A Fireplace Superstition

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

For me NO snow is a good winter, also being healthy with no flu, not too cold, no car accidents due to icy roads... winter is a mean season here in the cold Switzerland.

4 people like this

theSids

@thesids (22180)

• Bhubaneswar, India

2 Dec 15

What about the snowman

3 people like this

Rosekitty

@Rosekitty (19368)

• San Marcos, Texas

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck good to have a mild winter and no sickness or ice..hope it comes true for you!

1 person likes this

Jeff Moffitt

@moffittjc (121604)

• Gainesville, Florida

2 Dec 15

In your country, can you purchase specially made fireplace logs in the stores? We have that here in the US, they're called Dura-Flame logs, and they are manufactured/treated logs that are guaranteed to light on the first try. I think they are soaked in some kind of flammable liquid so they light right away when you put a flame to them. I guess if you really wanted to cheat the tradition, you could get one of those logs and you would never have a problem getting your fire started in your fireplace!

4 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

No, we cannot buy those kind of logs because they pollute, but we have fire starters made with wood chippings and bees wax, they never fail to start a fire.

2 people like this

Jeff Moffitt

@moffittjc (121604)

• Gainesville, Florida

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck You are right about those self-starting logs. They definitely do a lot of polluting! I usually keep a small basket of sticks and wood shavings, and then either use a small candle or some crumpled up newspaper as a starter. I usually don't have a problem getting my fires going either. I don't like using those Dura-Flame logs.

3 people like this

Jeff Moffitt

@moffittjc (121604)

• Gainesville, Florida

2 Dec 15

@enlightenedpsych2 Yes!!! They soak them in something toxic. I think it even says right on the package that the state of California considers them to be an environmental hazard. I just prefer to light my fires the old fashioned way.

1 person likes this

Koalemos

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Dec 15

Fireplaces are virtually obsolete in Britain now, which is a great shame. It may far easier to turn on the central heating than to build a fire, but the radiators have none of the homely effect that a fire did.

4 people like this

Koalemos

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck Yes, a real fire makes a vast difference during the winter.

3 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

We almost never light the fireplace, we have central heating, but nothing can replace the view of dancing flames during a cold night.

1 person likes this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

2 Dec 15

But people breathe easier now, don't they?

2 people like this

theSids

@thesids (22180)

• Bhubaneswar, India

2 Dec 15

I doubt if we will ever have a fireplace. My city has no snow or even the almost freezing temperatures. As such I have never got a chance to watch logs burn in any fireplace. And I do not think I will keep watching them just for the sake of "logs burning". But the belief sa you write, seems to be logical. If the logs did burn till they could, means the winters are chilly enough, else you would not have let the wood burn till it could.

3 people like this

theSids

@thesids (22180)

• Bhubaneswar, India

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck Ah yes, this sounds better logic and rationale than mine for sure

3 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

The reality is that if the logs are dry, they burn completely, but if they are full of humidity will not. A humid winter is not good, I believe this is the sense of the tradition.

2 people like this

Marie

@Tampa_girl7 (50273)

• United States

2 Dec 15

I have never herd if this tradition before. I do love to watch fireplaces.

4 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

I love watching the fire too, I must be sure to open the trap to prevent the smoke.

2 people like this

Inlemay

@Inlemay (17713)

• South Africa

2 Dec 15

I dont have a fireplace in my home - it would never be used, but i love yours - stunning photo and i can imagine the ambiance

3 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

@Inlemay But my kitchen is ground floor, it's this room that is at basement level, the garden is downhill, so we have one side that is underground and this room that has windows.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

I like to eat in that room, even if it is downstairs and I have to bring everything down from the kitchen.

4 people like this

Inlemay

@Inlemay (17713)

• South Africa

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck the thought of an upstairs kitchen is quite weird - all our kitchens in SA are on ground floor

3 people like this

Morning Girl

@salonga (27775)

• Philippines

3 Dec 15

You have interesting tradition! But I am just curious if you have proven the superstition associated with wood burning true or not?

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

Every superstition has a bit of reality. The wood burns well if it is dry, when the air is humid the logs are wet, they smoke and they do not burn completely. A dry winter is a good winter for the agriculture. All that said, yes the fact that the logs burn well means that the winter will not be too bad.

1 person likes this

Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61102)

• United States

3 Dec 15

We have a fireplace but we don't burn it anymore,it is too inefficient.

2 people like this

Belle Starr (Iz)

@BelleStarr (61102)

• United States

3 Dec 15

@LadyDuck lol The way my fireplace is located you can't sitting watching the flames. I put candles in the fireplace and burn them on Christmas Day.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

Of course it's not efficient, but it's nice looking during the holidays or if you want to grill marshmallows.

1 person likes this

Judy Story

@jstory07 (139725)

• Roseburg, Oregon

3 Dec 15

I hope you have a good winter this year. We have no fireplace.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

I hope too, we are having a weird Autumn, too warm and no rain at all.

Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

2 Dec 15

I rather like that tradition, no fireplace though

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

We use the fireplaces very little, the day of St. Nicholas and during the Christmas holiday, it's a mess to clean.

2 people like this

Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

2 Dec 15

@LadyDuck I want one of those efficient little wood stoves that take sticks and such and burn for while

1 person likes this

frances r

@Dragonairy1 (1722)

• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

2 Dec 15

It sounds like a lovely tradition, we've not got a fire place, but I've got happy memories of them from when I was little. The flames are magical. Your fireplace is lovely, I hope it lights well on sunday

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

We only light the fireplace during the Christmas holidays, it's more because it's nice and cozy than for the heat.

1 person likes this

julito

@antonbunot (11093)

• Calgary, Alberta

2 Dec 15

O, I would love, too. A real log burning not those artificial logs!

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

No, artificial logs are not nice and they do not smell good.

Marsha

@MarshaMusselman (38865)

• Midland, Michigan

3 Dec 15

I do enjoy a fire burning, but I've not had one since beginning to write on the other site. The fireplace is in the living room, while my computer is in the kitchen. Now, I'd be able to enjoy the fire while working on my tablet in front of it, but since we've not used it for over four years I don't want to use it again until I get someone to clean it for us.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

We are obliged to have the fireplace cleaned every two years, if you have intention to use it. In case of accidents, if you did not had it cleaned, the insurance does not pay the damages.

1 person likes this

Marsha

@MarshaMusselman (38865)

• Midland, Michigan

3 Dec 15

@LadyDuck I was hoping to find someone to clean it sometime this year, but never had the chance or extra money. Eventually we'll get it cleaned again and then we'll be able to use it more. I'm holding off knowing there could be problems, even though I'm not sure that the insurance wouldn't pay or would ask whether it had been cleaned recently. I'm not ready to test it out.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

4 Dec 15

@MarshaMusselman We have to prove that we cleaned the fireplace, even the authorities can ask, because an uncleaned fireplace pollutes more.

1 person likes this

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12074)

• United States

2 Dec 15

One of our TV stations burns a log for hours and p,as music. I put it on my DVR. Now I can watch the fireplace and create zero added environmental problems.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

We have to buy wood that is certified to be clean and that do not contain polluting products. Switzerland is a cold country and many families, in addition to traditional heating, also light a fireplace for a couple of hours while they consume their dinner. We are not a polluted country, our fireplaces are checked every two years, we had to install special filters to avoid pollution.

Pat Z Anthony

@PatZAnthony (14749)

• Charlotte, North Carolina

2 Dec 15

We use a fireplace but did not hear of this superstition until now.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

It's possible that this is only a local tradition.

Alfredo Rossi

@amadeo (111938)

• United States

2 Dec 15

we have not started ours yet.Been mild.But it is going to happen soon Want to hear the prediction on this.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

I never had "bad starts", but you never know.

1 person likes this

amnabas

@amnabas (14181)

• Karachi, Pakistan

2 Dec 15

your traditions are making me amaze.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

2 Dec 15

I like to read about traditions around the world, every country has different traditions.

Kimberley

@mom210 (9117)

• United States

2 Dec 15

Oh how I do love a nice roaring fire, we have not used ours this year yet though.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

I have not yet used the fireplace this year, I have everything ready for Sunday.

1 person likes this

shelly

@shellyjaneo (1081)

• United Kingdom

2 Dec 15

We have a log burner but we have only used it once last week and didn't have much luck with it, it didn't burn very well and didn't let off much heat, I will have to give it another go. I don't know what I was doing wrong x

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (471456)

• Switzerland

3 Dec 15

To be honest, a fireplace does not heat very much, you have to stay very close to the burning logs to feel the heat. It is possible your logs were not "aged" enough and still wet.

Christina

@chrisandmark (606)

• United Kingdom

2 Dec 15

Living in Switzerland isn't your fire lit EVERY night through December?! Not many houses in the UK have open fires now and I'd love one - your fireplace is beautiful

2 people like this