Christmas Eve Supersitions

Superstitions played a huge role in Christmas festivities thought time.

Christmas Supersitions Stockings

The superstition of the Christmas stocking filled by Santa Claus and placed by the fire on Christmas Eve has been a long tradition. Santa Claus known as St. Nicholas liked to do good for people. This dates back to the 19th century. The first recorded reference to a Christmas stocking being hung was during this time.

The story behind this tradition is a nobleman had three daughters. The wife was ill and she passed away, obviously the family were experiencing grief and the fortune of the family was in danger. They left their mansion and moved into a peasant's cottage. This man was so poor that he could not afford a dowry (this is a sum of funds given to the parents of the girl that marries to look after her) On Christmas eve St Nicholas dropped a bag of gold down the chimney.

This bag then dropped into a stocking which was hung next to the fire. Obviously, on Christmas day morning the girls were so excited that they had enough money to marry. The father took a place undercover to see who was giving the money and it conveniently landing in the stockings! St Nicholas asked the man to remain quiet about his generosity.

News got out and any secret gifts given over Christmas it was assumed that St Nicholas had delivered them. Due to this kindness he was made a saint. He was a living person but there is no record of his death. He was known as the gift giver and his feast day is the 6th of December. Here are some more cool and interesting things that you should review this Christmas:

• It is unlucky to cut the Christmas cake before Christmas eve which comes from Yorkshire.
• When the clock strikes 2:00pm on Christmas eve one must pray for prosperity for the new year.
• If a women that is unmarried goes to the door of the chicken house on Christmas eve and the hen taps it’s beak on the door then she will marry by the end of the year.
• If the cock crows on Christmas eve it denotes marriage.
• To hear a hen cackle is a sign that a women will carry.
• On Christmas eve a maiden who takes twelve stage leaves from the garden will see her future husband.
• To tie straw around fruit trees on Christmas eve means there will be plenty of food that year (Welsh superstition)
• In England to burn the Yule log in Christmas eve was a sign of prosperity.
• Making a cake in silence was suppose to bring luck on Christmas eve. At midnight the lady is suppose to wait by the front door to see her future love.
• When the clock strikes 12:00 on Christmas Eve remember to try to eat an apple for great fortune for the year to come.
• If a husband brings holly into the home on Christmas eve he will rule that house for the forthcoming year.
• If a baby is born on Christmas eve they will be lucky in life.
• The Christmas cake should only be eaten on Christmas eve and not on Christmas day.
• To touch a football on Christmas eve is a positive omen.
• To see the moon on Christmas evening and touch a glass window is bad luck.
• Christmas cake should only be eaten on Christmas eve or Christmas day to bring luck (English tradition)
• To blow out a candle on Christmas eve is bad luck always make sure you pinch a candle with your fingers.
• A further Christmas eve superstition is that the church bells are normally buried in floods and these can be heard ringing on Christmas eve. They are known as ghost bells.
• Mistletoe tied on a bag then worn around the neck protects one from witchcraft.
• Historically, apple tree twigs were often carried in Cornwall (England) in a bottle on Christmas eve for luck. In addition, A jar of cider, gun and also a bottle was taken into the woods for hunting to bring luck on Christmas eve. The following was chanted “ Here’s to three, old apple tree. Hats full, sacks full, great bushel-bags full, Hurrah. The gun was then fired.
• Toast was also placed within the tree to denote good luck.
• The tree was used for many superstitions during Christmas eve, many would hug a tree for luck.

Christmas eve traditions normally come from religion and religious celebrations rather than superstitions themselves. Obviously Christmas eve is the night before Christmas and there are many superstitions from ancient times that have been documented. It is great luck to read a Christmas story the night before Christmas to children - normally the story of santa.

In summary, Christmas eve is a magical time of the year. The anticipation of Christmas day and the giving of gifts brings about a great Christmas atmosphere. Although most of the superstitions outlined above are obsolete in our modern world, the stocking still remains a key feature of hanging by the fire on Christmas eve.