Folklore of West Country

6 December

6 December, not tied to the day

the first Thursday on or after 11 December

21 December

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

Folklore from the old calendars

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.
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.
The ashen faggot Still kept DevonIn Devon the Yule log took the form of the ashen faggot, a bundle of ash sticks bound with bands of ash, ideally nine of them.
The Christmas Eve orchard wassail Still kept Devon, Hampshire, NorfolkOn Christmas Eve in parts of Devon the farmer, his family and friends ate hot cakes dipped in cider, then carried cake and cider to the chief apple tree in the orchard.
The kneeling oxen Lore and belief Cornwall, DevonIn west Devon and Cornwall it was believed that at midnight on Christmas Eve the oxen in their stalls knelt as if in prayer, and after the change of calendar they were said to do it only on Old Christmas Eve.
The Yule log and the mock Lore and belief Cornwall, EnglandThe Yule log was brought in with ceremony on Christmas Eve and lit from the saved remains of the year before.

25 December

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.
Christmas carols in Scilly church No longer kept Isles of ScillyHeath's account of the Isles of Scilly described the islanders singing carols in church on Christmas Day.
Christmas weather lore Lore and belief Devon, England, ScotlandAn old song in the Harleian manuscripts foretold the year by the weekday of Christmas: a Sunday Christmas meant a good winter, a fair summer and peace, while a Saturday one brought storms that killed man and beast, failing crops and dying children.
Christmas with the Devonshire farmers No longer kept DevonIn The Vindication of Christmas of 1653, Father Christmas said his best welcome in the Puritan years had been among the country farmers of Devonshire.
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.
Goose in the West, turkey in London Still kept London, West CountryIn Sandys's day the Christmas dinner divided by region: goose was the dish in the western counties, while turkey prevailed in London.
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.
The Ashton faggot at Lydeard No longer kept SomersetAt Christmas, Lydeard St Lawrence in Somerset burned a hooped bundle of sticks called the Ashton faggot, and a quart of cider went to those who watched.
The boy bishop tickled to death No longer kept WiltshireThe choristers of Salisbury Cathedral told of a boy bishop who fell melancholy in his term of office, so the other choirboys tickled him to make him merry and tickled him to death.

Folklore of the West Country

6 December

6 December, not tied to the day

the first Thursday on or after 11 December

21 December

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

25 December

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