HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1974-12-23, Page 10PAGE 10
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1914
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Candles
Christmas candies are
left burning in window
in many countries to light
the Christ Child on his
way, and to draw friendly
travelers in for rest and
refreshment. But to make
sure that no undesirable
or evil visitors come in, a
candle can be left burning
on the hearth with salt
sprinkled thickly around,
Who Will Rule?
Holly and ivy are grown
in practically all countries
of the world, and they are
widely used as Christmas
decorations. In one Yule -
time legend, holly is con-
sidered to be "male" and
ivy „female.". Whichever
is brought into the house
first tells who gill rule the
house during the year.
V M
TREE LEGEND
One of the many leg-
ends about the Christmas
tree tells of Martin Luth-
er wandering through the
woods on Christmas Eve
and marveling at the
stars shining through the
branches of the fir trees.
Inspired by the sight, he
cut a fir tree for his fam-
ily, set it up, and lighted
it with candles to repre-
sent the ' stars.
ifolvorg044
A Norse legend tells
how an arrow of mistletoe
was used to kill the young
god Baldur, who was pro-
tected against all injuries
that came from the four
elements. Mistletoe, which
does not spring directly
from air, fire, water or
earth had the power to de-
stroy him. However, the
gods restored Baldur to
life and his mother, Frey-
ja, who was goddess of
love and beauty, decreed
that mistletoe should be a
symbol of peace and that
whoever passed beneath
it would receive her kiss.
Onion Custom
A Swiss farm custom
foretells the weather for
the year: On Christmas
Eve a large onion is cut
in half, then 12 layers
peeled off carefully and
eagh marked with the
name of one month. Salt
is then poured into each
of the 12 onion cups. On
Christmas morning the
onion sections are exam-
ined. Dry salt indicates a
fair month; wet salt,
rainy weather.
Pennsylvania Germans
during the holidays speak
of Pelznickel. He is, in
part, like Santa Claus
with fur trimming on his
To the Christmas season, we say,
"Welcome!" To our good friends and patrons,
we say, "Thanks and the best of everything always!"
Laporte Meat arket
ISIDORE, MARY and FAMILY DALE ERB
ZURICH
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clothes and a white beard,
He carries bags of toys
,for good children and
switches with which. he
lightly taps bad children.
Rosemary, dedicated to
remembrance, is almost
forgotten. In earlier days
its silvery fragrance
mingled with that of the
holly, mistletoe and ivy in
every home.
There are two varia-
tions to the Christmas
legend concerned with
rosemary. In one story,
when the Christ Child's
laundry was spread over a
rosemary bush to dry, the
plant instantly became ev-
ergreen and aromatic. In
another version, it was the
Virgin's blue cape that
was spread to dry, and the
white flowers of the herb
became blue.
MAGIC OF MAGI
Believed to have occult
powers, the Wise Men were
called Magi, the root of our
words magic and magician.
Magi were held to be
magicians or soothsayers.
They were also ancient
priests who travelled far
away to many lands in order
to establish a following.
* Bayberry candles, which
are said to foretell good
luck for the coming year
if they burn bright at
Christmas, were first made
by early settlers in Amer-
ica. They dipped bayberry
branches in wax and
burned them during the
holidays.
The story is told that
over, a hundred years ago,
a parish priest in Sals-
burg, Austria, returning
late one night from ad-
ministering last rites -to a
dying woman, was awed
by the particular majesty
of the still, sparkled -with -
stars night; hewent home,
wrote the lovely, haunting
words of "Silent Night,
Holy Night." With his
organist, Franz Gruber,
playing the great music on
his guitar, the Father,
Joseph Mohr, first intro-
duced the strains of this
popular hymn to a small
congregation in Austria.
We'll take just
a minute ...
to wish you a
wonderful
Christmas!
Richard Bedard
CONSTRUCTION
To our
friends and
loyal patrons,
here's hearty
wishes for
the best
Christmas
BrucefieId
perative
Zurich