The Stob

Dreikönigssingen [ Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten ]  Wikipedia Segensbitte der Sternsinger an einer Tür des Klosters Marienberg/Südtirol → Hauptartikel : Sternsinger Die Tradition des Dreikönigsingens, auch Sternsingen genannt, geht auf mittelalterliche Heischebräuche zurück, die früher genutzt wurden, um sich in der kalten Jahreszeit ein Zubrot und einen Zehrpfennig zu verdienen. Das Brauchtum wurde in der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts wiederbelebt und wird vorrangig in katholischen Gemeinden in Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz und Südtirol praktiziert. Den Menschen, die sie einlassen, singen die Sternsinger ein Lied und sprechen ein Gebet bzw. sagen Gedichte auf. Dann schreiben sie mit geweihter Kreide C+M+B , verbunden mit der jeweiligen Jahreszahl, an die Haustüren oder die Türbalken ( Haussegnung ). Von diesen Anfangsbuchstaben der Namen Caspar, Melchior und Balthasar leitete man Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts „Christus mansionem benedicat“ („Christus ...

On New Years Day the Dinner (Lunch) for Good Luck in East Tennessee/Cumberland Plateau: Ham Hocks (Pork Knuckle), most people in the early 20th Century couldn't afford to buy a ham. The pig has the same symbolism as it did in the Medieval Period...abundance. Black Eyed Peas symbolizing money. Cornbread symbolizing gold (the metal), especially with "cracklin's" baked within (fried pork skin) Poke Greens (Salat)/ Phytolacca americana  symbolizing the green of US currency or Collard Greens (Brassica oleracea) Something Sweet to sweeten the New Year, Sweet Tea (tea brewed with sugar or molasses) or a sugary dessert. Whiskey or Moonshine (Corn Liquor) Sassafras tea ( Sassafras albidum) to clean the blood or clear away the 'old year'.  Sassafras roots were dug in winter and early spring, before the leaves grew.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPnjuWsGzIs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3I4AmNw0rE

Puck Fair  (Medieval Irish) http://www.celticartscenter.com/Songs/Irish/AnPocArBuile.html In 1931, Margaret Murray tied the Puck Fair into her version of the witch-cult hypothesis , asserting that it was a pre-Christian festival in honour of the Horned God . [7] However, historian Jeffrey B. Russell and Brooks Alexander have asserted that "Today, scholars are agreed that Murray was more than just wrong – she was completely and embarrassingly wrong on nearly all of her basic premises." [8]

Old Buck, Fire Breathing Christmas Bull I was unsure if this custom was still going on in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  It apparently still is or was revived with some crazy, twangy, almost rockabilly, country music.  Related topics: Julbock, Puck Fair, Bwcca Gwid/Du, Mari Lwyd.

I have recently learned that Le Chevillage may have a different meaning in modern French, with an aggressive sexual connotation (unfortunately).  My understanding of Le Chevillage is older, related to folk-sorcery of Shepherds in France.  The old Le Chevillage was a curse by 'pegging' (a sharpened stick from certain trees driven into the ground with intent ).  Interestingly, I don't wonder that the 18th and 19th century shepherd sorcerers were unaware of the double meaning!  I have also been informed by older mountain people that the penis was referred to as one's "Root", somewhat similar to Stob (a sharpened stick).  Some sort of interesting word play and idealism going on here...?

I haven't posted in a while, as this has been and is a 'transitional period'. I'd like to point out two philosophical views.  One is that spirits are believed to be repelled by human inconsistency or infidelity.  The other is that humans have a cyclical nature, often to their detriment. Rev. Robert Kirk (The Scottish Folklorist) said that the inhabitants of Elphame/Elfame were angered by infidelity (the inability of people to keep secrets and to be consistent).  I'd like to point out that this why people are so happy about their superiority in the world (a glamour, if you will).  People think they have overcome nature (once again) because they have a few tech gadgets.   I hesitate to call it technology, because it does not advance our bodies, food supply, the problem of limited resources, etc.  It is gadgetry, pure and simple, not technology.  I.e. Farming was technology as it started civilization and some st...