Elizabeth (?) Waller

Well, now that I am back into digging around my family tree, I discovered that a family photo may not be who we always thought it was.  There used to be two portraits hanging in the living room of my Grandpa & Grandma Vaughn's house.

Elizabeth Waller

Lindsey Gray

I was always fascinated by these two old tintypes even though they were 

dark and faded and the people looked a tad scary to me as a child.

The gentlemen's name was Lindsey J. Gray and the lady was his wife, Elizabeth Waller Gray. My grandmother noticed my fascination with those two portraits, and she knew how much I loved family history, so she told me that when I grew up, she would let me have them. Unfortunately, as things often happen when statements like that are made and deaths occur, things are given or taken by others that didn't know about the original promises.  It is all good though, because I was finally able to get copies of those two portraits, which is the reason that I can post them above. As long as the originals are cherished, protected, and do not end up in an antique store somewhere, I am happy.

Facts about Lindsey & Elizabeth:

Lindsey J. Gray was born about 1835 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

He was the son of Jeremiah & Elizabeth Gray. 

He was listed as a farmer in census records.

He married Elizabeth Waller on November 16, 1868.

Elizabeth was born about 1845 in Patrick County, Virginia.  

She was the daughter of Edmund Waller & Mary Ann McKinney. 

She is buried in the Dobyns Church Cemetery in Patrick County.

Lindsey and Elizabeth had seven children: 

John W., Edmond, Jeremiah, Mary Elizabeth, George, Casey, and Alexander.

Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth (b. October 24, 1874), was my great grandmother.  She died when I was four years old. I can remember her being at my grandparent's house, but I cannot remember too much about her, except that she was very nice to me. Mary Elizabeth was married to William Hardin Dollarhite on July 11, 1894.

Back to the mystery that I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  The whole family has always referred to her as Elizabeth Waller. This past week, I really started digging through census records, birth, marriage, and death records.  I CANNOT find an Elizabeth Waller. However, I CAN find Sallie Ann Waller. Sallie Ann is the same age as Elizabeth. She was married to Lindsey J. Gray. She died in the same year that Elizabeth supposedly did. She even had children by the same names!  Because of all of that, I have to think that the lady in the above portrait is actually Sallie. (Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, its probably a duck!)  Oh, and I also found reference to a Sarah Ann married to Lindsay J. Gray that fits just like Sallie Ann does.  Sallie is a common nickname for Sarah, so that is not really surprising.

So, did we just have the name completely wrong since an Elizabeth does not appear anywhere? Was her real name Sarah?  Sallie?  Elizabeth? Sarah Elizabeth? Elizabeth Sarah? Why did my grandparents say that her name was Elizabeth?  There is some indication that this lady's MOTHER'S name was Elizabeth.  Is that where the confusion comes in?  This is still a mystery that I am working on.  My cousin, Jeff is checking with some other relatives to see what they know.

To be continued . . .

Copyright 2012--All Rights Reserved--The Wheel & Distaff by Kimberly Burnette-Dean.

19th Century Slang

Coon's age: a long time.  "I haven't heard from him in a coon's age!"

Absquatulate (1843):  to take leave, to disappear. "I had a cake cooling in the kitchen and my husband absquatulated with it, leaving me with the crumbs!"

Savage as a Meat Axe (1835): extremely savage. "He was sitting there sharpening his knife looking as savage as a meat axe."

Conniption fit (1833): a fit of hysteria. "She threw a conniption fit when she realized that he had lost his wedding band."

Seed (1825): used instead of saw or seen. "You can say what you want to about him, but I seed him do it!"

Hang up one's fiddle:  to give up.

Hooter (1839): a bit; a tiny amount.  "Politicians don't care a hooter, so long as their own selfish ends are obtained." (I would think that the more commonly used, "hoot" has it roots here.  i.e "She does not give a hoot about anything.")

Man alive (1840):  popular exclamation expressing surprise, shock. "Man alive!  I can't believe that you just smacked that big bull!"

Wrathy (1834): angry.  "Some folks get might wrathy if you pick on them about their looks."

Tuckered out (1853): exhausted. "After weeding the whole garden, she was plumb tuckered out."

Sour on (1862): to get sick of something or someone.  "Listening to her go on and on about her needlework just totally soured me on the thought of even trying it myself."

The only ones that I have never used or heard used are absquatulate and wrathy. Which ones have you used?

Copyright 2012--All Rights Reserved--The Wheel & Distaff by Kimberly Burnette-Dean. 

Folk Speech

A visitor in my backyard

Are you familiar with these words?

Naught (aught)-- zero.  "If you subtract 3 from 3 you are left with naught." 

Munts--months. "I have not seen him for two munts."

Farting-Spell--A short space of time. "She can make a whole quilt in just a farting-spell. 

Needle-wires--knitting needles

Eow (Yoe or Yowe)--A female sheep

Noggin--A vessel of wood, with iron or brass hoops. Also refers to hair that is cut straight round as if a noggin had been turned over the head to cut by.  (I would guess that is why we sometimes refer to someone's head as as their "noggin.")

Ewst--Past tense. Used; was accustomed. "She ewst to go to that church."

Noration--A rumor; a long, rambling account.  "She put out the noration that there would be a dance there next week."

Ellum--An elm tree

Copyright 2012--All Rights Reserved--The Wheel & Distaff by Kimberly Burnette-Dean.

Saratoga Potatoes

This recipe is still commonly used today.  See if you can figure out what we call it!

Saratoga Potatoes

Pare and cut into thin slices on a slaw-cutter four large potatoes (new are best), let stand in ice-cold water while breakfast is cooking; take a handful of the potatoes, squeeze the water from them and dry in a napkin, separate the slices and drop a handful at a time into a skillet of boiling lard, taking care that they do not strike together, stir with a fork till they are a light brown color, take out with a wire spoon, drain well and serve in an open dish.  They are nice served cold.

from:  Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping.  Marysville, Ohio: Buckeye Publishing Company, 1877. p. 293.

"Bad dinners go hand in hand with total depravity, while a properly fed man is already half saved." (from the cover of the cookbook)

Another Vintage Valentine

This Victorian cupid is so cute peeping from behind the tree! He is just waiting for someone to add their true love's name within the heart that he has carved.

Vintage card image courtesy of
WordPlay

My Valentine

The Name I've carved 

On this tree so fine,

Is carved as well

On this heart of mine.

Vintage Valentine's Card

For the next few days, I will be posting some images of vintage Valentine's Day cards.

Perhaps there is someone you would like to share them with!

Vintage card image courtesy of
WordPlay

School Days

Kemp's Ford Schoolhouse ca. 1860

Pretend the year is 1850 and you are 10 years old. Here are some word problems for your arithmetic assignment.  Turn in your answers in the comment section below.  Punishment for not doing your assignment will be swift. Remember. spare the rod and spoil the child.

(I had a dream the other night that in the future, folks would have a MACHINE that would calculate their arithmetic for them. To not use one's own brain for this assignment would be shame.)

1. The Pyramids of Egypt were built 337 years before the founding of Carthage; Carthage was founded 49 years before the destruction of Troy; Troy was destroyed 431 years before Rome was founded; Carthage was destroyed 607 years after the founding of Rome, and 146 before the Christian era.  How many years before Christ were the pyramids built?

2. A certain farmer raised 188 bushels of barley, twice as many bushels of wheat, 320 bushels of corn, and 100 of rye, how many bushels of grain did he raise in the whole?

3. If an orchard contains forty rows of trees, and each row has 10 trees, how many trees are in the orchard, and if each tree produces on an average 9 bushels of apples, how many bushels of apples will the farmer have? and if he sells those apples at 40 cents per bushel, how much will it amount to?

4. If a boy be capable of earning 50 cents per day, and idles six days, what will be his loss?

5. How many legs, horns, eyes, and tails, have 100 cows, 18 of which are muleys?

(The above arithmetic problems are taken from actual 19th century schoolbooks.)

Copyright 2012--All Rights Reserved--The Wheel & Distaff by Kimberly Burnette-Dean. 

Mystery Item Answer

The answer to yesterday's mystery item is:  

A children's toy called a "Jacob's Ladder!"  

Quite a few of you knew the correct answer!

This folk toy is made from blocks of wood held together by ribbons. It was supposedly one of the only toys that frontier children were allowed to play with on Sundays because they could sit and play with it quietly. The name of the toy refers to Jacob's Ladder in the Bible (Genesis 28:12).  This toy was mentioned in an 1889 article of Scientific America.

The following video shows how to play with a Jacob's Ladder:

What Do You Think?

What do you think the caption of this photo should be?

(If you click on the photo, you can see a larger version.)

If you leave a comment below, you will be entered to win a cowl that I knitted from wool that I spun!

The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. 

The winner will be announced no later than January 28 and probably before!
Be sure to check back to see if you are the winner.

Mystery Item Answer

Are you ready for this? They are POT SCRUBBERS! Remember that most cooking used to be done in heavy cast iron pots and pans. These hickory scrubbers will work miracles on burned on food. (However, I do not think that you would want to use this on your modern non-stick pans!)

To make these scrubbers, you take a thick hickory stick and use a draw knife to carefully shave pieces almost to the end, but leave them connected about 1/2" from the end.  Then, after you have shaved enough to make the brushy part, bend them downward and either use a piece of leather or another piece of thinly shaved hickory to tie the shaved pieces to keep them in place.  When it is time to do dishes, simply wet the scrubber and the hickory shavings become flexible and make an excellent pot scrubber.

Folks used to also make broom-sized scrubbers like these to scrub wood floors.

If you look carefully, you can see how the piece of hickory is shaved to make the brushy part

The larger one is the actual pot scrubber.
The two smaller ones are more like toys than anything,
but they would also make good small scrubbers.

Now you know!   :D
Thanks to Becky, Rae, Leslie & Meg for posting your guesses!

Roasted Onions

Roasted Onions

These should be cooked in their skins; but before putting them into the oven, brush off all grittiness. Place in a moderate oven, cooking gradually until nearly done, then quicken the oven and brown.  Serve with plenty of fresh butter.
--from Godey's Lady's Book Receipts and Household Hints by Sarah Annie Frost, Evans, Stoddart & Co, 1870, p. 173.  (For more great 19th century recipes, check out the rest of this book on Google Books.)

(I have made this before and it is yummy! I cooked them in a 350F oven until they were fork-tender. Then, I turned the broiler on to brown them.  Watch it very carefully so you don't burn your tasty onions! I also seasoned them with salt and pepper to taste.)

St. Distaff's Day

My spinning wheel with the distaff attached

Distaff:

1.  a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning

2.  woman's work or domain

3.  the female branch or side of a family

The days between Christmas (December 25) and Epiphany (January 6) were considered a time of rest from all but the most necessary labors. St. Distaff's Day (January 7) is when all good housewives resumed their normal chores, including spinning. This day is also known as Roc or Rock Day. ("Rock" is another name for a distaff.)  

Menfolk did not return to their work until the Monday following Twelfth Night. (So depending on what day of the week Twelfth Night fell on, they might get almost a week longer than the woman. Hmph!) The men would use all of that time off from work to harass the woman and play pranks on the busy spinners. One of the pranks involved setting fire to the flax and tow which awaited the spinner's hand. In turn, the spinners would keep buckets of water on hand to douse the burning spinning materials AND the pranksters.

The stick looking thing is the distaff.  Flax fiber is attached to the
distaff so that it is held straight and untangled while spinning.
There are many different types of distaffs.  Some look similar
to a bird cage.

St. Distaff's day, or the morrow after Twelfth-Day 

(from Hesperides by Rober Herrick)

Partly work, and partly play,

Ye must on St. Distaff's Day:

From the plough soone free your teame,

Then came home and fother them.

If the maides a spinning goe,

Burn the flax, and fire the tow;

Bring in pailes of water then,

Let the maides bewash the men.

Give St. Distaffe all the right,

Then bid Christmas sport good-night.

And next morrow, every one

To his owne vocation.

A photo of Queen Victoria spinning flax.
(The original photo is at
The Leeds City Art Galleries)

Needless to say, I better not catch Steve trying to set fire to my flax!   :D

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You may have a better understanding of why I named my blog "The Wheel and Distaff" after reading this post.

Pound Cake--19th Century Style

See if you can guess how this cake got its name!  Most 19th century recipes for pound cake are very similar to the one below. This one came from Tyree, Marion Cabell. Housekeeping in Old Virginia. Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Company, 1879.  In a time when eggs could be traded for other goods, using a dozen to make a cake for just the immediate family was quite a luxury. Butter was also used as a trade item so using eggs and butter was almost like eating your paycheck! Using sugar instead of a home grown sweetener, like honey or molasses, was also quite a treat.

Pound Cake

1 pound sugar

1 pound butter

1 pound of flour

12 eggs

Cream the butter; rub into it gradually the sifted and dried flour. Beat the yolks of ten eggs very light, then add the powdered sugar, beat again, add a wine-glass of brandy or one of good whiskey flavored with nutmeg, or the grated rind of a lemon; mix all together.  Stir in the whites of twelve eggs beaten to a stiff froth, just before baking.  It will take two hours to bake.



On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten lords a-leapin', nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milkin', seven swans a-swimmin', six geese a-layin, five golden rings, four colly birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Home Questions for the New Year

The following is from the 1849 edition of Old Farmers Almanack, Jenks, Palmer & Company, Boston.

 I wanted to post a photo of the cover of this almanac, but the cover is missing.   (This book is in my personal library.)

Even though this was written 163 years ago, these are still some very relevant questions! (This was originally written in one big paragraph, but to make it easier to read, I have added some spacing.)

Home Questions for the New Year

What do you intend shall be the great ruling principle of your life this year? Have you learned to respect yourself too much to be rough or uncivil to those when Providence has placed around or beneath you in life?  Did you ever reflect, that one quarter of an hour per day misspent would amount to over nine days, of ten hours each, wasted, in a year? How much we all might accomplish, if we would put there quarters of hours to a good use!

Did you ever know cattle to leap fences to get into a poorer pasture? Are you aware that in laying in winter fodder for your stock, too much is just the right quantity?  Do you know three better or cheaper physicians than Water, Exercise and Temperance?  You may call freely upon these, and we will guarantee that if ever they send in their bills, it will be with the refreshing words, "received payment," at the bottom! Have you learned not to grumble about the weather?

Which is the rich man, he with large means and small soul, or he with a large soul and small means? Don't you know you should estimate your duty rather by your ability than your inclinations? Do you try to deserve prosperity by imparting of your abundance to those less blessed than yourself? Do you keep an iron brand to mark your tools with? Are you insured and is the policy all straight?

How many trees shall you plant before this time next year? Do you sign your name plainly? Did you ever know a man who did not "lose his luck," if he fished, gunned, gadded, or loafed, instead of attending promptly to his business? Are your children punctual at school? Do you look in, now and then, upon the school master, or mistress, to encourage them, and see that all is going on rightly? I suppose you know that horses and oxen thrive better on hay and grain than on whipcord?

Have not you noticed that hundreds acquire competency by industry, integrity, and economy, where one does by a "lucky chance?" Are your buildings protected from lightning, and properly ventilated? Have you set out any grape vines near your premises? Do you cherish a social, cheerful, thankful spirit? Do you provide good tools for your workmen, and see them properly taken care of? Have you made your will?

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On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milkin', seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-layin, five golden rings, four colly birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Folk Sayings #3

If you find a pin on the floor with the head towards you, good luck; point, bad luck.

If you drop a pair of scissors and they stick in the floor, it is a sign that somebody is coming.

He'll take anything that isn't too hot to hold or too heavy to carry. (Refers to someone who will steal anything)

It's not the worth of a thing but the want of it that makes its value.

Not worth a tinker's damn. (Not worth much)

Proud as a peacock. (Refers to a vain or self-centered person)

Root hog or die. (Do your work or fail)

Scarce as hen's teeth. (Refers to something that is very uncommon)

Sneezing three times in succession is sign of a stranger coming.

Soot falling down the chimney is a sign of rain.

Teach your Granny to suck eggs.  (Don't offer advice to someone who has more experience.)




On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, seven swans a-swimmin', six geese a-layin', five golden rings, four colly birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Pilgrim Geese

When I worked at Virginia's Explore Park, one of my jobs was to care for the historic breeds of farm animals. While there were aspects of animal care that were not exactly fun, it was one of my favorite tasks. All of the animals that we had were minor breed animals. (For more about minor or rare breeds, click here.)

The Park had geese from the time it opened in 1994 until 2006. Over that time span, I allowed the geese to hatch out goslings three or four times. The goslings went to other historical parks like Booker T Washington National Monument in Franklin County, Virginia. One year, I had the heartbreak of coming in one morning only to find that some wild critter had managed to get into the goose pen and kill all of the goslings. We thought that we had the pens wired up like Fort Knox, but fowl-eating creatures are a sneaky lot and they can gain entrance at the most tiny of places.

Hansel, the big white goose that I am holding in the photo below, was my love. He could be a real meany and he was not really discriminating about who he would chase and bite and that included me as well as co-workers and park visitors. I still have scars on my legs where he would bite me and take a chunk of hide with him! While some of my co-workers took to calling him "Lucifer", I really had to respect him.  He was protecting his mate, family and territory. He was simply being a good goose, doing goosey things. In an effort to make him more friendly to his caretakers, I jokingly gave him what I called "Goose Therapy". This involved catching and petting him on a regular basis no matter how much he seemed to dislike it in the beginning. You can see in the photo, he is not trying to bite me and he would actually nuzzle his head against me after SEVERAL sessions of goose therapy!

As financial problems began to plague the park and the closing of the park was looking more and more like a reality, I had to find homes for all of the farm animals. The geese went to a farm in Bedford County.  I think about all of the animals often, but Hansel especially. It is very likely that he could still be alive since Pilgrim Geese can live to be 40 years old  Hansel was only 15 when I had to say goodbye.

Me and Hansel

Lilly warns me to back off from her babies by hissing

Hansel would do more than hiss at me for getting close.  He would BITE!

Hello!  Ain't  I cute?

This is how to swim, children.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, six geese a-layin, five golden rings, four colly birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. 

Cherry Bounce Revisited

My very first blog post on July 2, 2011, was about making Cherry Bounce. After the cherries, honey and bourbon were mixed, it was supposed to be kept in a cool place for approximately six months.  I figured that Christmas Day was close enough to six months for me to give it a try!

Cherry Bounce just after it was made back in July

It is suggested that it be drank neat, so that is what we tried. My husband says that it tastes like medicine, but I think that  it is sweet and smooth. I am a huge fan of Cherry Dr. Pepper and what would make more sense than to mix some of the Cherry Bounce with it?! Very yummy indeed.

The only cool place that I had to keep the Bounce was in the fridge.
That is why the jar is covered with condensation..

Since the recipe also mentions putting some of the cherries over ice cream, I thought that I would give one of the cherries a taste.  Ooooooo-WEEEEE!  That was a STRONG cherry!   Perhaps if the cherries were chopped up and then put on the ice cream, it might be pretty good.

The Bounce turned a deep garnet red.

Over all, I would give Cherry Bounce two thumbs up!

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. 

Christmas Lore--Day 23

A Visit from St. Nicholas

(also known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas")

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. 

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

Now, Dasher! now, Dancer!, now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid!  on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes--how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Click here to read a 1912 illustrated version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas."

This poem was first published anonymously in 1823, but it is generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, but it may have actually been written by Henry Livingston, Jr. For more about the debate over who wrote this poem, click here.

Christmas Lore--Day 22

From:  Youth's Keepsake Christmas and New Year's Gift for Young People
1841

The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree plays such an important role in our celebration of Christmas, that it is difficult to imagine the holiday without a shiny, sparkling tree. The Christmas tree is a relative newcomer to the holiday season.

As early as 1820, there were some German families in Pennsylvania who were known to have been decorating trees, but the custom would remain a bit unusual in the United States until well into the 19th century. A Harvard College professor (he was originally from Germany), is known to have set up a Christmas tree in his home in the mid 1830s.

The first Christmas tree in Virginia was, more than likely, one in Williamsburg in 1842. The first recorded tree in western Virginia was in Stanton, Virginia in 1855.

The Christmas Tree--Godey's Ladies' Book December 1855

The early trees were decorated with apples, cookies, popcorn, cranberries, gilded and natural fruits and nuts. Homemade paper items such as paper chains and cornucopias adorned the trees. Candles, which were only lit for brief, magical moments, provided the light on the trees. Even small presents were hung on the trees which were then picked off and passed out to guest.

Virginia's Explore Park--Hofauger House Parlor

The custom of the Christmas tree really caught on when Prince Albert (a German) and Queen Victoria appeared in an 1848 print that was published in magazines. The print showed the royal family gathered around a decorated tree in Windsor Castle. Since Americans copied all things "Queen Victoria", the fashion of having a decorated tree became all the rage. By the 1860s, the modest table top tree had been replaced with full size Christmas trees.

Godey's Ladies' Book December 1850
Queen Victoria, Prince Albert & Family

When I first met my husband in 1999, we had an ornament engraved with our names and the year.  Every year since, we get a special, engraved ornament. The other ornaments on our tree are either from my family or they represent special things in our lives. There are many seashells on the tree because we do go to the beach often and we were married on the beach, there is a NASCAR ornament because my husband loves racing, there is a hand-cranked music box that plays "Pop, Goes the Weasel" because I love that childhood ditty, there are music notes, fiddles, treble clefs, and a trumpet to represent my love of music, and there are doves to represent loved ones who have died.

The Burnette-Dean Family Tree 2011

Christmas Lore--Day 19

Hofauger House parlor, Virginia's Explore Park

Holiday Greenery

There were many different types of greenery used for decorating: holly, mistletoe, arbor-vitae, yew, myrtle, boxwood, running pine, ivy, and pine. They were tied into garland ropes called "wreathing" and draped in festoons around the room, over mirrors, mantels, doors and windows and around pictures. Now, this was supposed to be accomplished without EVER placing the plant material "upside down", as it was believed that foliage must never be placed in a direction contrary to the way it grows in nature or you would have bad luck. (Just try to hang a pine garland and not have some of it sticking in a direction that it does not grow on the tree!) Many folks embellished their wreaths and wreathing with items such as seashells, pinecones, apples and pineapples.  

There were also some flowers used as decorations:  Chrysanthemums, primulas, Christmas roses, camellias, Christmas cactus and poinsettias. If the real flowers were not available, colored paper (especially gilt) was used to make bright flowers and ornaments to place on tabletop trees and for wreathing.  

Most of the decorations, including the tree, would generally be put up on Christmas Eve so that when the children woke up the next morning, they would find their home transformed into a magical place.  

After the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the decorations were taken down,and the edible items were added to the holiday feast. It was bad luck to just throw away greenery or to even let it touch the ground after it was taken down.  It should either be burned or fed to the farm animals. Christmas mistletoe should always be burned on Twelfth Night. If it was just thrown away all of the boys and girls who had kissed under it would never marry.

I can promise you that all of the greenery that I used to decorate the house in the above photo, was burned after I took it down. Goodness knows that I did not want to have any bad luck!