A Bit of Valentine Folklore

"Oft have I heard both youths and virgins say

Birds choose their mates, and couple too, today."

Robert Herrick, 1648

As another Valentine's Day approaches, how much do you know about this day of love?

Personally, I didn't know much until I pulled out my old folklore books. So, if you've ever wondered how the year's most romantic day got started, then grab a cup of tea and keep reading. Here are some facts you might not have known about Valentine's Day.

Birds Not Saints: First off, history tells us those two obscure Saint Valentines from the fourth century -- who may have actually been the same person -- didn't have much to do with bringing the love connotations to Valentine's Day. For the romantic aspects, you need to look to the birds.

As far back as the fourteenth century, Geoffrey Chaucer and other celebrated English and French writers believed that birds chose their mates on the feast of their patron Saint Valentine.

By Feb. 14, birds do start to reappear and repair their nests in some climates. So, the promise of spring renewal and fertility can be felt in the air around this time.  Plus, we've all heard the expression "the birds and the bees," although I don't see any mention of bees in this particular story.

Picking Valentines: In earlier times, Valentines were sometimes selected the night before. A group of young women and men would meet and write slips of paper with names on them. The slip you picked was your Valentine the next day ... and no cheating allowed.

On Valentine's Eve, it was also the custom to write names of prospective lovers on slips of paper. These were rolled into clay balls and dropped into a bowl of water. The first to rise to the top was your future Valentine.

"It is customary, alike for married as for unmarried people,

that the first person one meets in the morning ...

becomes one's Valentine."

Dutch visitor to London in 1663

There's also the centuries-old tradition that the first person of the opposite sex you see on Valentine's Day must become your Valentine. Not surprisingly, some would go blindfolded to the house of their desired sweetheart, so they didn't see the wrong person. Be sure to keep your eyes closed until the right one comes along too.

Valentine's Cards: The habit of sending romantic cards on Valentine's Day in the British Isles seems to have started in the mid-eighteenth century. The oldest known Valentine is in the Hull Museum and dates to 1750, writes historian Ronald Hutton.

In this post, the vintage Valentine's Day cards all came from RiptheSkull on Flickr. As I've mentioned before, she has a wonderful selection of old images. Go check them out if you haven't already, and tell her I sent you.

Don't forget, Valentine's Day is the last day to enter the contest for a free autographed copy of Grocery Gardening. Look for the winner to be announced soon! Thanks to all who participated...I became hungry just reading your responses.

Want to learn more about Valentine's Day? Drop by Nest in Style podcast for part two of our report on the "Gardening World and Social Media." In this episode, we talk with Steve Aitken, editor of Fine Gardening Magazine; plus, Joe Lamp'l and Theresa Loe of the upcoming PBS show Growing a Greener World.

Select Sources Used in Post:

The Oxford Book of Days

The Stations of The Sun

The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore

Make a Toast to Wassail

Spices often used for wassail, including allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

Image by The Gifted Photographer at Flickr.com

If there's a drink that deserves a toast this holiday season - and all winter, really - it's wassail. This steaming spiced concoction is often made with roasted apples; sugary spices; dark ale, wine, sherry or port; along with other warming ingredients.

"Wassail: a liquor made of apples, sugar, and ale;

a drunken bout; a merry song."

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary, 1756

The word wassail comes from the Anglo-Saxon toast waes hael (or something similiar), which means to "be well." And this drink has long been closely connected with good health.

Since the Middle Ages, wassail was served during the winter season, particularly at New Year's Eve and Twelfth Night (Jan. 6), so that folks could wish fine health to each other for the new year.

"Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail too,

And God bless you and

send you a happy New Year."

The Wassail Song

Make a Toast: Wassail is now a big part of our culture, without us even knowing it. For example, the expression "to make a toast" comes from the toasted bread often served on top of the wassail bowl.

"It was likewise the custom... for the master of the house

to fill a large bowl ... and drink of it first himself,

and then give it to him that sat next, and so it went around."

Gentleman's Magazine, 1784

 

Bless the Trees: Among the strangest customs was the apple wassail, which dates back to the 16th century. Around Twelfth Night (Jan. 6), English farmers brought wooden wassail bowls to their apple orchards for an annual celebration.

The farmers blessed the fruit trees by drinking to their health. They also put pieces of toast around their roots or hung the toast from the branches. Why? To ensure a good harvest in the coming year. The arcane ritual still takes place in parts of England today.

"Old apple tree, we wassail thee, and hoping thou wilt bear

For the Lord doth know, where we shall be, till apples come another year

To bear well and bloom well, so merry let us be

Let every man take off his hat and shout to the old apple tree."

Apple Tree Wassail, North Somerset, England

Recipe: There are many different recipes for wassail. Here's one for you to try. To make a wassail bowl, you'll need:

A big bowl, preferably wooden
3-4 pints of dark ale or beer (other recipes use wine, sherry and/or port)
1/4 cup of holiday spices such as allspice, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom (whole; not ground)
1/4 cup of sugar (to taste)
4 apples, preferably roasted
1 1/2 cup of orange juice
The juice of one lemon
Toasted bread for the top
Lots of good cheer and positive intentions

How to make a wassail bowl:
1. Slowly heat ale or beer. Add spices, sugar, apples, orange and lemon juice.
2. Before the drink boils, remove from heat and serve with toasted bread on top.
3. Serve immediately while still hot.
4. Have fun.

Health Benefits: There's a good reason why wassail was connected with good health, and the spices play a big role.

As I wrote in Grocery Gardening: Planting, Preparing and Preserving Fresh Foods, (co-authored with Jean Ann Van Krevelen, Amanda Thomsen and Robin Ripley) there are plenty of health benefits to eating herbs and spices of all types.

The spices in wassail are no exception. These spices are packed with healthy properties. Allspice and cloves have antiseptic qualities that come in handy during the winter. Cinnamon has been shown to improve the body's circulation, as well as other benefits. And ginger and cardamom both strengthen the digestive system, to name just a few qualities of these spices.

So, make a toast and drink your wassail for good health in the new year!

Learn more about the health benefits of spices.

Explore more about wassail traditions:
The Oxford Book of Days
The Stations of the Sun

Order copy of Grocery Gardening

Strange Facts about New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Or, is it? The fact is it depends on who you ask and when…In much of the world, it took quite a while before Jan. 1 was actually considered the start of the year.

Throughout history, different countries have celebrated the beginning of the year on different days ranging from March 25 to Sept. 1 to Dec. 25.

The French observed Easter as the start of the year for centuries. They introduced Jan. 1 as New Year's Day in 1564, ahead of many European countries.

Within Italy, different cities started the year on conflicting days. Venice celebrated on March 1 until 1797, when it was conquered by the French Emperor Napoleon.

Florence began the year on March 25 … as did England and the American Colonies until the end of 1751.

Until 1911, the Catholic Church started its ecclesiastical year on Dec. 25 at Christmas.

And the traditional Asian calendar begins the Chinese New Year sometime between mid-January and late-February, depending on the year.

So, as you can see, the issue of when to start the year has been anything but clear throughout much of history.

A Bit About Janus: The month of January is named after the double-faced Roman God Janus, who looks back to the old year and forward to the new one.

That makes it an appropriate symbol for those who like to spend time reflecting during the holidays on the past year and what they would like to attract for the next one.

Lunar Treat: A special bonus this year (2009) is the full moon, partial lunar eclipse occurring right before New Year's Day 2010. It's exact Dec. 31, 2009 at 2:13 p.m. EST. As the second full moon of the month, it's also a blue moon.

Images Credit: Although the moon isn't full in the delightful vintage card above, the festive mood is certainly appropriate as we enter a new decade. All of the cards in this post are from riptheskull at flickr.com. She has an amazing collection of old cards. Go check it out!

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to a peaceful and prosperous 2010 for us all.

For more about the calendar: Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar.

Happy Halloween!

"From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties,

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!"

Old Cornish Prayer

Since the earliest times, the evening of October 31 has been considered a scary time, when the dead walk among us and the witches are particularly powerful. So, I thought it would be interesting to research some of the old superstitions about Halloween or All Hallows E'en. Read them if you dare.

Keep Fires Lit: In earlier times, bonfires were lit on hilltops to drive off witches: and on no account were household fires allowed to go out that night, or evil things might gain an entry. Incidentally, if your fire flame turns blue, it's said that an other-worldly being has entered the room. Consider yourself warned.

Don’t Turn Around: If you’re walking on Halloween and hear footsteps right behind you – don’t turn around. You might find yourself staring Death in the face. And who wants that?

Meet a Witch: Wear your clothes inside out and walk backwards on Halloween night. It's a sure way to run into a witch ... or at least an angry "trick or treater."

Predict Future Spouse: Eager to know the identity of your next love? Tonight is the perfect time. Here's what you do: Go in a darkened room with a candle and step up to the mirror. Look in the mirror, eat the apple and comb your hair ... all at the same time. Supposedly, the face of your next loved one – or the devil – will appear over your shoulder.

Most Importantly: Have fun, stay safe and don’t eat too many sweets.

Select resources:
The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore
The Oxford Book of Days

Respect Your Elders

 

It's true that elder (Sambucus nigra; Sambucus canadensis) grows wild in moist places through much of the United States. But to call this plant "common" is just unfair.  

Few plants have generated as much respect as elder over the ages. In fact, once I learned about this plant, I was hooked and just had to have one in my garden.  Consider these cool facts:

Elder is Healthy: Hippocrates considered his elder tree a "medicine chest" in 400 B.C.E.  From cold remedies to stomach tonics, the white flowers and blue-black berries on this shrub and small tree have been used in everything from teas and syrups to skin creams.  

America Botanical Council provides a summary of elder nutritional information and scientific studies.  Note: Always cook berries before eating them. Never eat red berries from S. racemosa.

"Water of elder flowers 
for a pure complexion and against insect biting. 

Take the flowers off the stalks 
and pack them down hard in your pan, 

and then pour on enough boiling water to cover them: 

cover your pan with a cloth and so let it stand a day and a night, 
and then strain it."

Mrs. Harrington's Book, 18th Century

 Elderberry Syrup

 Bring to boil 1/2 cup dried (or 1 cup fresh) berries 
with 3 cups water.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes covered.

Smash berries to release flavor and then strain.

Add 1 cup of honey and stir well.

Will keep for a couple months in refrigerator.

Take a tablespoon 3 times a day for colds and fevers.

Elder is Magical:  Throughout history, an elder tree was considered good luck. Leaves and flowers were gathered at Midsummer to decorate the home and keep away evil spirits. But it was bad luck to use elder wood for any purpose. Children raised in elder wood cradles, for instance, were believed to grow sick and die. And, for goodness sake, never burn even the smallest amount of elder wood in your fire. That was a sure way to attract the devil or witches.  

Here's a fairytale written by Hans Christian Anderson called "The Little Elder-Tree Mother." (1845) 

Elder is Loved by Animals:  If that wasn't enough, this member of the honeysuckle family attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators. They simply love the sweet white flowers. You'll find birds of all types like to eat the berries too.  

Learn more about growing elders from the eXtension news. 

Happy Summer Solstice

Since pre-Christian times, the Summer Solstice has been celebrated with seasonal rituals of major importance. Here are six things you might not know about the Summer Solstice:

A Historical Look at May Day

“The fair maid who the first of May,

Goes to the fields the break of day,

And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,

Will ever handsome be.”

Old Proverb

The first of May - otherwise known as May Day - is “rich in customs, perhaps more so than any other day of the year,” writes The Oxford Book of Days. 

Unlike some seasonal celebrations, there’s also solid evidence that pre-Christian rituals happened around this day, according to Ronald Hutton, history professor at the University of Bristol. 

So, while you’re out smelling the May flowers, consider these facts: 

Start of Summer:  May Day was the beginning of summer in traditional calendars for centuries. It was also around now that the livestock were brought out of winter pens to graze in summer pastures.  So, for the pastoral communities it was an especially important time in their annual agricultural cycle.

May Day and May Eve were also considered among the scariest days of the year – a time when fairies, witches and other evildoers created havoc.  That’s why so many seasonal rites were designed to protect families, animals and communities from these potential problems.

Fire Rituals: Ancient Celts made huge purification bonfires on this day they called Beltane or something similar. The fire tradition in various forms survived in Ireland well into the 19^th century.  Cattle were led through flames to protect them in fields. Travelers jumped over fires to ensure safe journeys. Young women leapt to find husbands. Even babies were carried over dying cinders to keep them well. Similar fire rituals can be found in Scandinavia, Germany, Austria and other European countries. 

Incidentally, it was considered dangerous for someone to take fire from your hearth at this time.  Try to borrow a light on May Day in 16^th century Ireland, for instance, and your neighbors would likely have called you a witch.

Plant Uses:  Speaking of witches and fairies, now was a particularly good time to scatter marsh mallow and primrose petals on your front steps to keep away misfortune.  Or, you might hang rowan (or mountain ash) around cows, doorways and dairy equipment to keep those areas safe from harm too.

Garlands and crosses – made from plants like hue, hemlock, rosemary, birch, elder and hawthorn branches – were also hung around the home for centuries to keep families and farms protected from evil spirits. 

In addition to warding off witches, flowering branches and bouquets were gathered on May Day to decorate the home and give as gifts.  Even today, it’s common in France to give lily-of-the-valley bouquets to loved ones on May 1.

However, the plant selection was particularly important in the olden days.  Rowan and hawthorn symbolized a sign of respect. But other plants conveyed other meanings. For example, a thorn meant scorn and a nut meant a slut, but a plum in bloom meant married soon.

“The May Pole is up,

Now give me the cup,

I’ll drink to the garlands around it.”  

Henry Bold, 1657

Maypoles:  Nothing symbolizes May Day better than a maypole made of birch or some other tree, and festooned with flowers and ribbons.  In England, maypoles were well established as early as 1350 to 1400.  The poet Nicholas Breton wrote in 1618 that the maypole was “where the young folks smiling kiss at every turn.”

Famous Parties:  If you think only the villagers participated in May Day festivities, guess again. King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, for example, celebrated regally with Robin Hood in 1515. Sixteenth-century English historian John Stow writes that the group feasted in “harbours made of boughs, and decked with flowers . . . with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men.”

Sounds quite nice, don’t you think? 

Learn more about May Day’s seasonal rituals from the sources used for this post:

• The Oxford Book of Days
• The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain
• The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore

How do you intend to celebrate the start of May?

Here's information about other holidays:

• Traditional Start to Spring
• Spring Equinox  
• Happy Lady Day, Happy New Year 
• Easter
  

Images Credit:  These Victorian scenes came from an amazing collection belonging to T's Altered Art on Flickr. Go check ‘em out.