Folklore of Cornwall

6 December, not tied to the day

Folklore from the old calendars

An ancient Cornish mince-meat Still kept CornwallSandys printed a mince-meat receipt handed down in a Cornish family for many generations, headed as an ancient Cornish custom at Christmas.
Carminow’s twelve fat bullocks No longer kept CornwallJohn Carminow, of a leading Cornish family in the time of Henry VIII, kept open house through the twelve days of Christmas for all comers, drinkers, minstrels and dancers.
Geese-dancers in Cornwall Still kept CornwallBesides the St George players, Cornish guisards or geese-dancers went about at Christmas visiting the houses, the men and women often dressed in each other's clothes.
Lighting the candle from the pole No longer kept CornwallOne of the Christmas games of the country people of west Cornwall was played on a round pole about ten feet long laid between two chairs, with a lighted candle on one of them.
St George and General Wolfe in West Cornwall No longer kept CornwallAt Christmas young people in the west of Cornwall went round the towns, inns and gentlemen's houses acting the doggerel play of St George for money.
West Country church carols Still kept Cornwall, DevonDavies Gilbert, who published the old carols of the West of England with their tunes, said that on Christmas Day they were sung in place of the psalms in all the churches, above all at the afternoon service, with the whole congregation joining in.