For instance, a young man and
woman who are engaged to be married throw two nuts into the fire. If
they burn peacefully, the marriage will be happy; if they crack and
jump away from each other, it will be unhappy. If a candle or lamp
goes out suddenly on Christmas Eve, it is believed that someone in the
room will die soon. Another sign of death is if you throw salt on the
floor and it melts. In some places candles are burnt all night to
scare away evil spirits. Another custom is to go into orchards, and
strike with an axe trees which have not been fruitful. This, it is
thought, will make them bear next year.
There are many other superstitions like these which can be traced back
to heathen times, but are now mixed up with the rites of Christian
worship. One strange superstition, which a few old peasants still
have, is that when the clock strikes twelve on Christmas Eve all the
water in the house may turn into wine. This comes down, no doubt, from
early Christian times.
In some Belgian towns the children of the poor go round on Christmas
Eve, from house to house, singing, and asking for bread, fruit, or
nuts.
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