Doors of the Bialystoker Synagogue, Lower East Side

{Today is the first day of Chanukah}

"Another delightful legend of the Harz Mountain Firs tells of a poor miner family.

The father became ill, leaving his wife and children without food or fuel. Each morning

the wife would climb one of these mountains to pick up cones to sell as fuel for another

day's living. As she entered the woods near Chrimastide a little old imp jumped out

from a Fir tree and said to her, "Take only the cones under this tree, for they are the best.

The woman thanked him, and as she started to pick up the cones there was such a downfall

of them that she was firghtened. Her basket was soon full. As she started home it became

heavier and heavier, until she could scarecly reach her door. When she emptied the cones

upon her table, every one of them was made of pure silver. Even now Fir cones are gathered

and covered with a silver-like sulphur paint and placed in bags to burn and

crackle gayly in our Chirstmas fires."

(...told by Fae Huttenlocher in Better Homes and Gardens, December, 1933.)

-- from 1001 Christmas Facts and Fancies by Alfred Carl Hottes

''Welcome, Yule, thou merry man,

In worship of this holy day!

Welcome be thou, heaven-king,

Welcome born in one morning,

Welcome for whom we shall sing

Welcome Yule.

Welcome be ye, Stephen and John,

Welcome Innocents every one,

Welcome Thomas, Martyr one:

Welcome be ye, good New Year,

Welcome Twelfth Day, both in fere,

Welcome Saintes lief and dear:

Welcome be ye, Candlemas,

Welcome be ye, queen of bliss,

Welcome both to more and less:

Welcome be ye that are here,

Welecome all, and make good cheer,

Welcome all another year!

Welcome Yule, fifteenth century.

The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928

Days 'til Christmas