Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1898 — CHRISTMAS SUPERSTITIONS. [ARTICLE]

CHRISTMAS SUPERSTITIONS.

Things That One Must Not Do Under Penalty of Bad Luck. In North Germany you must not spin during the twelve nights of Christmas, lest you should walk after your dedth, nor after sunset on Saturday, for then mice will eat your work. Speaking of eating, if you want to have money and luck all the year round, you must not fail to eat herrings on New Year’s day, nor, if you wish to be lucky, must you rock an empty cradle or spill salt wantonly or cross knives or point at the stars. If you leave a dirty cloth on the table over night you will make the angels w’eep; if you point upward to the rainbow you will make the angels’ feet bleed, and if you talk of cabbages while looking at the moon you will hurt the feelings of the man in it, who was a cabbage stealer in his salad days.