and a doll bed
and a kitchen cupboard!"
“And for little Bill, guess what!”
The smallest boy couldn’t keep
quiet “A wooden sled, and a garage
for his little cars and some big
blocks, all sanded and waxed and
everything!"
Bill tossed his head to get rid of
the drops of mist in the corners of
his eyes. “What a swell bunch of
fellows,’’ he managed to say. “But
why—**
“Wby not?” the biggest Cub said
happily. “You’re the one who taught
ua how to use tools in the first
place, aren’t you? And besides, we
just like the Robinsons!” He
stopped auddenly, embarrassed.
“Well, lellows,” Bill said, after a
deep breath, “I certainly didn’t
think so a while ago, but this is
going to be one of the happiest
Christmases of my Lifel”
When Father
Carved the—
BOAR’S
HEAD
W HAT ROAST TURKEY is tc
Christmas dinner today, the
boar’s head was to the Yuletide
feasting of Medieval England
Preparation for the feasting be
gan during September or October
when the boar’s flesh was at its
best. Hunters tracked the animal
down with well-trained packs of
boar-hounds and it was dangerous
sport, attacking the ferocious beast
with spears or surrounding him
and driving him into a net.
His ear was his most vulnerable
spot, but before the dogs could get
a grip on It and pin him down, his
sharp teeth dften wounded—some
times even killed—the hunter and
hia doga.
Nevertheless, the pluckier the
boar, the louder his praises were
sung, the merrier the feasting,
when his head was borne to the
Christmas table.
World's Christmas
Legends Numerous
Mistletoa Has Corns Long Way
Since Days off Druid Worship
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 191
Christmas Mass
Midnight Mass on Christmas
Eve la the event of the year la
Rome.
Every Roman Catholic church
In the Holy City Is crowded
with men, women and children
anxious to see the processions
of church officials hi their
splendid robes. The larger the
church, the more beautiful the
sight. And, of course, the ser
vice at St. Peter’s Is the most
magnificent in the world.
At St. Peter’s all the men
present are required to wear
evening clothes and the ladies
must O'* Jressed in Mack, thus
offsetting the brilliant beauty ef
the robes. Even the guards on
duty are attired in elegant red'
and white uniforms.
my
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—
Multitudinous Legends claim in
numerable origins for the Christ
mas tree. One better known legend
concerns an early Christian mis
sionary, sometimes identified as
St. Wilfred, who once came Upon a
group of Druids preparing to make
a human sacrifice under a large
oak.
He had the oak cut down and. as
it fell, a young fir tree sprang up
in its place The missionary seized
the evidence and made the fir
tree a symbol of the new faith:
henceforth, the tribesmen were to
set this symbol of immortality in
the hails of their lodges at Christ
mastime and surround it with
feasting and love and the laughter
of children.
The legend of the Faithful Pine
which sheltered the Holy Family
during the flight to Egypt is less
well known perhaps, but so very
charming and touched by the mys
ticism appropriate to the Nativity
theme.
With Herod's soldiers in pursuit,
Mary simply had to rest awhile
and sought shelter within the hol
low trunk of a huge fir tree. As
the soldiers approached, the tree
bent its branches to conceal the
huddled little group. When the
danger had passed, the baby Jesus
blessed the old tree. And if you
cut a pine cone lengthwise at
Christmastime, you can still see
the imprint of His little hand.
Nor has legend overlooked tha
bright baubles which bedeck our
modern Christmas trees. The first
Christmas tree was really an ap
ple tree, according to legends col
lected by Florence B. Robinson.
And, although the fir tree long
since has supplanted its predeces
sor for Christmas use, the popular
tinsel bauble of today is the repre
sentative of the fruit which for tha
early Christians symbolized tha
fail of man in the Garden of Eden
and his reclamation by tha birth of
the Saviour.
wi
**y,
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to om Frimd$ md Customers
SAM COOK’S Beer Parlor
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The mistletoe has coma • long
way from the days when It waa
worshiped by the British druids to
its present status as a criminal
killer of forests. However, its use
as a symbol of love, peacemaking
and goodwill survives to this
Christmas intact from tha pre-
Christian days of the ancient Scan
dinavian light god. Balder, whose
palace stood in the Milky Way.
The beloved Balder, to the myth
goes, was slain by a mistletoe ar
row but was restored to life at the
intercession of the other gods. Cus
tody of the mistletoe plant was
then entrusted to the goddess of
love who ordained that henceforth
anyone passing beneath its bough
should receive a kiss in token of
love, not vengeance. As long as
th£ mistletoe was held high It
could never be used as a power
for evil.
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May Christmas bring plenty of
good things your way — and may
you enjoy them for many days
to come.
our firm in the past.
Phone 14
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Thank you for your courtesy to
Newberry Creamery