PAC.E-S
HERALD AND NE1VS, Klamath Falls. Oregon Thursday. November 28, 1963
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Centuries Old Legends Tell Much
About Beginnings Of Yule Customs
Who was the first child to
hang his stockings on the man
tcl in anticipation of a visit
from St. Nick? Who sent tl
first Christmas card? Sang the
first carol? Tossed tinsel on
the tree? Shared the first kiss
' '.under mistletoe? Knjoyed the
first sip of wassail?
. . The Answers lie in the centuries-old
legends of Christmas.
First to gather about the was.
sail bowl today, the tradition
al Christmas punch bowl were
the ancient Saxnns. The word
"wassail" is a Saxon toast
meaning "bo whole" or "have
health." Through the years, the
word came lo mean any liquor
used to toast health especially
the spiced drinks served at
Christmas celebrations in the
Middle Ages.
The basis of the mistletoe le
gend is an old Scandinavian
myth which tells of the god
Baldcr's narrow escape from
death.
I ki , a malicious giant and
menace to peace in Hie king
dom of Odin, ruler of Iho Nurse jl
. gods, sought a way to destroy
. the beloved Haider.
Aware of the danger to her
son, 1'Yiggn, Baldcr's mother,
secured a charm which made
him immune to injury from
fire, water, air, or anything on
. earth. The only thing she over
looked was an unimportant,
harmless plant mistletoe.
Learning this, Lokl made an
arrow of mistletoe and mortal
ly wounded Balder. In des
peration, Frigga begged t h e
gods to intercede and save her
son which they did. The grate
ful mother decreed thai, from
that moment on, the plant
would lie a symbol of love.
The mistletoe kiss is thought
to be a survival of an ancient
Norse marriage rite associated
with the legend.
Not as old, but even more
romplex, is the legend of the
Christmas stocking. We found
many different versions in the
Esquire Socks Library of Foot
lore. And the only fact we can
clearly establish Is that the first
Christmas slocking was fash
ioned of woolen shreds long
before Iho days of D a c r o n
blends.
One of (lie versions Irlls of
the Bishop of Jlyra, a kindly
clergyman who lived In 4lh Cen
tury Asia Minor and later be
came St. Nicholas.
One Christmas, the Bishop
learned of an impoverished
merchant in Ins city who had
two lovely daughters both un
married because their father
couldn't afford dowries.
The compassionate Bishop.
. determined to help, dropped
two bags of gold coins down
the merchant's chimney on
Christmas Eve. Coincidental
ly, the family stockings were
hanging on the mantel to dry
ami the gold landed in the hosi
ery. St. Nick, the legend goes
on. has been dropping gifts in
stockings ever since.
The story, though plausible,
has one loophole. Furtlicr re
search in the Ksquire Socks 1J
brnry uncovered the fact that
hose were not made with feet
until the 11th Century, some
700 years after the Bishop's
bounty. Did Si Nick go around
dropping gilts Into bottomless
stockincs for 7m vears?
A much more likely legend
is the one crediting St. Francis
of Assisi with the introduction of
community carol singing. The
word "carol" means "lo dance
in a ring." 7t is said that SI.
Francis staged a manger scene
one Christmas wilh real people
and animals. The onlookers
were so delighted with what
Ihey saw that they burst into
happy song Those first carol
ei's became as important to St.
Francis' Christmas celebrations
as modern carolers arc lo ours.
The oriuin of the Cluislmai
lice can be (raced back to the
deeds of another good saint
Winifred. It is said ho hewed
down a ciant oak lo nrevent a
human sacrifice n nimni f
heathens were holding in its
shadow.
A tall, voiini! fir suddenly an-
neared in the oak's nlarn and
St. Winifred proclaimed il a
miracle and said that from that
day forward, families would
gather about a fir tree not for
wicked deeds hut to glorify
Cod.
And if St. Winifred gave us
the Christmas tree, Martin Lu
ther gave us the custom of dec
orating il. While strolling
through the countryside one
Christmas Eve. Luther was
awed by the sight of the snow
lipped evergreens sparkling in
Iho moonlight. At home, he tried
lo recreate the scene for his
family by placing candles on
(heir Christmas tree . . . and
we've lieen decorating our ev
ergreen boughs at Christmas
lime ever since.
Our Christmas card custom
is of relatively recent origin.
The first was sent in 18 by
Henry Cole, English educator
and art patron. It bore the now.
classic greeting, "A Merry
Christmas and a Happy New
Year to You!"
mm ijAit v
UttUUOUA
"TIGER"
Silver and
gold thread
on white
Satin with
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I 99
Mid or
High Heel
MUST CHRISTMAS ROSE
The Chrislmm Rose. a winter
blooming plant, first sprang up
from the tears of a little girl
who cried because she cad not
have a gift (0 offer the Christ
mas Child. The child picked the
flowers and while kneeling at
the crib. Jesus' hands touched
Ihe petals and a delicato pink
appeared on Ihe flowers. This
lovely legend Is documented bv
Rust Craft in its exclusive "Le
gend Series" of greeting cards.
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733 Main and Town & Country