A writer in _Notes and Queries_ (3 series ix. 33) says, "A friend of mine met a girl on Old Christmas Day, in a village of North Somerset, who told him that she was going to see the Christmas Thorn in blossom. He accompanied her to an orchard, where he found a tree, propagated from the celebrated Glastonbury Thorn, and gathered from it several sprigs in blossom. Afterwards, the girl's mother informed him that it had, formerly, been the custom for the youth of both sexes to assemble under the tree at midnight, on Christmas Eve, in order to hear the bursting of the buds into flower; and, she added, 'As they com'd out, you could hear 'em haffer.'"[51] [Footnote 51: Crackle.] This celebration of Christ-tide was not confined to this thorn--some oaks put forth leaves on Christmas day. Aubrey says that an oak in the New Forest "putteth forth young leaves on Christmas-day, for about a week at that time of the yeare. Old Mr. Hastings, of Woodlands, was wont to send a basket full of them to King Charles I. I have seen of them several Christmasses brought to my father. But Mr. Perkins, who lives in the New Forest, sayes that there are two other oakes besides that, which breed green buddes after Christmas day (pollards also), but not constantly." There is yet another bit of Folk-lore anent flowers and Christ-tide which may be found in _The Connoisseur_, No. 56, Feb. 20, 1755. "Our maid, Betty, tells me that, if I go backwards, without speaking a word, into the garden, upon Midsummer Eve, and gather a Rose, and keep it in a clean sheet of paper, without looking at it, 'till Christmas day, it will be as fresh as in June; and, if I then stick it in my bosom, he that is to be my husband will come and take it out." It is perhaps as well to know what will happen to us if the Feast of the Nativity falls on a particular day in the week--as, according to the proverb, "forewarned is fore armed." Nowe takethe heed, euery man, That englisshe vnderstonde can, If that Crystmasse day falle Vpon Sonday, wittethe weel alle, That wynter saysoun shal been esy, Save gret wyndes on lofft shal flye. The somer affter al-so bee drye, And right saysounable, I seye. Beestis and sheepe shal threue right weel, But other vytayle shal fayle, mooste deel.[52] * * * * * Be kynde shal, with-outen lees, Alle landes thanne shal haue pees. But offt-tymes, for synne that is doone, Grace is wyth-drawen from many oone And goode tyme alle thinges for to do; But who-so feelethe, is sone for-do. What chylde that day is borne, Gret and ryche he shal be of Corne.