Christmas and New Year Traditions In The Forest of Dean. (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Tuesday, January 05, 2010, 06:44 (5511 days ago) @ rookancestrybest

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=1827

Wassail was a tradition practised in Gloucestershire ( and some other counties)

Mistletoe has its Celtic and Christmas links, and Herefordshire / Gloucestershire trees "host" a fair amount of this parasite. ( as well as Worcestershire and Somerset, Tenbury Wells claims to be the Mistletoe Capital http://teme-mistletoe.co.uk/ )

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=8570

showed Christmas celebrated in a small mining community, a pig or chicken reared during the year, slaughtered to put a special meal on the table for Christmas.

Leeks and onions are vegtables that were grown - I can recall them in Uncles veg patch - Leeks have a clear Welsh association and a tradition to appear on the Christmas lunch table. ( The Fod is close to Wales and many Welsh miners came to the FoD)

Dennis Potter and Winifred Foley have written about Christmas and other traditions in the Forest.

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>