It Distaff Day

It's Distaff's Day and time to get back to work after the holidays. (According to Old English tradition, that is.) From Chambers Book of Days, we have this explanation" the first free day after the twelve by which Christmas was formerly celebrated, the 7th of January was a notable one among our ancestors. They jocularly called it St. Distaff's Dag, or Rock Dag, because by women the rock or distaff was then resumed, or proposed to be so. The duty seems to have been considered a dubious one, and when it was complied with, the ploughmen, who on their part scarcely felt called upon on this day to resume work, made it their sport to set the flax a-burning; in requital of which prank, the maids soused the men from the water-pails.

"Partly work and partly play.

Ye must on Saint Distaff's day;

From the plough soon free the team,

Then come home and fother them;

If the maid a spinning goe,

Burn the flax and fire the towe,

Bring in pails of water then

Let the maids bewash the menne;

Give Saint Distaff all the right

Then bid Christmas sports good-night,

And next morrow every one.

To his own vocation."

This is an excellent day for spells involving sewing, weaving, mending, and also for practical jokes and family fun.

Books in PDF format to read:

Lil Bow Wow - What Is A Warlock
Aleister Crowley - White Stains
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today

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