Show superstitions about christmas S significant meanings surround christmas according to superstitions believed in various parts of the world C in holstein mistletoe is not only supposed to be a cure for all green wounds but will insure success in the chase and give strength to the wrestler C L early norsemen norseman Nor semen believed for centuries that the mistletoe would give protection against both bodily ailments and evil spirits C A person who is born on christmas will have power to see and command spirits according to a scottish belief 41 french peasants believe that babies born on christmas have the gift of prophecy C C it if a baby is born at sermon time on christmas eve in middle europe it portends that someone in the house will die within the year 41 daughters born in the france on december 25 will be wise witty and virtuous C L A baby born on christmas in silesia will become either a lawyer or a thief C L girls in the ancient duchy of seldom missed the th e opportunity offered by christmas to look into the future at their future husbands on christmas eve they would go to the woodpile to draw sticks if a girl pulled a thick stick her husband would be stout if a long stick he would be tall if a crooked stick he would be deformed they would determine the business of their tu fu ture husbands by dropping melted lead into a pan of cold water the molten metal would form various shapes in cooling and thus resemble the insignia of his occupation hammer shape a carpenter shoe shape a cobbler every piece of lead resembled some occupation to the old wives C A maiden in switzerland who accepts a bunch of edelweiss at christmas also accepts the man who proffers it fl 41 all animals in the german alps can speak on christmas eve C L it is believed in the netherlands that nothing sown on christmas eve will perish even seed sown in the snow will live 41 A bohemian wife will die within a year if she burns a christmas cake C to insure an abundant harvest in denmark some of the bread baked on christmas is kept until so sowing wing time when it is mixed with the seed C e it is said that bread baked on christmas in england never becomes moldy 41 ashes must not be thrown out on christmas day in some sections of europe for fear they might be thrown into the savi saviors ors face some families in scandinavia place all their shoes together on christmas this will cause them to live in harmony throughout the year |