Pat here:
I’m gathering research material for a Regency Christmas book I hope to have out next year and rather than waste all that fun material, I shall toss it… politely… into your lap. Most of it is pretty common knowledge, and I’m sure the Wenches have done many versions, but in the midst of all the blinking lights and reindeer, it’s nice to be reminded of Ye Olde traditions.
The Regency era lacked many of the German Victorian celebrations that came along with Queen Vicki. The early 1800s were still fairly steeped in the religious/pagan 
traditions of old England. They had no St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas, but Father Christmas populated folk plays as a merry winter sprite with garlands of holly on his head and surrounded by food and drink, possibly a survival of the medieval Lord of Misrule, who was a naughty fellow. (here’s an original image of Ghost #3 from A Christmas Carol, published in 1837, an obvious copy of Father Christmas) During this period, Christmas was a more adult holiday, one for drinking and rowdiness.
And it wasn’t the children who went forth begging but the poor widows and elderly. They’d go A’Thomasing, seeking small handouts on December 21, in honor of St. Thomas, the Apostle. You’ve probably heard one of the songs:
Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat,
Please spare a penny for the old man’s hat,
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do,
If you haven’t got a ha’penny, God bless you.
And that one just sent me down a different bunny hole: caroling. I thought possibly the begging was a source of carolers going from house to house singing, but it’s more complicated than that. Singing at Christmas services dates way back to St. Francis of Assisi, who was a much nicer man than the Church of England, which frowned on such frivolity. The church shouldn’t sound like a tavern, right? We also had people in medieval times (probably drunkenly) going from house to house “wassailing,” which was simply a form of greeting each other and exchanging good wishes. “Here We Come A-Wassailing” is today’s “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The spiced drink that eventually became our eggnog was part of the tradition. But then the Christmas carols became popular and as happens, one tradition ran into another. So if they sang while begging, fine, it all works.
The medieval tradition of giant yule logs burning through the darkest days of the year carried on, although possibly with smaller logs for smaller fireplaces. The pagan warding off of evil by carrying in 
evergreens and holly became “decorating the halls with boughs and holly.” Much of this was banned during the Restoration, but by the Regency era, people were slowly returning to the old ways of brightening the dark days and celebrating the solstice. Mistletoe and kissing boughs came along in the 1700s, well after those boring old Puritans put an end to the vigorous dancing and Lord of Misrule debauchery of earlier periods.
Church became part of the season as well, with most families attending the morning of Christmas Day, a national holiday even in the Regency. In 1700, an old carol “While Shepherds Watched” was finally published in the Book of Common Prayer and became an acceptable hymn since the words pretty much came from the Christmas Story in the Bible. (Regency churches didn’t have hymns so much as sing-song psalms)
Church was followed by the great Christmas feast, of course. House parties of visiting friends and relatives gathered at a table laden with roast geese, boar’s head, multi-bird pies, 
mince meat pies—or if you were of the gentry with access to deer—venison. No nice serving of different courses—it was all laid out for folks to dig in. (I’m hoping the children were sent to their nurseries because the chaos had to be wild, but I’m guessing they weren’t.) After guzzling wine and ale all afternoon, cook would produce the grand finale, the pudding that had been setting up for weeks. After all the alcohol already consumed, it’s amazing they didn’t set themselves on fire by the time they doused the figgy pudding with brandy and lit it. Even the candy jellies contained alcohol!
They had an even better chance of setting themselves ablaze after dinner, while no doubt drunkenly singing the grand old carols “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “The First Noel.” They played Snapdragon! Again, this appears to be a more adult entertainment than children’s. Surely the little ones were sent off to bed once the adults started setting hot brandy on fire in a bowl containing raisins. (although I’ve read passages and seen images that suggest the children were involved!) Our drunken players now had the opportunity to burn their sleeves and their mouths by plucking hot raisins out of flaming brandy and eating them. Want to give it a try this year? I’m wondering if I can fit this scene in somehow…
Oh, lest we forget, as mentioned earlier, they were no doubt singing and playing 
while drinking from the Wassail bowl—a sweetened wine or brandy (all that smuggled French stuff had to be used somehow) seasoned with spices and garnished with apples. I don’t know about you, but I’d be under the table before I left the table. How anyone managed to keep on drinking…
And then finally, the reason for the season, St. Stephen’s Day or Boxing Day, on Dec 26, was the traditional time to reward the servants for putting out the flames and putting their employers to bed the night before. Tenants and tradesmen were also included in the gifting. And depending on one’s generosity, the gifts could be 
anywhere from coins to used clothing.
And for the safety of all, on January 6 or Twelfth Night, all the greenery was removed and burned outside instead of the hall, thank all that was holy!
Do you have (hopefully, somewhat safer) holiday traditions you follow just because that’s what you’ve always done? Or because they’re fun?
There was a meetup I went to a few years ago, and we walked to the beautiful Christmas tree displays in front of luxurious hotels in Manhattan.
Some were so spectacular in the size and ornaments used. Most of us had already seen the big tree at Rockefeller Center at some time in our lives in the city.
It’s not a tradition, but it was a lovely evening memory that happened before the pandemic. The meetup has not been repeated.
oh that’s a shame that you can’t carry on the tradition! It’s magical walking along and admiring all those lovely trees, although I have wondered who has the honor of taking all those ornaments down!
So many traditions have disappeared!
Every years for many years(until about the mid 1990’s, a friend and i would take the train into New York City in December and walk up Fifth Avenue from Lord and Taylor at 38th st to F.A.O. Schwartz at 59 th st. We would pass the tree at Rockefeller Center
And ooh and ahh at all the fun and beautiful window displays and going through the Plaza Hotel(at that time the Grande Dame of Hotels in the City) to see the trees and decorarions and listen to the music in the Palm Court. We ended at Rumplemeyers on Central Park West for the best and richest hot chocolate imaginable. Most lf the stores we saw then are gone now to be replaced by many chain stores, but the memories are just as fresh and sweet as ever.
A friend(who moved away many years ago) and I also used to go to a Carol sing at the square across from her church on the Sunday before Christmas. It was held just before dark and we all held candles and the brass section of the high school band provided the music. It was so much fun. Afterwards we woukd go into fhe Church social hall for hot cider, hot chocolate and cookies. nother tradition that stopped in the late 1990’s, not sure why. But by then my friend had moved away. We still reminisce about it when i speak to her at the time kf year! Sigh…..good times!
So very painfully true that we’ve lost so much. I should write a post on 20th century nostalgia. But you are fortunate to have that opportunity while it lasted and the memories now.
Yes, there so much. I am thankful to have those memories. I wonder if future generations will have any memories outside of what’s on their cellphones that seems to be all they do thesedays.
well, at least they’ll have video in their phones of whatever they’re doing!
I meant to also say what a fun interesting post about old holiday traditions in England.
I wonder if anyone still keeps any of them up anymore? Some of the sounded like such fun!
drinking. I think drinking never goes away… 😉
A lot of my family has scattered or passed away, so we don’t really celebrate Christmas any more. But when I was growing up, we followed the German tradition of opening our gifts on Christmas Eve, after singing a couple of carols(in German, my father insisted!)
Christmas was a day to enjoy our new toys and other gifts. Nowadays, I like to drive around the neighborhoods with the best decorations and gawk at the gaudiest Christmas displays.
ah, I hadn’t realized that was a German tradition! My parents were both orphans and brought no traditions with them, so we made up our own. Singing in German carried on your father’s traditions, which is lovely!
Our Christmas’s tend to run to the same form every year. If I changed anything, the kids ( who are all adults now), would have a fit. They like everything to be just as it was and to be honest that suits me fine. I enjoy it too. I love cooking the Christmas dinner and I’m quite happy in the kitchen with my Christmas songs playing in the background, sipping a glass of wine. Dinner always turns out ok 🙂
Then it’s Christmas movies in front of the tv. One daughter won’t be here this year. She’s recently bought a house in London and is looking forward to starting her own traditions. With her cat, who’s like her baby!
Lovely post and enjoyed reading about the old traditions. I’m surprised people didn’t live a lot longer then, they must have been pickled!!!!
I think we need the comfort of tradition and yours sounds relaxing and wonderful. And London… maybe you need to rethink Christmas next year and go visit!
LOL on the pickled. Maybe it was all the walking they did while gathering greens that kept them healthy.
OH! Thank you everyone for the memories. My father’s family were the largest number and the loudest. They were basically Welsh and those traditions were the ones which survived. Church on Christmas Eve. One gift and then to bed. And the next day, gift paper everywhere. Eating and eating. The pictures from that time show kids all over the floor and the adults sitting with glasses in their hands.
Now we live all over the country. Those adults are all gone. And so are many of the kids. In those pictures we all looked so healthy and strong. Turns out we weren’t. Your post was a treasure. I know the words to all those carols. Even the half penny song. In this country we have been so blessed to be able to draw on and share all those customs from all those places that sent us here. Something as simple as looking at the wonderful Christmas windows in those stores that no longer exist feel like a loss now. Sorry for being so maudlin, but in my head I am singing old carols.
Sing away! Our mobile society must find its own traditions, I suppose, but it will never be the same for us.
Thank you for your informative and entertaining post, Pat. And thank you also to all who have commented; I’ve chuckled and also sighed with recognition.
Our Christmas traditions include decorating our tree, sending holiday cards and a letter containing our news of the year, the playing of our stack of holiday music (that comes out with the decorations), giving and receiving gifts, spending time with family, good food, and an over indulgence in yummy treats.
Happy holidays to all!
we’ve had some lovely comments, haven’t we? We play our holiday music while wrapping presents these days, but when we had a big tree, we did it then too!