The Goose is getting fat! - REPORT

Imogen started her talk by saying that Christmas seems to start earlier every year with shops selling cards in July and trees decorating high street stores before Armistice Day in November, which she felt was rather too soon! But thank goodness it does have an end date: 6th January.

Every country, region and family have their own Christmas traditions and festivities.  But many people today forget that it is still a Christian celebration. Many Christmas traditions have been muddled due to the early church mixing established Pagan festivities with newer Christian celebrations.

Decorating a house with foliage goes way back beyond Christianity, its roots now lost in the mist of time. The Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia used greenery, but equally it could be a Scandinavian custom. Imogen spoke about the meanings in the language of flowers of traditional Christmas foliage such as holly, ivy and mistletoe. Kissing under the mistletoe appears more common in England than elsewhere but appears to come to us via the Vikings.

The custom of Christmas Trees was brought from Rome to Germany and then to England via Queen Victoria’s German husband Prince Albert. Why a Fir Tree? Legend says it stems from St Boniface who cut down an Oak Tree associated with pagan sacrifices and a Fir Tree sprung up in its place. The giant Fir Tree in Trafalgar Square is a gift from the people of Oslo in thanks for our help to them in WWII. The British Prime Minister even goes to Norway to help choose the tree.

These days Yule Logs are mainly made of chocolate but the cake version represents the custom of burning a log at Yule tide. Yule means the turning of the year and it was a Saxon custom to keep the flame burning to light a log the following year. To ensure it never went out a series of candles passed the flame on so that year on year the yule log was lit by an eternal flame. The ashes of the Yule log were sprinkled on the earth for fertility but never sprinkled on Christmas Day as it was considered insulting.

Christmas Carols, we learnt that the word carol derives from Chorales. In the popular ‘Twelve days of Christmas’ each number is symbolic in Christianity and Imogen outlined each. The ‘Coventry Carol’ is one of the oldest carols but is not exactly about Christmas as it relates to Herod and the Slaughter of the Innocents.

Christmas food in some ages relied on profusion rather than refinement. Although, Henry VIII’s shopping list appeared excessive he was providing a feast for over a hundred of his poorer subjects.  Meat, mostly fowls were the staple of Christmas meals. Geese were in abundance in England prized for feathers used to make quill pens and arrows in wartime. As Geese outnumbered the population they were culled traditionally at Christmas. Turkey was brought from the Americas by a Yorkshire man in the 16th century and Henry VIII would have been the first English monarch to taste it. But Turkey went out of fashion until more recent times. Christmas pudding traditionally had 13 ingredients But, why do we set light to it? Imogen has yet to find that out.   

Nativity plays are tame today compared with the Middle Ages. A Lord of Misrule coordinate games, dancing and masques which could go on from Halloween to Candlemas in February. People dressed up to represent the months of the years and December was always dressed in green and known as Father Christmas in England and Père Noël in France. In Germany he was Santa Claus, traditionally in red and white which were the colours of his alter ego St Nicholas. It was Coca Cola whose Santa Claus set the red outfit in our minds as the Santa we know today. Whilst Washington Irving describing him coming down the chimney to deliver presents has set that belief in children’s minds.

Masques were the forerunners of the Panto mime named so because at first one person mimed the story. The principal boy did not make his (or her) appearance until the 19th century and originally Cinderella didn’t have Buttons and Aladdin was without Widow Twankey and her son Wishy Washy. These were introduced into the story later

Wassailing was an Anglo Saxon drinking pastime to help produce crops in the coming year. There are many different versions of this tradition often involved beating trees.

First Footing, it was thought good luck for a young man, to knock on your door bearing Salt and Bread. In the discussion after the talk we learnt that coal was also brought and the tradition regarding the man varied from area to area. In one place he might be the tallest man, whilst in others the eldest man, but he was always dark.  

The Puritans and Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas celebrations and Christmas church services too. This caused riots all over the country including one at Canterbury in 1647.

Nativity scenes should not show the Magi or Wisemen because as they never set out until the birth they did not arrive until well after the event. Although, there were three presents some people suggest there were more than three wisemen.

Joseph appears glum in the Nativity and people have inferred that he was upset at Mary’s pregnancy as he was not the father. But Imogen suggested that he must have been a mature man to be chosen and that he and Mary were very much an item. She thinks Joseph is contemplating the huge task he has been given.

In the bible’s account of the birth of Jesus the Ox and Ass are not mentioned and yet are always featured in the stable scene. This comes from Charlemagne who on hearing that the Ox and Ass would recognise Jesus at the second coming ordered that they should always be in a Nativity scene.

Although, Christmas decorations must come down by the 6th January or stay until the next Christmas for fear of bad luck the Nativity can stay in churches until Candlemas in February.

Boxing Day many people think was so called as it was when you packed away your presents but actually it is traditionally the day when money was put in the Poor Box.

Imogen ended by saying Christmas is a time of self-indulgence when we realise how lucky and blessed, we are and she thought it very apt that her talk to us was on St Nicholas Eve.  She then hoped she could be the first to wish us all “Happy Saturnalia”.

Report by Tricia Baxter