Christmastime in the Dean (General)

by MPGriffiths , Thursday, December 26, 2013, 21:47 (3979 days ago) @ Jefff

In Downloads, Miscellaneous articles - is a copy from the Gentleman's Magazine 1822 - by my x Great Uncle born Awre- which said the Foresters celebrated Christmas 5* January (article on Google Books)

'The Foresters from the secluded sitation of this part of the country, and by not mixing much with their more enlightened neighbours, have a great many superstitious customs among them, of which the following are some of the most remarkable.

They implicitly believe old Christmas (5th of January) to be the real Christmas Day, and no arguements whatever would convince them of their error. On that night (they say) exactly at twelve o'clock, the herb rosemary blossoms, which is proof that our Saviour was born at that hour. The oxen likewise kneel down at the same time and some will go so far as to say they have actually seen these prodigies.

On old Christmas Day they will not suffer any females to enter their houses, and during the above day and the eleven succeeding ones, they will not suffer any fire to be taken out of their houses. If you ask them their reasons for observing the above customs, they will tell you it is unlucky to break them, and recount several strange accidents which have happened to persons who have been presumptuous enough to do so'.

Old Christmas Day (Calender Act 1751) -

http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-old.html

In 1752 our Calender skipped 11 days……