This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------B9C1CEE48C5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is from another list I am on,but thought all of you might enjoy it. Jerry Owen --------------B9C1CEE48C5 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Delivered-To: ebsinc@texoma.net Received: from bl-30.rootsweb.com (bl-30.rootsweb.com [207.113.245.30]) by mail.texoma.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id D3B87D4454; Thu, 17 Dec 1998 11:50:13 -0600 (CST) Received: (from slist@localhost) by bl-30.rootsweb.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) id JAA18594 for ebsinc@texoma.net; Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:49:32 -0800 (PST) Resent-Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:49:32 -0800 (PST) From: NOINTELLG@aol.com Message-ID: <bc46eac5.3679427a@aol.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 12:42:18 EST Old-To: kirby@mtnhome.com, ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Subject: Re: ever heard of "old Christmas" Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 230 Resent-Message-ID: <"O8Yec.A.sWE.VQUe2"@bl-30.rootsweb.com> To: ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Resent-From: ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com X-Mailing-List: <ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/4101 X-Loop: ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: ROWANROOTS-L-request@rootsweb.com Hi, In reference to 'old Christmas". My family lines all come from the mountains of NC and east Tenn. My father celebrated "old Christmas" all his life. It was considered the true Christmas. I have read several accounts of it's origins. Some saying it was a Celtic custom brought by the Welsh and Scotch- Irish immigrants who settled the mountains. Other accounts say it stems from the change of calendar dating in the mid 1700's, and the mountaineers continued to celebrate the old date. In THE SOUTHERN CHRISTMAS BOOK by Harnett T. Kane, 1958, Van Rees Press, New York, Mr. Kane writes about Old Christmas: "The "real day", the highlanders let town guests understand at once, was not "that new-brought-on Christmas"of December 25, but Old Christmas of January 5. "Don't care what some fols call that December time," the older folks always said. "With we'uns the day is January 5." And January 5 it remained for a long time. As communication and transportation became easier, however, the mountain people began to give attention to December 25 as the starting date of the holidays. Even then everything led up to January 5 and culminated on that day; it was the occasion for the solemn festivities." "With the passing years the Christmas tree made its entry into the mountains, first in the schools and churches and then into the cabins. ...........Little ceremonies developed, like the lighting of the small family tree, an occasion on which the oldest child had the place of honor." Also, it was believed that on the eve of Old Christmas the animals talked, fall to their knees and turn their heads towards Bethlehem. Mr Kane , also, mentions other beliefs of Old Christmas: "Old Christmas, or January 5, is also surrounded with mystic beliefs. On it's evve, legend tells us, day breaks twice. The first dawn comes about an hour earlier than usual, and the skies brighten until sunlight seems close. The pokeweed thrusts up its sprouts, "big and clear for everybody to see that wants to see." Then slowly dark returns, and the sprouts wither, and after a while the true dawn arrives......During the week or so before Christmas you may hear the rooster in the middle of the night "crowing for Christmas", trying to make the day arrive earlier." I hope this answered the question about Old Christmas, and gave some perspective of how our ancestors lived. Happy Holidays! Charmaine --------------B9C1CEE48C5--