The Star-Journal of 1939 is not among the most tightly edited newspapers I’ve encountered during my three years of browsing microfilm for Yesterday’s News. This holiday column by “the Office Boy” is typical: The writer has a few interesting nuggets to share, but the reader had to plow through a meandering, disjointed mess to collect them all. It’s doubtful that any of his assertions were fact-checked. But give him credit for displaying a little attitude. All in all, it has the slapdash, know-it-all feel of … a blog.

MISTLETOE A VIKING MYTH

But It’ll Get You a Kiss, Gals!

By THE OFFICE BOY

That kiss you’ll get under the mistletoe, girls, you can chalk up to Scandinavian mythology.

So, when he plants that smack on your lips you can tell him how this mistletoe business started, and maybe he’ll kiss you again on account of he’ll think you’re so smart.

The custom goes way back to a dream Baldur, god of poetry and eloquence, had. He dreamed he would be killed in battle. To avert this his mother, Freja, invoked the powers of nature to an oath that they would not harm Baldur.

Only the mistletoe, a parasitic plant considered too insignificant to do harm, was left out.

	Pucker up, buttercup.

Loki, most powerful of the gods, discovered the mistletoe could harm Baldur. He gave an arrow of mistletoe to the blind god Heda, who shot it and killed Baldur.

The gods then dedicated the mistletoe to Freja, and those who pass under it receive a kiss from her to signify it is no longer an instrument of death and hatred – she has forgiven.

And when you admire that tree, you’re looking at something else that dates way back.

Martin Luther supposedly cut a small pine and placed candles on it to represent the stars in the heavens. But it is a half century after his death before any reference to a Christmas tree is noted in history.

A Viking myth relates that three angels sent by God to find a suitable Christmas symbol chose the balsam, as it was as high as hope and as wide as love, and bore the sign of the cross on every bough.

Another legend says the fir is the tree of life. After Eve picked the forbidden fruit, the leaves shrank to needles and the fruit dried to cones.

Adam brought a branch of it when he was kicked out of the garden of Eden. The offspring of that branch, it was said, was used for the cross.

Another legend tells that Joseph, Mary and the Christ child found shelter in the branches of a huge pine. An angel raised his hand and blessed the tree.

If you cut a pine cone length-wise, the hand of the angel may be seen embedded in its heart.

Want some more education? Remember all this, girls, and keep the fella spellbound.

The original Santa Claus was the bishop of Myra, in Lucia, Asia minor. He lived in the third century. He inherited huge sums of money and spent his life giving it to the poor.

The Santa Claus we visualize is the conception of Thomas Nast, illustrator who created the GOP elephant and the Democratic donkey. Santa, however, is no politician.

The little act of squeezing down the chimney Santa does exclusively for American kids. It’s a Yankee invention.

He’s a pretty busy fellow. He made a quick trip to Holland and Belgium Dec. 5. In Holland he wore a silk robe with gold embroidery and glistening gems and rode a white horse.

In the Scandinavia countries he is an elf named Tomte Gubbe or Vissen.

In Italy, Siberia and Russia he changes into a bent old woman. In Italy they call him (her) Belfana.

In Russia it’s Baboushka.

In Switzerland he appears as an angel in a sleigh with six reindeer.

In France he’s a child and is called Petit Noel.

The Africans call him Sanga, and he comes as a spirit.

Santa’s as good as Charles Laughton at this character stuff.

In the far east they call him Hotie. He covers Spain on a camel, and is called Balthasar. He goes to Hawaii by boat, and flies to Puerto Rico. In some Balkan sections, where the calendar is 13 days behind, he doesn’t show up until Jan. 7. The mountain tribes there call him Boshitch.

It’s all right if you know what it means.

Santa’s really a very busy person these days.

No wonder I didn’t get an answer to my letter.

A creepy-looking Santa Claus leaned out of his car to unload “gifts” on poor, unsuspecting children in Minneapolis in about 1938. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

The message on this spectacular light display at 4719 Aldrich Av. N., Minneapolis, in 1939: Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men — and Keep Off. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

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