Christmas and New Year

The twelve days of Christmas and the turn of the year.

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The year from Thursday 14 January

Friday 15 January

Fri 15 Jan from 18:30
Custom

Aberystwyth Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Sets off from Aberystwyth Bandstand, Ceredigion

Saturday 16 January

Sat 16 Jan from 18:30
Custom

Caerleon Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Goldcroft Inn, Caerleon, Newport

Folklore from the old calendars

A boon asked on Christmas Day Lore and belief EnglandIt was believed that anyone in a clean life who asked God for a boon on Christmas Day would be granted it, so far as it was right and good for him.
A cake on the horns of the finest ox No longer kept WalesOn Christmas Eve in many parts of Wales the master of the house made a bowl of hot spiced beer and the mistress brought a cake, both decked with holly and ivy, and the household carried them in procession to the stall of their finest ox.
A Christmas feed for the beasts No longer kept StirlingshireIn former times the charity of Christmas and New Year was extended to the animals.
A crown under the chaplains’ plates No longer kept LondonThe last trace of the royal New Year's gift at court was a crown-piece laid under the plate of each chaplain in waiting on New Year's Day.
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 favoured youth for first-foot Still kept Northern EnglandThe first person over the threshold on New Year's Day was thought to shape the family's luck, above all the daughters', for the whole year.
A fool that marries at Yule Lore and belief Northern EnglandA northern saying called anyone who married at Yule a fool, because the baby would come just when the corn needed cutting.
A giblet pie at Christmas in Newcastle No longer kept NorthumberlandIn Newcastle almost every household, however poor, had a giblet pie at Christmas.
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.
A male first foot on Christmas morning Lore and belief EnglandEllis recorded a set of Christmas beliefs alongside the vessel-cup carol.
A needle and thread at Queen’s College Still kept OxfordshireOn New Year's morning at Queen's College, Oxford, the dean or bursar gave every fellow and scholar a threaded needle, saying take this and be a good husband.
A new carol every Christmas No longer kept WalesIn Wales a new Christmas carol was usually written each year by a local poet or rhymer and sung in church after the morning or evening service.
A New Year’s song at the door No longer kept EnglandAt the New Year people wished each other a good year whenever a gift was given or friends met, and singers came to the door with a New Year's song whose burden was a wish for a happy New Year.
A parliament on St Thomas’s Eve at the Inner Temple No longer kept LondonOn St Thomas's Eve the lawyers of the Inner Temple held a mock parliament to decide whether they would keep a grand Christmas that year.
A turf for Fingan’s Eve No longer kept Isle of ManManx people once went into the mountains before Christmas to catch deer and sheep, and in the evening lit a large fire on top of every cliff.
A yawning match for a Cheshire cheese No longer kept EnglandAmong the Christmas gambols Addison had seen was a yawning match for a Cheshire cheese, which began about midnight when everyone was drowsy.
Aderyn bee y llwyd on Old Christmas Day No longer kept WalesOn Old Christmas Day a party in Wales went from house to house with the Aderyn bee y llwyd, the bird with the grey beak, made from the skull of a horse with false eyes and ears, ribbons and coloured paper.
Ale for as long as the Christmas block burns No longer kept Northern EnglandIn northern farmhouses the servants laid by a large knotty block of wood for the Christmas fire, and for as long as it lasted they were entitled by custom to ale with their meals.
Alexander and the King of Egypt No longer kept CumberlandA Whitehaven correspondent sent Hone the printed text of the mummers' play acted there every Christmas by companies of boys.
All hail to the Moon after New Year’s Day Lore and belief EnglandAt the first new moon after New Year's Day, anyone wishing to see a future husband or wife went out in the evening, stood over the spars of a gate or stile, and hailed the moon with a rhyme asking it to reveal who that should be.
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.
As many mince pies, so many happy months Lore and belief Cumberland, WestmorlandIn Westmorland and Cumberland it was said that you would have as many happy months in the coming year as mince pies you tasted at Christmas.
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.
Bid feasting adieu when Christmas is ended No longer kept EnglandOnce Christmas was over the farmer said goodbye to feasting and turned to rearing his stock.
Bleeding the horses No longer kept EnglandIt was an old belief that on St Stephen's Day horses should be galloped hard and then bled, to keep them free of disease for the coming year.
Bloccyn gwilian, the festival block No longer kept WalesThe Welsh Christmas log was called bloccyn gwilian, the festival block, and it had to be big enough to burn right through the twelve days of Christmas.
Blowing the Yule-Girth at York No longer kept YorkshireAn old custom book of the city of York, printed by Leland, set down that on St Thomas's Day before Yule the sheriffs heard a mass of St Thomas at All Hallows on the Pavement.
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.
Bread from Paddington steeple No longer kept LondonPaddington gave out bread, cheese and beer to its parishioners on the Sunday before Christmas, from land said to have been left by two maiden gentlewomen.
Buying fire with a pin Lore and belief HerefordshireOn Old Christmas Day in Herefordshire nobody might borrow fire from a neighbour; it had to be bought with some trifle, such as a pin.
Cards only at Christmas No longer kept EnglandPeople who never touched a card for the rest of the year felt bound to play a few games 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.
Carols after midnight in Wales Still kept WalesHone found that carol singing, unknown in Presbyterian Scotland, was kept up in Wales more fully than in England.
Carols from Christmas dawn to Twelfth Day No longer kept EnglandAs soon as it grew light on Christmas morning the common people began to sing a Christmas carol, and carols went on being sung until Twelfth Day, alongside the New Year's songs and the one with the burden Hagmena.
Charming the first new moon of the year Lore and belief England, YorkshireTo learn whom she would marry, a girl went out on the evening the first new moon appeared after New Year's Day, stood over the bars of a gate or stile, and hailed the moon.
Childermas Lore and belief Cornwall, EnglandHoly Innocents' Day, or Childermas, was reckoned the unluckiest day of the year, and no one who could help it began any work or undertaking on it.
Choosing husbands and wives by streaks in the ashes Lore and belief EnglandIn the Christmas holidays young people read streaks in the ash-heap to learn who they would marry.
Christ’s mass-box No longer kept EnglandTaylor traced the Christmas box to a box kept on board ships, into which the poor put money so that priests would pray to a saint for the vessel's safe return.
Christmas as Saturnalia in Moray No longer kept MorayChristmas was the only yearly festival kept by the people of Moray, and they kept it more like the old Roman Saturnalia than the birth of Christ.
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.
Christmas broth and beef at Mains No longer kept AngusIn 1760 the people of Mains, outside Dundee, visited one another only once a year, at Christmas.
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 comes but once a year Still kept EnglandThe saying that Christmas comes but once a year is found in Tusser's verses on the farmer's diet, added in the edition of 1580, as the reason to play and make good cheer at Christmas.
Christmas Day in the Highlands No longer kept HighlandsGrant's Popular Superstitions of the Highlands described a Highland Christmas.
Christmas dinner at Holm Cultram Abbey No longer kept CumberlandBefore the Dissolution every tenant of Holm Cultram and his wife dined at the abbey at Christmas.
Christmas husbandly fare No longer kept EnglandA farmer's Christmas table had brawn, pudding and souse with mustard, beef, mutton and pork, shred pies, pig, veal, goose, capon and turkey.
Christmas on a Sunday or a Saturday Lore and belief EnglandIt was thought very lucky when Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, and ill-omened when it fell on a Saturday.
Christmas only in the red letters No longer kept EnglandBy 1740 Poor Robin was complaining that the old Christmas could only be found in the red letters of the almanacs.
Christmas pie and plum porridge Still kept EnglandEvery family once made a great Christmas pie, which Misson found stuffed with neats' tongues, chicken, eggs, sugar, raisins, peel and spice, and Brand said that in the north of England goose was always its chief ingredient.
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.

Friday 15 January

Aberystwyth Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Saturday 16 January

Caerleon Mari Lwyd for Hen Galan

Folklore from the old calendars

Image credits