Folklore of Yorkshire

6 December

19 December

21 December

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

Folklore from the old calendars

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.
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.
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.
The Cleveland bessel cup No longer kept YorkshireChristmas singers in Cleveland carried a "bessel cup", that is a wassail cup, together with a boxed figure of the Virgin and Child decked with whatever ornaments they could gather.
The devil’s knell at Dewsbury Still kept YorkshireOn Christmas Eve the church bells at Horbury, near Wakefield, and at Dewsbury were tolled as the "devil's knell".

25 December

Folklore from the old calendars

A dark first foot, because Judas was red Lore and belief YorkshireIn parts of the West Riding, the first person to enter a house on Christmas morning and New Year's morning had to be dark-haired, or the year would be unlucky.
A horse and a gig and a good fat pig No longer kept YorkshireAt Christmas the children of Woodhouse near Sheffield went from neighbour to neighbour to beg their Christmas box with a rhyme.
Crying Yule in Yorkshire No longer kept YorkshireBlount wrote that in Yorkshire and other northern parts the people would cry Ule, Ule even in the churches after the Christmas service, as a token of rejoicing, while the common sort ran about the streets singing a rhyme of puddings and nuts.
Mummers who swept the hearth No longer kept YorkshireChristmas mummers at Wakefield would come into a house and, if they found it dirty, sweep the hearth and clean the range, humming "mum-m-m" the whole time.
Red apples at Ripon No longer kept YorkshireAt Ripon on Christmas Day the singing boys came into the church with large baskets of red apples, each with a sprig of rosemary stuck in it, and gave them to the whole congregation.
The Culfer bells of Christmas No longer kept YorkshireIn Josiah Beckwith's parish near Leeds two church bells were rung alternately at seven every morning and evening through the twelve days of Christmas, and at no other time of year.
The kissing bush at York and Newcastle No longer kept Northumberland, YorkshireAt York and Newcastle upon Tyne a kissing bush was hung up at Christmas, made of mistletoe, evergreens, ribbons and oranges.
The Yorkshire gooding carol No longer kept YorkshireOn Christmas morning children in Yorkshire went gooding from house to house, carrying a small Christmas tree as the badge of their errand.

Folklore of Yorkshire

6 December

19 December

21 December

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

25 December

25 December, not tied to the day

26 December

26 December, not tied to the day

31 December

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