Christmas Celebrations in Wales in the MIDDLE AGES
Have you ever wondered what Christmas celebrations might have been like for the Welsh in the Middle Ages? What do you think the Welsh nobility and those who were not so fortunate might have done on Christmas Day? If we travel back over 900 years, what customs, rituals, and festivities marked the season?
Wales in 1100 was made up of separate small kingdoms all of which were primarily rural. The Welsh, like their European counterparts, were deeply religious and Christmas was not about Santa and Rudolf but focussed on the birth of Jesus. The church played a central role in the lives of both the rich and poor. Christmas was one of the most important times of religious observance so that churches and monasteries across Wales would hold special services, including Midnight Mass where all would gather to commemorate the birth of Christ. The Christmas celebrations followed the liturgical calendar and began on Dec 25th and ended on January 6th with the Feast of the Epiphany. Artisans would create Nativity Scenes for the churches and monasteries where the congregation could have a visual representation of the story of Christ’s birth. Small plays would be staged acting out the birth and songs would be sung to commemorate that special time and those involved.
For the rich, this was a wonderful reason to feast. Tables would be laden with roast meats such as boar, venison, poultry and fish. Stews or pottages would be made out of pulses and root vegetables, wild garlic, and herbs. At this time of the year, fresh fruit would be limited to apples which might well have been wrinkly but there would have been plenty of nuts and deserts made of honey. Most importantly there would be mead, mulled wine and ale to warm the cold winter nights. For the poor, the fare was rather different. Meat and fish might be sourced from woods or rivers. Small animals like hare might be caught and hedgehog was a tasty treat. One way of cooking hedgehog was to gut it and then wrap in clay. It was then put into a hot fire and when the clay was removed the spikes came with it. Apparently, hedgehog tasted a bit like chicken. Puddings were not the Christmas puddings we love today, filled with dried fruit but rather a mixture of seasonal leaves such as nettle or sorrel and barley flour. Even seaweed was on the menu during harsh winters.
Christmas gift-giving was not to the extreme that we see today. Again, for the rich, the gifts were more elaborate and might include jewellery or beautifully illustrated religious texts. Fine clothing might sometimes be given including items made of fine silk or heavily embroidered cloth. The poor would exchange simple homemade items such as woven baskets or carved items. Sometimes these items might have religious significance also. Some food items were also kept and exchanged to be eaten at Christmas.
Decorations were simpler also. Holly, ivy and mistletoe were popular and had been brought into homes to ward off evil since pagan times. A glowing fire to keep the warmth within the home was essential.
Christmas celebrations , just as today, were marked by togetherness. The spirit of joy, generosity and reflection was important then and is equally important now. Wherever you are, if you are celebrating, enjoy your Christmas.
if you are thinking of a nice gift for someone who likes historical fiction perhaps consider ‘ The Welsh Traitor’s Daughter’ and the sequel , ‘The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance’.