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6A THE OSHAWA TIMES, Fridey, Deconber 22, 1967 Some Cherished Customs Of The Past By A. R. BUCKLEY Most of us are, in thought as well as action, gardeners less in December than in any other month of the year. As I sit in front of a sparkling fire this Christmas season, my thoughis wander away from the garden and keep drawing closer and closer to the fire itself. Some of today's most cherish- @d customs were started when our remote ancestors faced the largest of all heating problems: keeping the sun warm through December's shortest days. The brief daylight of the winter sol- stice terrified them. To keep the waning sun from going out entirely they kindled fires to re- store its warmth, then as the days grew noticeably longer, they celebrated because they thought they had succeeded in reviving the sun. Today's Yule log and even the lights on our Christmas trees, are thought to be relics of this ancient ceremony. In time, fear of the winter solstice passed and the fire rite took on milder and more ceremonial forms, which differed in various countries. In England, for example, ash} fagots were often burned for good luck at Christmas and it was common for a girl to mark one as her own. The girl whose fagot first took fire was sup- posed to be the first to marry. This custom, along with the burning of the Yule log, is still practiced in some places today. | In Greece the burning log} jons with romance in another way. Two olive leaves, one for the boy and one for the girl, are} tossed into the fire. If the leaves curl toward each otherfahe pair are destined to live "Jong and happily. If they bend from | each other, the opposite is the more distinct possibility. If, however, they burn quickly to a crisp, it means that the lov- ers' love is all consuming and that happening, apparently, is the best of all. Accordingly to a gypsy leg- end, holly and ivy and pine were made evergreen as a reward for screening the birth of Christ from view. On the other hand, ash was burned because it tovk no part in the concealment. It might lend to your enjoy- ment of the Yule log if you get to know the firewoods so that you can have fireplace fires to suit your fancy. According to those who have) done some research on the) burning of wood, your repe-| toire of flame can include fires | Custom Stems From Britain "The stockings were hung by) the chimney with care. "In hopes that St. Nicholas | soon would be there." So wrote Clement E. Moore in 1822. And so it will be in most homes this Christmas Eve, at least where there are small children, at least in North America, and even though St. Nicholas has become Santa Claus. The custom seems to come from Great Britain. There, too, children hang their stockings by the fireplace, hoping that Father Christmas will fill them with Christmas treats. In other lands the customs vary. In Belgium and The Nether- lands, people exchange gifts on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas' Day. A man dressed in the rich robes of a bishop represents the saint, World Book Encyclopedia says. He questions the children about their behavior during the year and promises to return during the night with gifts for the good children. In Holland the children fill wooden shoes with cookies and candies for the saint and leave them on the doorstep. He takes Recalled for fragrance, fires for sparks or noise, fierce fires for heat, and soft fires for warmth. What- ever kind you get depends i ine es wood you use, for vary as much as the trees from which they come. FRIEND OF MAN High on the fire - lovers' list will come apple. Wood of this friend of man yields tantalizing aroma, dancing flame, sparks and good heat; so if your lone apple tree has bugs and dis- ease and never yields an eat- able crop, here is the best use to which it might be put. Or you may prefer to whiff the heavier incense of the resinous white pine or balsam firs. For a blaze that crackles, pops and sprays firecracker the goodies and leaves toys and other gifts. sparks, choose woods with a jhigh moisture content. Catalpa |tops these fire - crackers, but ;Screen your fireplace carefully | before you ignite the wood. Ca- talpa wood is not always easy to get, especially on the prair- ies where the tree is not hardy. |In Eastern Canada, however, it is often cultivated. PLAIN FUEL For plain fuel the rule of thumb is: the heavier the wood, the more the heat. Best are white oak and hickory. A cord of either gives the heat of a ton of coal. A cord is a woodpile 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Close behind are beech, birch, sugar maple, red oak, white ash and apple. Elm gives heat but it is very slow to burn and has other drawbacks that make it very poor firewood. White birch is usually too attractive to burn unless the supply is ample. There are as many recipes for starting a fire as there are woods. One of the simplest is to put a fat log at the back of your fireplace (the backlog), and the andirons against it; ig- nite dry kindling on the an- drions in front and build up this starter fire with smaller logs. Almost any tree will supply firewood if you give the wood time to age and dry. The nec- cessary time varies with dif- ferent woods. Some wood, such as elm, must be 'stored for al- most a year before it is dry enough to use. DOWN THE CHIMNEY The belief that Santa Claus comes down the chimney may come from an old Norse legend, Worki Book Encyclopedia says. |The Norse believed that the goddess Hertha appeared in the fireplace and brought good lick to the home. JOY TO THE WORLD (Key of F) Joy to the world! the Lord is come, Let earth receive her king, Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing. Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns, Let them their song employ While fields and floods; rocks hills and plains, Repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the grounds, He comes, to make His bless- ings flow Far as the curse is found, He rules the earth with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love. AWAY IN A MANGER Led by the light of faith serenly beaming Away in a manger No crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus Laid down His sweet head The stars in the bright sky Looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus Asleep in the hay. The cattle are lowing, The Baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus No crying He makes, I love Thee Lord Jesus Look down from the sky, And stay by my side Until morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, Close by me forever And love me, I pray, Bless all the dear children In Thy tender care, And fit us for heaven To live with Thee there. WHAT CHILD IS THIS (Key of F Minor) What Child is this, who laid to rest On Mary's lap ts sleeping, Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While Shepherds, watch are keeping? Chorus: This is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing: Haste, haste to bring Him howd, The Babe, the Son of Mary. MANGER PIES The mince .pie, a Christmas tradition, developed from mut- ton pies. World Book Encyclo pedia says English cooks orig- inally baked the pies im the shape of a manger. WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED (Key of F) While shepherds watched their | flocks by night, | All seated on the ground, The Angel of the Lord came) down | And glory shone around. -- "Fear not" said He, (for mighty | dread j Had seized their troubled | minds): | "Glad tidings of great joy yy bring, | To you and all mankind". | "To you in David's town this| day | Is born ef David's line, A Saviour who is Christ the Lord And this shali be the sign. The heavenly Babe you there shall find, To human view displayed All meanly wrapped in swath- ing bands, And in a manger Jaid", Thus spake the Seraph, and forthwith Appeared a shining throng, Of Angels praising God who thus Addressed their joyfwl song, "All glory be ic God on High And to the Earth be Peace: Goodwill henceforth from Heaven to Men, Begin and never cease". that you and your loved ones may find the peace, hope and abiding love of that first Christmas filling your hearts and your home throughout the joyous holiday season. H. DICK Pontiac Buick Ltd. Whitby -- Ontario OyOus reelings Ow wish for you: "The clarion notes of the angels sound on high, extending to all = their message of peace and good will during this holy "_ Christmas season. We send along our appreciation of your good will, FROM THE MANAGEMENT AND. STAFF OF HOTEL ROYAL WHITBY DECK THI (Key o Deck the hall w: holly Fa la la la Ja la Tis the season to Fa la la la la la Don we now our | Fa Ja la Ja la la | Troll the ancient Fa la Ja la Ja la | See the blazing Y: Fa la la-la_la Ja Strike the harp chorus Fast away the old Fa Ja la Ja la la Hail the new, ye | Fa Ja la la la Ja Sing we joyous al Fa Ja la Ja la la Heedless of the weather Fa la Ja la Ja la | THE FIRS! (Key of The first Noel say-- Was to certain g in fields as the In fields where th ing their sheep On a cold winte was so deep, Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King They looked up s Shining in the eas country far To seek for a E intent And to follow the it went, This star drew northwest, O'er Bethlehem } And there it did stay Right over the Jesus lay. Then entered in 1 three Fell reverently wu And t presence Their gold an frankincense. Then let us all w Sing praises to Lord That hath mad earth of nough And with His | has bought. ANGELS (Key Hark the Herald Glory to the nev Peace on earth a God and sinners Joyful all ye na Join the triumph With the angelic "Christ is born i Refrain: Hark the herald Glory to the nev