Swanley History Group – November 2018 meeting
Anyone visiting a local garden centre since August would know that Christmas is on the way as giant themed tableaux and all manner of glittering objects replaced plants and garden sundries. I always wonder if other people change their decorations every year. It is a tradition in our family to bring out the old and tattered ones with all their memories of past Christmas gatherings. To put us in the festive mood Imogen Corrigan shared her knowledge and humorous insights during her entertaining illustrated lecture on Christmas Traditions and Customs at our November meeting.
It seems that Christmas was re-invented by the Victorians but many of our customs can be traced to ancient times. Before the birth of Christ the pagan festival of Saturnalia was celebrated by the Romans. Druids had elaborate rituals removing mistletoe from sacred oak trees with golden knives during The Winter Solstice and our Viking ancestors were venerating their God Thor with complicated procedures involving Yule logs, signifying perpetual fire giving protection and future fertility from the ashes dug into the ground.
Providing special food, including many types of bird such as swans and peacocks, to guests and the poor is widely documented - though turkey was not brought from The Americas until 1524. We are the only country that serves bread sauce. The Christmas pudding dates from the nineteenth century and traditionally contained thirteen ingredients for Christ and The Apostles. Included in the mixture were a small coin (worldly wealth), a ring (love) and a thimble (blessed home life). Another custom was to eat a mince pie in twelve different places for good fortune in each of the twelve months to come, though I do not recall if this was to be done in one day!
Popular in rural areas was The Wassail….Drink Hail ceremonies often performed in orchards when thanks would be offered to the trees which gave fruit during the year by pouring cider and ale over the roots – and down throats too! Have a look for recipes for lamb’s wool – spicy hot ale associated with wassailing. Different areas had their own customs. Wren hunting was practised on the Isle of Man on St Stephen’s Day as this bird was said to have betrayed his hiding place and siren wrens were said to lure sailors to their deaths. In Ireland the gates of paradise are believed to be open on Christmas Eve, allowing all prayers to be answered and animals to talk – though it is bad luck to listen!
Today families go to see stars of stage and screen in pantomimes and this continues traditions of performing throughout the ages when our forebears would have watched mummers performing in nativity plays in villages and the royal courts appointed a Lord of Misrule. Mimed performance originating in Europe evolved into various strands of entertainment such as masques, vaudeville, music hall, and circus and of course pantomime.
Cross-dressing has long been part of the fun.
Christmas cards were first commercially available in 1880. The sight of The Three Wise Men/Kings/Magi on cards does not meet with Imogen’s approval as they did not arrive at the place of Christ’s birth until The Epiphany on 6 January and therefore were still travelling. Her view is that they were Zoroastrians.
The English Father Christmas seems to have originated from figures such as The Lord of Misrule and the pagan Green Man and it is only since Victorian times that he became combined with European St. Nicholas, the bringer of gifts.
If the Puritans had their way many of these traditions would not have survived as they banned celebrations of Christmas. The carol The Twelve Days of Christmas contains hidden messages for Catholics who were not permitted to join church services.
Perhaps our readers growing up in Swanley and district have their own interesting family traditions and customs at Christmas. If so why not add to our memory page by emailing [email protected]
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser
Anyone visiting a local garden centre since August would know that Christmas is on the way as giant themed tableaux and all manner of glittering objects replaced plants and garden sundries. I always wonder if other people change their decorations every year. It is a tradition in our family to bring out the old and tattered ones with all their memories of past Christmas gatherings. To put us in the festive mood Imogen Corrigan shared her knowledge and humorous insights during her entertaining illustrated lecture on Christmas Traditions and Customs at our November meeting.
It seems that Christmas was re-invented by the Victorians but many of our customs can be traced to ancient times. Before the birth of Christ the pagan festival of Saturnalia was celebrated by the Romans. Druids had elaborate rituals removing mistletoe from sacred oak trees with golden knives during The Winter Solstice and our Viking ancestors were venerating their God Thor with complicated procedures involving Yule logs, signifying perpetual fire giving protection and future fertility from the ashes dug into the ground.
Providing special food, including many types of bird such as swans and peacocks, to guests and the poor is widely documented - though turkey was not brought from The Americas until 1524. We are the only country that serves bread sauce. The Christmas pudding dates from the nineteenth century and traditionally contained thirteen ingredients for Christ and The Apostles. Included in the mixture were a small coin (worldly wealth), a ring (love) and a thimble (blessed home life). Another custom was to eat a mince pie in twelve different places for good fortune in each of the twelve months to come, though I do not recall if this was to be done in one day!
Popular in rural areas was The Wassail….Drink Hail ceremonies often performed in orchards when thanks would be offered to the trees which gave fruit during the year by pouring cider and ale over the roots – and down throats too! Have a look for recipes for lamb’s wool – spicy hot ale associated with wassailing. Different areas had their own customs. Wren hunting was practised on the Isle of Man on St Stephen’s Day as this bird was said to have betrayed his hiding place and siren wrens were said to lure sailors to their deaths. In Ireland the gates of paradise are believed to be open on Christmas Eve, allowing all prayers to be answered and animals to talk – though it is bad luck to listen!
Today families go to see stars of stage and screen in pantomimes and this continues traditions of performing throughout the ages when our forebears would have watched mummers performing in nativity plays in villages and the royal courts appointed a Lord of Misrule. Mimed performance originating in Europe evolved into various strands of entertainment such as masques, vaudeville, music hall, and circus and of course pantomime.
Cross-dressing has long been part of the fun.
Christmas cards were first commercially available in 1880. The sight of The Three Wise Men/Kings/Magi on cards does not meet with Imogen’s approval as they did not arrive at the place of Christ’s birth until The Epiphany on 6 January and therefore were still travelling. Her view is that they were Zoroastrians.
The English Father Christmas seems to have originated from figures such as The Lord of Misrule and the pagan Green Man and it is only since Victorian times that he became combined with European St. Nicholas, the bringer of gifts.
If the Puritans had their way many of these traditions would not have survived as they banned celebrations of Christmas. The carol The Twelve Days of Christmas contains hidden messages for Catholics who were not permitted to join church services.
Perhaps our readers growing up in Swanley and district have their own interesting family traditions and customs at Christmas. If so why not add to our memory page by emailing [email protected]
Christina Tyler, Programme Organiser