www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West dressing geese

"Seamas" is properly spelled as I just did. Nickname version is often "Seamie". Incognitus

Dear Father Doctor Deacon & friends,

I suspect that outside of Ohio, Indiana and some parts of West-by-Gawd-Virginia, the practice of dressing concrete geese is pretty well unknown. I mentioned it to my sister, who lives in Colorado, and she acted like I was speaking Old High Martian.

For the benefit of those who dwell elsewhwere, permit me to explain that this is a WIDESPREAD practice in our parts. Most garden-type stores sell a variety of statuary and other lawn impedimenta. Hands down, the most popular are the unpainted, life-sized concrete geese. People purchase one (or more), take them home, place them prominently on their doorsteps, and dress them. A ferocious cottage industry has developed in goose clothes.

I kid you not, I was driving through a neighborhood one day. It had begun to rain, A woman poked her head out of her front door, snatched the blue gingham dress off her goose, popped on the yellow rain slicker, and disappeared back into the house. This is rather extreme, but most folks who own geese end up with quite a variety of outfits.

My father and stepmother received a goose when they got married. Of course, THEY weren't going to dress the thing....or at least they weren't going to buy more than one outfit..... Yah, sure. It's got a Michigan State University suit (my dad is an alum) a cardinal suit (Ohio's state bird) a variety of dresses, a patriotic suit, and a wedding gown. I plead guilty to having created that last - the *only* goose clothing I have ever made. They got married very quietly, didn't want anybody to come or take pictures. Well, we lovingly ambushed them at the courthouse with cameras (they both have children & grandchildren). I have keys to their house. While they were on honeymoon, I filched the goose's (then) one dress to use for a pattern, and went wild with a couple bucks worth of satin and lace. Their house is on a corner, and the goose is visible from the street, standing on their back porch. My father reports he almost lost control of the vehicle when they came in sight of their house and saw the goose dressed all in white with a four foot veil.

Personally I don't think there is any religious significance to it at all. I think most goose-dressers are clueless about saints or English folk piety, but they sure miss dressing their dolls. It's a harmless aberration. Mostly....

For the record, I do not own a goose. While I was stitching the wedding gown, my husband jokingly sighed and said "Now you'll want one." I apparently replied (I have no memory of this conversation) "that would be out of character." He apparently pursued the matter further, and I replied that a gargoyle would be far more appropriate. As of my birthday that year, I do own a gargoyle. Undressed. (YES! a NAKED GARGOYLE!!)

Cheers from the nutty Midwest,

Sharon

It is correct that Seamus has nothing to do with John. Seamus & James and Sean = John.
It was a coustom in Catholic Norway to have Jonsok
and Olsok but then when we get to Michael the Arcangel it is Mikelsmesse. The Lutherans have gone further and further from their ancestral practice. But some of the feast are still kept in the Norsk Salme Bok of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Stephanos I

Dear Stephanos,

Can we drop this already?

Unless, of course, you can share with us your own recipe on how best to prepare a goose for Michaelmas . . .

Alex

Alex dear, if you drop a concrete goose on your foot, it hurts.

And I'm not pulling your leg.


Sharon