Symbol of the Mushroom (2020)
The mushroom is associated with nature and the beauty of the forest. They are considered a good luck symbol. Finding a mushroom is considered a good-luck symbol. Finding a mushroom is considered to be very lucky and means good fortune is at hand. In Germany mushroom ornaments are displayed on Christmas trees in reverence for nature and in hope of good luck in the New Year. I hope finding this mushroom will bring you a safe and Happy New Year!
Frohe Weihnachten und ein gutes neues Jahr!
A Little History Lesson
This tradition likely started with a few magic mushrooms. On the night of the winter solstice, a Koryak shaman (magic man of the indigenous people of the Russian Far East, living on the coastland of the Bering Sea) would gather several hallucinogenic mushrooms called amanita muscaria (fly agaric), and launch himself into a spiritual journey to the tree of life (a large pine), which lived by the North Star and held the answer to all the village’s problems.
The red mushroom with white spots (featured in Super Mario Brothers video games and Smurf cartoons) can be found growing under pine trees (hmm . . . . . . .). To dry the mushrooms, the Sharman would hang them in the pine trees, or put them in a sock and hang them over his fire to dry. (Wait, what?)
To honour the mushroom, the shaman gathered the mushrooms in a large sack wearing a red outfit with white trim or white dots. As this is a very snowy region in the North, getting into his yurt was often a challenge. To get into his yurt he’d climb to the roof with his bag of goodies, go to the hole in the centre of the roof, and slide down the chiminey pole that held the yurt up in the centre. (Seriously? That sound familiar!)
Every story has its origin, and this one was shared, across the continent, and eventually passed down to Victorian England. Many of the early Christmas Cards use the traditional symbol of chimney sweeps was a fly agaric mushrooms.
I guess its fair to say, this tradition started with a doctor and a few magic mushrooms!
This is the seventh geocache hidden to celebrate Christmas (2020), and a twin to the one hanging on our family Christmas Tree.
Christmas Geocaches published in previous years:
2014 - Penguin at Sycamore Park (GC5HCQD) (Archived)
2015 - Christmas Pickle (GC68D8G)
2016 - Nutcracker at 🍁 (GC6YG4Q) (Archived)
2016 - Nutcracker Escapes Mall Cop Prison
2017 - Jingle Bells (GC7GBHM)
2018 - Golden Pig (GC81MVM)
2019 - A Christmas Ornaments (Baubles) (GC8H7JB)