Christmas Superstitions & Folklore In Appalachia

Christmas is a magical time not only in Appalachia but throughout the world. There are more traditions associated with this holiday than any other. With Appalachia being rich in superstitions and folklore, I thought it would fun to find a few centered around Christmas to share with you. 

• Eating an apple on Christmas Eve will bring you good luck during the next year.
• Ghosts will never appear to their family on Christmas Day.
• Listen closely to a bee hive on Christmas Eve and you will hear bees humming the Psalms. It is also believed that bees hum the hundredth Psalm from dusk until dawn on Old Christmas (January 6).
• Children who are born on Christmas Day will not be troubled by ghosts and do not have to fear hanging or drowning.
• Water is said to turn to wine at midnight on Christmas Eve but it is bad luck to taste it. 
• A rooster crowing on Christmas Eve scares away evil spirits. Shooting off fireworks or guns works too.
• Christmas Day weather forecasts the weather for the coming year: a warm Christmas foretells a cold Easter; a green Christmas, a white Easter; a windy Christmas will bring a good corn crop.
• It is bad luck for a cat to meow on Christmas Day. If it does, you will be visited by evil spirits every day during the coming year.
• Children born on January 6th (Old Christmas) often develop the powers for healing the sick.
• If you sit under a pine tree on Christmas Day, you can hear angels sing but if you hear them, you'll be on your way to heaven before the next Christmas.

Have you heard any Christmas superstitions or folklore? I'd love to hear them so please let me know in the comments.