Britain’s forgotten Christmas traditions

We all have our own traditions when it comes to Christmas, maybe you all get new pyjamas to go to bed with on Christmas Eve, maybe you leave out a treat for Father Christmas or if you don’t celebrate or celebrate a different holiday in your house hold, there are other traditions that are special to you. Did you know though that Britain’s general Christmas traditions have changed throughout the years and some have disappeared completely.

Here are some of the forgotten traditions that would have been part of the Christmas celebrations in years gone by.

The Lord of Misrule

This is something the royal family would have definitely done back in the day – especially pre Tudor England. Under the tradition, a member of the royal court would be made Lord of Misrule, allowing them to be mayor of their town or city for the Christmas season and would provide entertainment to all who lived there. Henry VIII ended up banning the practice but Elizabeth I and the Stuarts did bring it back briefly.

First footing

In a tradition that was observed mainly in England and Scotland, first footing was the idea that the first person to cross the threshold on Christmas Eve brought good luck with them. Personally, we think this one should come back!

Going to bed with an onion

Yes, you read that right. For over three centuries, women in Britain would take an onion to bed with them on St Thomas’ Eve (that happens right before Christmas Eve). The tradition says that on this day, you have to peel an onion, wrap it up and then put it under your pillow. If you pray to St Thomas, it is said that your lover will be brought to your arms that night.

That wasn’t the only tradition on St Thomas’ Day…

St Thomas’ Day was traditionally a day where the less fortunate would go house to house and ask for food or money for Christmas. The practice had several different names depending on where in England you were, in Kent it was known as a-Thomasing and a-mumping in parts of Herefordshire.

Goose dancing

This didn’t actually involve geese, but it did involve dancing. Apparently, on the Isles of Scilly, people would dress up in clothes associated with the opposite gender. They would then knock on doors and dance with whoever opened up. Women would typically dress as sailors and men as aristocratic ladies and they would jokingly flirt and banter with each other, which sounds like lots of fun to us!

Eating a mince pie a day

While an apple a day is said to keep the doctor away, in the Middle Ages the tradition was to eat one mince pie every day from Christmas Day until 6^th January, that’s one mince pie for the 12 days of Christmas. This is another one we can get behind!