1940-12-19 — Page 26

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THE CHINA MAIL SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT, DECEMBER 19, 1940.

Isn't it quite natural that in this Christmas of the past was also as- family re-union, the members who have passed on should come back to the fold in order to be present at the family gathering. Perhaps the force of memory and the re-

WHY CHRISTMAS,

GHOSTS?

By MAURICE NOEL HENNESSY

of

Bed is the Family Ghost. Spirits follow certain families, wherever they may be, and the circuin- starices and reputed causes their appearance vary In nearly every instance. In certain familles they appear to come as a wain – ing against aproaching death or vil, m others, they come 211- IT seems very strange that must mually as

kind of anniversary writers of ghostly phenomena cvent. carefully avoid that all-important question why do ghosts

appenr more at Christmas then

at any othri time of the years

Ghosts me seldom seen on sum- mer evenings, they always seem to choose the festive

season, and even the telling of a ghost story in sunumer seems to lack the charm that it hus when told around a blazing fire, on a wild winter evening.

There appears to be no definite expression of opinion on the sub- jeet, but there are a few outstand- ing features of ghostly apparitions which give us a

solution to the problem.

One of the main categories into which these spirits can be classi-

Eti Scotland and Ireland this type of ghost is most frequent; MOK! of the spirits and spirit stores that enhance the glamour

irish valleys of the Scottish highlands and the are of the family variety. Few of the Scottish fum!- lies of repule are without their ghosts.

Isn't it Natural?

On consideration, an excellent case for the appearance of the family ghost at Christmas can be made. Christmas is the great oc- casion for the gathering together of all the members of a family. From far and near people come to spend the festive season in the bosom of their families. This fact in itself constitutes a feature of the old Christmas that is fast dying

interesting point of view. out, but nevertheless presents un

The snow on a leafless tree makes very strange figures,

miniscences of the past have such psychological effect that imagine- tion runs riot and ghosts are

"seen."

Again, Christmas is the time of

times the latter is feasting and merry making; some- a little more than mere merrymaking. Red wine flows freely and often ghosts ap- pear more often. Readers, draw your own conclusions. Have you ever seen a ghost after a night of Christmas revelry?

A rather interesting idea pre- sents itself in this regard. The

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sociated with snow on the ground;, and like ghosts the snow is white. But, after all, why should ghosts he white, why could they not be blue or yellow or green. But then, there are green ghosts In Scotland, however.

To resume; the trees are bare in winter and the snow on a loulless tree makes very strange figures, indeed many a-stout-hearted per- son has received a scare from a snow-covered limb before now. What then could be seen by some- one whose vision is blurred by the good cheer of Christmas? Ghosts, ghosts, and more ghosts.

A more serious cause for Christ- mas Ghosts is, of course. religion, and here appears to be the must acceptable theory. The fact that the birth of Christianity is the reni significance of Christmas and the fact that Christianity is the source of all things spiritual, pre- sents an important viewpoint for the Ghost lover.

No doubt, much research would present o fine case for this, but at the moment the more obvious facts must be accepted. And these are that Christmas was by the very nature of its beginning asso- ciated with supernatural things. and the modern tendency to see things in the same light is noth- ing more or less than a relle of the ancient forms of the festive season.

Ireland, that land of ghosts, pre- sents a peculiar custom which is really the only one that offers an

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Glam Castle, whose ghost is probably the most famous.

explanation of the Christmas ghost. Away in the west of Conne- maro, in the poor peasants' cot- tages, there is a very strong belief that the Holy Family visit the homes

of the peasantry. Con- sequently, they leave their doors wide open; leave a bright fire in the hearth and prepare the table for three. Of their very humble fare, they lay a generous quantity on the table.

Their belief is really amazing and if they do see spirits at Christ- mas time, they think nothing of it. They expect it rather than look on it as a faint possibility.

Simple Explanations

Then again, spirits often mani- fest their presence in a variety of ways, for example the guttering at a candle, the hooting of an owl, eculiar ticking sounds and vari- ous other ways.

The fact that Christmas fre- quently brings stormy winds might easily account for the guttering of candles, despite the fact that many will avow that when this strange thing happens, there is no draught. A little too much food- dogs frequently suffer from this complaint at Christmas--may ac- count for the howling dogs. Many of the other manifestations may be explained in a similar manner, by some psychological or psysiological happening.

even

Old mansions and castles are usually the "right" places to see ghosts at Christmas. Here again the family element is noticeable, and it would appear that the family ghost is really the Christ- mas ghost. There is scarcely any family castle in Scotland without its ghosts: probably the ghost of Glamis Castle is the most famous.

Even Sir Walter Scott seems to have been scared by this parli- cular ghost. He wrote: "It contains also a curious monument of the peril of feudal times, being a secret chamber, the entrance of which, by the law or custom of the family, must only be known to three persons at once, viz., the Earl of Strathmore, his heir- apparerat, and any third person whom they may take into their confidence."

It

would appear from this quotation that this chamber was the family ghost room. The fol- lowing quotation shows what Scott thought of the Ghost atmosphere of the place. "I must own, that as I heard door after door shut, after my conductor had retired, I began to consider myself too far from the living, and somewhat too near the dead.' 15

Ask One!

Nuns and Monks seem to be a pecullar and frequent aspect of Christmas Ghosts. Here, maybe, religion is the explanation. They 100 may be returning to their own homes at Christmas: back to their monasteries where they spent so many peaceful days.

Careful research has provided no stronger case for the Christmas Ghost. Perhaps you may be more fortunate, or unfortunate than I have been, and may have occasion to ask some Christmas ghost why he calls at the festive season, Does he wish to partake of the festive fare or is it just that he is desir- ous of renewing acquaintance with the old home..

Whatever be the explanation, the. Christmas Ghost is an institu- tion. It is an integral part of the ald. Christmas glamour, and the old ancestral, hall would Сове much of its ancient charm if the, Ghost changed his time to any other time of the year.