OLD FPSHlOltED CHRISTfllflS
The following poem from the pen of the great Sir V/alter Scott portrays
the spirit of the old-fashioned Christmas in Kerry England.
Heap on more woodl--the wind is chil]
But let is whistle as it will,
*/e’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
Each age has deem'd the new-born
year
The fittest tine for festal cheer;
And well our Christian sires of old
Loved when the year its course had
rolled
And brought blithe Christmas back
aeain
With all his hospitable train.
Domestic and religious rite
Gave honor to the holy night;
On Christmas .eve the bells were rung;
On Christmas Eve the Hass was sung:
That only night in all the year
Saw the stoled priest the chalice
rear.
The damsel donn!d her kirtle sheen,
The hall was dress’a with holly
green;
Forth to the wood did merry-men go,
To gather in the mistletoe.
Then open'd Wide the tar oh's hall
To vassal, tenant, serf, and all;
Power laid his rod of rule aside,
And Ceremony doff’d his pride. .
The heir, v/ith"roses in.his shoos,
That night might village partner
choose;
The lord, underogating, share
The vulgar game of "post and pair."
All hail'd with uncontroll'd delight
And general voice, the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the crownr
Brought tidings of Salvation down.
The fire, v/ith well-dried logs
'supplied,
Want roaring up the chimney wide;
The huge* hall-table’s oaken face,
Scrubb'd till it shone, the day to
grace,
Bore then upon its massive board
jNo mark to part the squire and lord;
Then was brought in the lusty brawn,
I By old blue-coated serving-man;
Tr.en the grim boar’s head frown’d
on high,
Crested with bays and rosemary.
[Well can the green-gar’d ranger tell
How when and where the monster fell;
That dogs before his death he tore,
And all the baiting of the boar.
The wassail round, in good brown
bowls,
Garnish’d with ribbons, blithely
trowls.
There the huge sirloin reek’d;hard
bv
Plun-porridge stood, and Christmas
ni e *
For failed old Scotland to produce,
At such high tides, her savoury
goose.
Then eerie the merry-makers in,
And carols roar’d with blithesome
din;
If.unmelodious was the song,
It was a hearty note, and strong,
’■•ho lists nay in their mumming see
Traces- of ancient mystery;
bhite shirts supplied the riasquer
• • ad o,
And c iutted cheeks the visors made';
hut, 01 hat maskers, ridghly digit,
Can boast of bosoms half so light’.
■ England was 'merry England, v/hen
Old•Christmas brought his sports
* cig Clin •
’Twas Christmas broach’d the
mightiest ale;
'Twas Christmas told the merriest
tale;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man* s heart through half
the year. ' ’
Carol singing at Christmas time is a very old custom. Long ago the
carols were purely religious hymns, expressing joy for the birth of the
Saviour Christ, but in the course of time all sorts of merry tunes
specially composed for singing at Christmas-time came to be known as
carols. Christmas, in Ingland was merry and associated with much festive
ity, but in:the early New England colonys merry making at this time was
frowned upon by the Puritans. ....