[ https://hforhistory.co.uk/article/roast-peacock-medieval-christmas/ ]
‘The Peacock Vow’ is 15th century illustration from ‘Le Livre des conquetes et faits d’Alexandra.’ Currently held in Paris. muse du Petit-Palais, folio 86 recto. Painter. Anon.
¨ The first recorded Christmas that was celebrated on December 25th was in 336 during the reign of the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine.
¨ The Nativity was celebrated with a feast from c. 400
¨ Christmas began as a major festival and an established rent day
¨ Yule is the Norse word for feast and traditionally a Yule Log was bought in on Christmas Eve and lit for 12 nights.
¨ In the Medieval period gifts were given on New Years’ day.
¨ Decoration of homes was common with evergreen trees being placed in entrance halls.
¨ Medieval Christmas was a time of great socialisation, a lot of alcohol and debauchery as well as charity being a big part of the holiday
- For some it may have been the only time they had proper fresh meat/a form of feast in the household
¨ Around 1500 the idea of St. Nick being known as Father Christmas appeared
¨ Turkey was first introduced in 1523, with Henry VIII being one of the first to eat it [ though commonly would have been a boars head as the centre!]
- Another Tudor tradition was seen in the special form of entertainment in the 12th night at Christmas in the 12th cake. Where an item would be baked into a fruitcake and whoever found it would be the king of the bean or queen of the pea and they would then be the host for the how evening. There is proof of this in a letter written by Robert Dudley in 1564 about how Mary Fleming was the queen of the pea that year.
- if people had money, they would often disguise foods as tricks to deceive the eye as it was about entertainment and not just eating!
¨ In 1644 Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas. It was seen as wasteful. There was no feasts, plays etc. as it was seen as a period of debauchery (mainly drunkenness)
¨ In the Georgian period Boxing day was known as St. Stephen’s day with charity boxes being given to the poor (mostly containing food and drink)
¨ Christmas was a time for feasts, gathering of people, exchanging gifts, and religious practices
¨ This has continued for over 700 years
¨ It is believed the first recorded ‘Merry Christmas’ was from John Fisher to Thomas Cromwell in a letter he wrote whilst interred in the tower of London
Merry Christmas everyone, from all of us girls at History Sisters!
- Steph & Amy Edward IV's Biggest Fangirl & Queen of Historical Queens
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