AGRICULTURAL CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6501, 28 December 1881, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.

II h**he«» often osld that, lor tearifimw, no Chrktmac totlvUk* can bo compand to IboM which ar* kept op In mod of our old country boosro, where tte- merry ped* of tauebter may te teard lor • mil* off <«bdog ctewily through tbedark and wintry night air, Me*d, Iter* e*« b* no doubt that if w* would know aonwltdflf'*( tte spirit «l tho** ObristinM rojoicinjm of which, for ioriaetje, Mr Walter haa baefotethad •uch a graphlo jddure, m mad tetak* oar-; wire* to soul* old Inglkit roanor-booi* what* ObririmM b dill kept up coßfoiwably to ancirot wag*. Outewe, tte bright holly* btuhw, with : itetr rich duster* of crim*oo berries, whtob throw unit* acte#r#ol warmth round tte Outbid window, not to mrotion tte mirUi-meking mbUaro*, p*rtep* growing oa an apple or hawthorn* Ire* doe* by—id one* call up pleasant rlaions of ChrictfflM wilhifi, aaggulive of the good old log tenting and cracking a* it bl*m up tte majestl* ebieamr, Thu* in Itetofiihire tb* aoten faggot i* olid out with rota* ceremony, ocoarionally wdgte log a* much a* t cwfc, A mmtmm company 1* generally aaoembW to spend tte orenln# in game* aad pastime*, the directions teteg greatly enhanced a* rooo a* tte faggot biases on the hearth, as then a aaarl of cider Is considered due, and !s called for, and srrred upon the bursting of er«y hoop or band round tb* faggot. Th* timber being green and elastic, each bend bunt* open* with a •mart report, when th* hoop ha* teen partially hurst through. There is an eld Scotch prorerb, “ Hds as bar* a* tte hirk at Title E’en,” which pertep* refers to the yule log, tte burk meaning a block of tte birch tree, stripped of it* bark and dried against yulWco, It i* spoken of on* who U e»ceedtuffly poor. Old Ttisror. in hi* “ fir* Hundred Points of Good Husbandry,” ha* gtren uea fair idea of tte husbandman’s Chmit&M far* in days gem* by, which te sums up thus s

Good bread and good drink, a good fins in Uie t»JI, Brawn, padding, and souse, and good cartard withall s Beef, mutton, and pork, shred rise of tte tewt, Pl*, real, goose, and capon, and tarter welt dnet; Cteeae, apples, uri note. Jolly carols to near. As than in tte country is coated good steer.

Dui " Christmas husbandry f»»,” as he terms it, is Interesting a genuine picture of tho mode of living m ibt sixteenth century. The different viaode enumerated ere *tul known by the names which they heat lathe text, if we except “ shred pies," which appear to be" mine® piss,** m they we now celled. In addition, however, to the festiva doings kept op Id most country pieces, there ei* e V4«ety,of old sgricaltanl castome that here keen observed from time Immemorial, many of wbieh ere fut becoming obaolcte. Thus, la Devonshire, oa Cfaristmae lv», “ Wassailing the apple trees 0 is e custom not entirely fallen into disuse, being accompanied by a firm belief In the old rhyme—

That more or ton fruit ther wilt Mag. As yon do giro them waaoutiag. In the evening the farmer's family ted friends assemble, and after partaking together of cakes and eider they adjourn to tine orchard, one of the party hearing hot cakes and cider as an offering to the principal apple tree. The cake# are then formally deposited on the branches of one of the trees, sod the dder thrown over its roots, the following meantime Swing sung : Health to thee, good apple tree I Well to bear pocket-f all*. hattolls. Peck-talk, basheM**;-! alls t This done, tho farmer and his friends cheer several times preparatory to leaving the orchard j and it is also customary In some parts to fire at the appla treat—guns and pistols being called into reeniaftlon for that purpose. In eome places this custom ia observed on Saw 7m Km. In certain parts of Norfolk libations of spiced ale wen formerly sprinkled on orchards and meadow*; and In tha neighbourhood s! too New Ibroeft toeee lines were song os the weesaQiog of the trees 11 Apple* and psara,-with rigM good eon. Come in plenty to every one t . Eat and drink good calm aad hot ale, Give earth to drink and afae'Q sot tall. Some of oar agricultural peasantry are 10. superstitious as to hsUevs that, if that custom is by any chance neglected, the tree* will bear no apples.' - during this ensuing year. Another way of observing this ceremony was by roasting apples until they fell into a pan of spiced ale, placed to receive them. The drink was called "lamh’e wool," and with it the trees were wassailed, At Ghailey, in Sussex, the subjoined doggerel was song on the occasion—- - Stud lasi root, bear well top. ■ Pwy the God sand us & coal bowling «roj>; Every twig, apple# fat#• Every bough, apples caow— Hat# ftiU.reiwfaU, Euil quarter#, ack> fall.

Many, too, believing in the old style, keep this practice op oa Old Christmas Ew, at. for instance, in some part* of Devonshire. These libations are no doubt a remnant of the sacrifice* which in primitive times were made to trees, when it was supposed they were the abode of certain spirits. It is curious to find a simitar practice kept up by savage tribee. Another carious custom was formerly prae* Used in Herefordshire. It seem* that on Christmas Eve the farmers' servants procured a large cake, stuck a pole through it, and then fastened it on the horn of an ex, repeating a certain formula to the effect that their master might have a good crop of cons. The men ana boys then ranged themselves round the ox, when, if it threw the cake behind; it bo* longed to the men t it heforev to the boys. At 8t Outhbort’s, Ackwortb, In Yorkshire, a sheaf of com was at one time suspended, on Christmas Eve, outside the porch, for the especial benefit of the bird*. According to an old custom in Cheshire, farmers' servant* generally engage themselves from New Teas’* Eve to Christmas Day; and then, for six or •even days, they resort to the towns to spend their holidays. On the morning alter Christmas Day, we ass Informed by writer of Cham* hers' “Book of Day*" (11,, 7S6> that bun* drsda of farm servants, dressed in holiday attire, in which ell the odour* el the rain* bow strive for the mastery, throng tbs streets of Chaster, considerably to ths benefit of the tavsrn'keeper*. Having just received their wages, investments are freely mad* by thorn In smock-froole, cotton dress#*, and woollen shawls. In the evening, dancing is the principal attraction. Hence ths far* mera sometimes pae» rather an uncomfortable Urns Just now, being obliged to diepeess with ths assistance of servants.

Among the superstitious customs associated with Christmas may be mentioned one relating to Christmaeeheer in Derbyshire. A wrespondeat of No tm and g**n*s I*ll t*» of a neighbour who had killed hi* Christiana ptf, and how hit wife, to chow her rasped brought him a goodly pla*e of what it known M 'W» fry." She dish mi delivered, covered by • taowjr cloth, with the etriot injunction, ”Don't wash the plate, please!” On Uwuiry a* to why the plate wet not to be washed, the following reply wet made t*~ H If you wash the plate upon which fry he* been brought to you, the pig won't lake the salt," Again, the old notion that on Christmas Kve the oxen in their stalls are always found on their knee*, a* in an attitude of devotion, ciill prevails in the Western counties j and the peasantry show their adherence to this superstition by visiting the stables about mid* night to watoh this supposed supernatural movement ou the part of roe oxen. Tills bo* lief Is not, however, eon fined to Knglaad, but is found on the Continent. Thus, according to a German tradition, on Christmas night, at IB o'clock, all the cattle rite up, and continue standing for some lime, and then lie down again. Bees are also said to celebrate the anniversary of lb# Nativity by making a humming noise, and that, since the alteration of the style, they continue to do this only on the ere of Old Christines Day.

These agrijultursl superstitions and customs are not limited to our own country. Thus, in some parte of Germany It is firmly believed Unit, if straw be drawn at Christmas from the roof of an inhabits I dwelling, and taken to the barn and threshed, it betokens good luck for the cooling year if grains of found irt It. ‘ 'ihosr, too, who' would insure having their berets sound and fat during the

ensuing. .Nr threo tins* round tte church at mjdoigfei, •ad tiws gif* U to ttekr tern**, la tte t«!*htetarteod of 11m {Maawsl bn ttefoddtrforth* calU* atChristmasoutb |i. f ffpfff tl*r aadar a notion tbrt it afll mate tii* cauls their* well. Tter* i* a «ttrioo* idea wmtMt ia, many P"* «® Chriilma* night tb® tep tecoinet «m» »ad &oU» forth mm from tte drop* «** bn* that afterwM*M*Uiif mMofflfetob* nm. Wi saoersttean k of tte mmd* nature m th* wshburr lima, which Iran i«pp»»*d to ted on Christmas Ere, to te foO-bfanm m tte fob tearing day, and Iten m raddcahr to fad* aed di* away again that eight, SOflM of tlw Christmas folk-ior# In tte lletterlaod* i* peculiar, On Chrklnsa* Kw, lor iamtano*, th« peasant Ute* a piece of Hr and sticks it in lb* tub aad, wten nearly teroi out, ho place* what remain* under tte Ml. teteria* that this wIU eerr* ** aebam against Iho ill offied* of thunder ami lightning* It ia customary, tow, to ewrfaffy |»«*rr* all eggs kid daring lh» Iwelr* d*y* of Christens t •ad should a boa ««ot to all, topiee* Item under hat, M the**, it i» adSraad, "will produce hmalital teff* chickens," According to a common id**, nothing that k town on Christmas It* perishes, aitteogh it tboold b* town on th* snow. la teal or cate i« bated, arikd tho " TaJ* he*,** which I* kept till th« spring, wteo it i« tirso to th* emit with which tte labours of tfooghisg art to b# *socst«d. - It was 0100 customary ia May placn* to carry Tab straw into tho Helds, in lb* tetel that it would bo of amil In bringing forth «b abundant tersest. Great, too, I* Iterirta* of Tnl* straw. To tho nests of tho fool* and |HM, in which it to said no witchcraft data i approach. dfcntwn on the ground, it promote* In* growth of no* aad corn. II gbentoth* 00m befor* they «ur« dritca to thoir aaawaor paotor*. it «**«**• thorn again** dlotenporo. Thor* aro namerou* eurmm agricoltcuai «s*kg« r<M'fl«etiag tho ws«th«f aft Cfcriotna*. In th* M Boapberd*’ Kalrada* "»# ar* laid that II lb* atm ahiso* dm* aad bright oa ChristeM* Day, it promw* a Iraitloi ;«r, Ire* from danmra and otrif*, and icmuUm ms*b pteoty to «o*o*; bat II th* wind blows atorroy toward* rosoct, it b*tob«n« aieteww is tb* scriag aad aot&mn |«wten.** A|«n, m the “ Haofcaodmao’a Practicr " it k said that “ wb«a Chriotmao Sky eo»«4h whilo th* moon waxath, it ahall bo a t**y good year, •od lb* nearer it eoselh to tho now a .:«o, th* tetter ths& that year bo. If it eom«th wtea tte moon d«er*a*«th. It thali bo a hud year \ and tte tnnr the latter end tterec.l it eocMib,tli* von* nsd hard** *hail tte jmt te.” Tte ' popular too, tell* o* that if tte mm ibmmm Obriotiua*Say tteoogh tte apple trees, there will te an almndast crop tte fdtewieg yaar. la JSatiaadabjro tho paaoante say that " a grata Ohriotaa* hrinp a teiry harrad.**