Twelve Days of Treats, Tournaments, and Tudors at Christmas (ep 33)

For the Tudors, Christmas was a highlight of the year. It was a time of feasting on especially grand dishes, of dancing and singing, of enjoying the antics of the Lord of Misrule and special holiday revels and entertainments, and of showing off. Oh, and of course going to church. 


The Tudors certainly made the most of these traditions. Families in Tudor times carried on decorating their homes with holly and ivy. They brought in mistletoe and often shaped it into the double ring under which couples could kiss. Tudor lords opened their great manors for members of the village, inviting in members of the village to partake of a special meal. Common families indulged in meat, pastries, fruit, and other specialties over Christmas that they wouldn’t see for the rest of the year. The holiday lasted for twelve days, from December 25 to Twelfth Night in January. It was a time people stopped working, spent more time in church, visited families, enjoyed entertainment, and shared gifts.

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