Folklore of England

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23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

Folklore from the old calendars

Bees singing on Christmas Eve Lore and belief EnglandAlongside the belief that the cattle knelt in their stalls at midnight on Christmas Eve, it was said that the bees sang in their hives at the same hour.
Born on Christmas Eve, blind to ghosts Lore and belief EnglandPeople born on Christmas Eve were thought to be unable to see spirits, even when a dog at their side plainly saw one and crept whining to its master.
Christmas beer for the Cornish carol singers Still kept CornwallIn the west of Cornwall carol singers went from house to house at Christmas wherever they were encouraged, and in some parishes met in church on Christmas Eve to sing in the morning.
Dives on the serpent’s knee No longer kept WarwickshireAt Christmas the street carol singers of Warwickshire still sang Dives and Lazarus, in which two serpents come out of hell for the rich man's soul and tell him he has a place provided there to sit upon a serpent's knee.
Frumenty on Christmas Eve No longer kept YorkshireMr Beckwith told the Gentleman's Magazine in 1784 that in the country about Rotherham frumenty had always been the breakfast and supper on Christmas Eve within his memory.
Greening the church Still kept EnglandOld church calendars marked Christmas Eve with the words templa exornantur, churches are decked.
Hagmena at Newcastle No longer kept NorthumberlandLittle troops of boys and girls at Newcastle upon Tyne and other places in the north of England went from house to house a few nights before Christmas, on Christmas Eve and on Christmas night, knocking and singing.
Hoodening Still kept KentAt Ramsgate the Christmas festivities began with a hoodening.
Ivy and holly to deck the house Still kept EnglandAt Christmas the farmer's wife decked the house with ivy and holly and boiled and soused the brawn.
Ivy or his breeches No longer kept OxfordshireAubrey recorded that in several parts of Oxfordshire it was the custom at Christmas for the maidservant to ask the manservant for ivy to decorate the house.
Keeping back the yule-cake Lore and belief LincolnshireOn Christmas Eve in Lincolnshire the yule-clog blazed and the yule-candle burned while the family ate slices of yule-cake toasted and soaked in spiced ale.
Kissing under the mistletoe Still kept EnglandBrand found that mistletoe was kept out of churches, where one sexton told him it had once been put up and the clergyman at once ordered it down, but that it was hung in state in the kitchen.
Lamb’s-wool on Christmas Eve No longer kept EnglandOn Christmas Eve apples were roasted on a string until they dropped into a large bowl of spiced ale, and the mixture was drunk as lamb's-wool.
Milly-boxes in the West Riding No longer kept YorkshireAt Christmas the children of the West Riding carried figures of the Virgin and Child from door to door in boxes lined with spice, oranges and sugar.
Mistletoe at York Minster No longer kept YorkshireStukeley, writing in the eighteenth century, said that within the last hundred years mistletoe had been carried to the high altar of York Minster on Christmas Eve.
Modranicht, the night of the mothers No longer kept EnglandThe heathen English called the night before Christmas Day Modranicht, the mothers' night, and kept ceremonies through it without sleeping.
Myrtle and laurustinum for Christmas in the West Still kept West CountryIn the West of England houses were decked for Christmas with myrtle and laurustinum as well as holly and mistletoe.
No stirring the fire at the Yule supper Lore and belief Northern EnglandAt the northern Christmas Eve supper nobody was to stir the fire, move the candlestick or snuff the Yule candle, and nobody left the table until the meal was over.
Old folks’ night in Cumberland No longer kept CumberlandA Cumberland correspondent told Hone that with Christmas Eve began a round of feasts and merrymakings that kept farmhouse fires and candles burning until the small hours night after night.
Pepper-cake and the Christmas cheese No longer kept YorkshireIn Cleveland the master of the house cut the Christmas cheese on Christmas Eve, and it sat on a platter beneath a thick gingerbread called pepper-cake.
Psaltries for luck while the Yule log kindles No longer kept EnglandOn Christmas Eve the new log was lit from last year's brand, and music was played while it caught so that good luck would come with its burning.
Rosemary and bays in St Margaret’s at Christmas 1647 No longer kept LondonIn 1647, when Parliament had forbidden the keeping of Christmas, the churchwardens of St Margaret's, Westminster, still paid for rosemary and bays to be stuck about the church.
Rumbald Night at Folkestone No longer kept KentHasted recorded that the fishermen of Folkestone used to pick out eight of the largest and best whitings from every boat on its return from the whiting fishery and sell them apart.

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

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