The Portland daily press., 1866-12-25


CHRIsTMAs.-In England Christmas has al
ways Deen religious and merry-making festi-
val. without distinction of rank or caste 'liha
reVeis Degin on Christmas eve, and used 10
continue, in old times, till Candlemas (Februa-
ry Zdl, every day being a holiday iii ina
twelfth night, january 9Th. In the bousas n sS o9
the MOBILES lord of misrule" or "abbot of nm
reason was appointed, whose Office IL was tn
make the rarest pastimes to delight the bs-
nolder. His dominion lasted from "AIl-bL-
low Eve" October 31), till Candlemas. Ihe
larder was always stocked with capons' bens
turkeys, geese, ducks, beef mutton. yenison
pork, puuulngs, pies, nuts, plums sugar md
honey-the tenants being entertained in the
nan, anu the Iord OF the manor encouraging
everything conducive to mirth.
Each country, and each province. county. or
Town, mad It's peculiar customs. In Yorkshire.
England, 1t was once customary for every rns.
nc dame to make cheese, which was CAREFUL
PreserVed Tor the occasion, and when
Drought out, before it could be tasted She
scored upon it with a sharp knife the resem-
0lance of Cross. Along with this she brouoht
q huge wassail bowl, and frumenty made a bar-
ley meal AT Ripon, in the same county, the
church with basketfuls of red apples with a
sprig OF rosemary stuck in each, which thew
presented to all the congregation, and got a re-
turn made to them of two pence, four pence or
SIX pence, according to the quality OF the lady
AT Folkestown in Kent, the Fishermen had
a singular custom. They chose eight of the
largest and best Writings out of every boat
when they came home from that fishing. and
OUT OF the money arising from them they made
least every Christmas Eve, which they called
Rnmbald. Tho master of each boat provided
this least for his own company, so that there
were as many different entertainments as there
were boats. These Writings which are OF A
large size end are sold all round the country "a
tar as Canterbury, are called Rumbald whit
ings.
In the Isle of Man this singular custom for
merry prevailed, though, like the last one it
has been disused. Son the 24th of December.
towards evening, all the servants in general
nave monday; they go not to bed all night
but ramble about till the bells ring in all Che
churches, which is at twelve o'clock; PRAYERS
being over, they go to hunt the wr IN, and hay-
ing found one OF these poor birds, they kill her
and lay her on bet with the utmost solemni-
ty, bringing her to the parish church and bury
ing ner with whimsical kind of sOlemnity;
singing dirges over her in the Monck's lam
guage, which they call her knell; after which
Christmas begins"
In certain part of Devonshire there was
formerly superstitious belief that the oxen
were always found on their knees in an atti.
tude OF devotion at night on Christmas Eve:
but the obstinate animals refused to accomIno-
GATE themselves to the alteration of the style,
ana continued to perform their genufexions
on Christmas Eve old style, as long as they per.
formed them at all" The custom of ofdecoratinQ
houses and churches with evergreens is deriv-
ed from ancient Druid practices. The holly,
Ivy, rosemary, bays, laurel, and misletoe wore
the tavorlte trimmings and never removed till
Candlemas. Chaplets of these were worn about
the head, and kissing under the rose" and
whispering under the misletoe" are illusions
to this practice But the old customs in Eng
land have lost their primitive character, the
gambols and carols are nearly gone nv family
reunions and evergreen decorations being near
ly all that remain of the old festivities