Mistletoe - Inspiration For More Than Kissing
by Rebecca R. Klrtland
Natieoal Geergrapbic Newt Service
WASHINGTON ? Mistletoe is
more than an excuse for kissing.
The focus of elaborate Druid
rites at Stonehenge and the power
ful Golden Bough of mythology,
mistletoe was once believed to
promote fertility, protect from fire
and lightning, cure epilepsy, and,
some say .provided the wood for the
cross of Christ.
Mistletoe, which flourishes with
out direct contact with earth, is
probably poisonous to people, but
is a mainstay of the diet of birds.
Although it grows primarily in the
tropics, mistletoe inflicts more
damage on U.S. forests than any
disease.
Tree Thief
Belonging to the genus Phora
dendron, which translates "tree
thief." mistletoe is a semiparasite
that grows in the tops of oak,
mesauite, maple, and other trees.
Mistletoe takes all its water and
nutrients from the host tree, but
synthesizes its own food, explains
Delbert Weins. a biologist at the
Away in a manger no crib for His bed.
our precious Lord, Jesus, lay down his sweet head.
The stars up in Heaven, shine down very low;
and oh it was so very cold that nite.
and it really looked like snow.
In an old barn with cattle all around.
evtrythinfc was so quiet, not even a sound,
our precious Lord Jesus was born that Christmas Eve nite.
with love all around Him and eyes shining bright.
Down on their knees they all went to pray
to worship our Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Merry Christmas my Lord Jesus up in Heaven so bright
I will keep a special lite burning in my heart
just for You on this Christmas Eve nite.
Merry Christmas every one and a Happy New Year
May God Bless You All
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University of Utah who has studied
mistletoe for 25 years.
"The mistletoes make up a very
large, complicated genus ranging
throughout the world, but only
about four species in the United
States are used for Christmas
decorations." he said. "These are
found throughout the United
States, except for the colder regions
of the northern Rocky Mountains,
the Great Plains, the northern
Midwest, and New England."
If mistletoe has uses other than
promoting holiday cheer, they have
not been found. But it is significant
economically for the damage it
inflicts on timber trees.
Ed Wicker, plant pathologist for
the U.S. Department of Agricul
ture, says 3.2 billion board feet of
timber growth a year is not realized
because dwarf mistletoe saps vital
nutrients and moisture from the
trees -- enough wood to build
290,000 average homes.
Early Christian legends hold that
mistletoe, once a tree itself, shrank
in shame after Christ's cross was
hewn from its wood. But that
legend hasn't shrunk its holiday
popularity in England and the
United States.
Kinlng Bough
Robert Tiemann of Priddy,
Texas, whose Tiemann Holiday
Mistletoe Co. has provided the
kissing bough to eager customers
for 29 years, says, "Our orders are
up 50 percent over last year. We've
shipped 45,000 pounds of pre
served mistletoe to wholesalers
already. And from Thanksgiving to
mid-December we work 'round the
clock to provide more than 60,000
pounds of fresh mistletoe to buyers
in every state in the Union."
Mistletoe is harvested in much
the same way it was gathered since
before the time of Christ. Seasonal
workers search it out in forests
where it grows wild. They usually
work in pairs -? one in the tree,
another on the ground -- to harvest
the mistletoe with a long - handled
hook. It must be handled gingerly
because the elegant white berries
are delicate.
During the winter solstice in
ancient Britain and Gaul, Druid
priests also harvested mistletoe by
hand -? but with a golden sickle. In
flowing white robes and marching
to the heralding of trumpets and
the chanting of bards, they pro
ceeded solemnly into the forest to
sacrifice two pure white bulls to
their gods before cutting the sacred
plant.
The mistletoe was ceremoniously
caught in white cloths because the
Druids believed contact with earth
would not only diminish its power
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to promote fertility and cure
numerous ailments, but would also
bring bad fortune.
In Switzerland. Sweden, and
Wales, superstitution dictated that
to retain its virtues, mistletoe had
to be shot out of trees and caught
before it touched the ground.
Today, on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, where mistletoe is
prevalent, shooting it out of trees
remains one method of harvest.
Mistletoe's role in Norse legends
has made it a holiday symbol of
love and peace. In Scandinavian
antiquity, warriors meeting by
chance beneath mistletoe in a forest
would lay down their arms and
embrace.
A Fallen God
When the Norse god Balder was
slain by a mistletoe dart, his
mother's tears became the plant's
white berries and she decreed that
mistletoe would never again do
harm. Because Balder's life was
restored, his mother is said to
bestow a kiss upon anyone who
passes under mistletoe.
America's mistletoe tradition
came more directly from England
where strait ? laced Victorians
permitted it to sanction a bit of
frivolity -? but with a caveat. Each
kiss required that a berry be
plucked. When the berries were
gone, so was the magic, and no
more kisses were allowed.
Magic or not. mistletoe's appeal
is continuing. "Everybody likes to
tak<? w,is kisses," Tiemann said.
The Advent
Wreath Is
Harbinger of
Christmas
In many churches and
homes, during the four
weeks before Christmas,
wreaths with candles are
displayed to remind the
faithful of the approach
ing holiday.
These decorations are
known as Advent wreaths,
symbolizing the eager
awaiting of mankind for
its redeemer.
Originally, the Advent
wreath may have been part
of pagan observances.
Tribes in northern Europe
would display cartwheels
decorated with greens and
lights in their homes dur
ing the venter season.
The custom became
Christianized in time, with
the wreath's circular shape
symbolizing God's unend
ing nature, and the ever
greens symbolizing His
unchanging nature.
There arc four candles
on the wreath, one for
each week of Advent.
Three of the candles are
violet in color, as a re
minder of our repentance
and our longing for the
Savior. One candle is rose
colored, symbolizing our
joy and hope in the com
ing of the Messiah. All the
candles are tied with pur
ple ribbon, again as a sym
bol of longing and repen
tance.
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Mrs. Butler puts the Cape Fear Award medal on her husband. \Staff
photo], JJ
For Exceptional Service To Scouts
Butler Receives ?
District Award
Julian Butler was presented the
Cape Fear Award, the highest
award presented on the District
level, at the Western District
Annual Recognition Banquet held
in Laurinburg on December 10.
The Cape Fear Award is given
for noteworthy service of excep
tional character to boyhood by a
registered Scouter within the dis
trict.
The award was presented by
Council President Russell Lee. Lee
stated "in honoring Julian Butler
we honor all the wonderful volun
teer Scouters in America."
For the past two years, Butler
has served as Scoutmaster of Troop
404 which is sponsored by Raeford
United Methodist Church. Prior to
becoming Scoutmaster he served as
assistant Scoutmaster and chair
man of the Troop Committee, and I
was instrumental in organizing cub
Scout Pack 404 and Boy Scout
Troop 404.
Troop 404 has one of the best
advancement programs in the Wes
tern District.
Butler is a member of the Cape
Fear Council Advisory Board and
also is serving as chairman of the
Board of Deacons of Raeford
Presbyterian Church.
Cumberland Man Charged
Hoke Man Slain
A Hoke County man was shot to
death shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday,
and a Cumberland County man has
been charged with murder in the
shooting. Hoke County Sheriff
David Barrington reported Tues
day.
He said the victim was Willie
Dixon. Jr., 30. of Rt. 1, Box 528.
Raeford. A warrant charging mur
der was issued against Tommy
McEachern. 34, of 670 Hoke Loop,
Fayetteville. the sheriff said. Mc
Eachern hadn't been arrested up to
late Tuesday afternoon.
The sheriff said the shooting
occurred in the mobile home of
Mattie McPhaul, Lot 146, Har
mony-Heights Mobile Home Park,
near Wayside, north of Raeford.
The area is near the Ft. Bragg
boundary. Dixon was found by
officers with a bullet wound in his
right chest when they responded to
a call received at 1:13 a.m. by the
sheriffs department reporting that
"shooting was going on" in the
mobile home park.
Dixon was lying on his back on
the floor of the living room and still
breathing when the sheriffs depu
ties arrived. The officers tried to
revive him but he died before the
ambulance arrived, the sheriff said.
He said the shooting grew out of *
a domestic problem, the investiga- 1
tion showed. He said the officers
were informed that Dixon and
McEa'chern had an argument,
McEachern drew a pistol and fired
two or three times, then Dixon got
a pistol and was fatally shot.
Whether Dixon fired his weapon
was not determined immediately,
the sheriff added.
He said Dr. Riley Jordan, a Hoke
County medical examiner was sum- {
moned. and after he examined the
victim. Dixon's body was sent to
the State medical examiner's office
in Chapel Hill for an autopsy to be
made to determine specifically the
cause of Dixon's death.
Barrington said there were five
witnesses to the incident.
The officers who went to the
scene after the department was
notified of shooting there were
Deputies Osie Finin, Weaver Pat- 4
terson. A.R. Odom, Alex Norton
and R.C. Hart, a sheriffs depart
ment detective.
Faculty, Staff, Others
Honored At W. Hoke
The true meaning of Christmas
was displayed at West Hoke School
on Thursday evening when Milton
Williams, principal of the school,
feted the faculty, staff and honored
guests with a Christmas dinner in
the school cafeteria.
Prior to the meal, Williams
extended words of welcome.
The entree, a steak, was pre
pared by specialists Frank Baker,
Jim Fant, David Warren and Jim
Lupo. The West Hoke Cafeteria
staff, under the management of
Margaret Quick assisted with the
preparing of the meal.
Williams paid recognition to
special guests, who included his
spouse, Mrs. Gloria Williams;
school board members Bill Cam
eron and his wife Mrs. Rhenda
Cameron, Mrs. Ruth McNair and
her husband, Ivey McNair and
Robert Wright and his wife, Mrs.
Shirley Wright; Associate Supt.
J.D. McAllister and his wife, Mrs.
Juanita McAllister; and County
Commissioner N.W. McPhatter
and his wife. Mrs. Artie McPhat
ter.
Mrs. Mary K. Thomas, a kin
dergarten instructor at West Hoke
School, gave the invocation.
To complement the gala affair,
Ethelyn Baker read letters to Santa
written by some members of the
faculty. I
Mrs. Donna Bernhardt pre
sented Williams with his most
desired gift, a Mercedes Benz
(Hal). Afterwards other members
(Mesdames Joanne Bease), Kay
Meyers, Emma Thomas and Ms.
Debbie Little) assisted with the
exchange of gifts.
The plans for the dinner and the
program were made by the publi
city committee of Janet Desist,
chairman, and Ethelyn Baker, ^
Mrs. Willie Horsley and Martha
Wood; and the hospitality commit
tee.
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