Christmas in the Middle Ages

Christmas was not celebrated in Medieval days as we know it today...

...but it was still a time that the people knew as The Birthday of the Baby Jesus. The celebration occurred in January on Epiphany or Twelfth Night, and was devoted to good cheer, merrimaking, and the giving of little token gifts of affection as well as sweets. There were also Nativity plays, known as Paradise Plays. Carols were sung, but Christmas trees had not yet come into being. Some people, however, hung real apples on trees outside for the animals to enjoy.

A festive event which most everybody joined in was known as MUMMING. During these events, the people, called MUMMERS or REVELERS, put on masks and jovial costumes. Rabbit costumes were favorites, not only for children, but also for men and women. Costumes copied the clothing of the court, looking regal and expensive. They wore white socks and soft sole shoes. Large white plumes were worn as head pieces. Their favorite musical instrument was a type of trumpet, used at tournaments in which knights showed their bravery. The mummers also put on silent religious plays known as pantomimes.

Minstrels and jesters also dressed up in happy costumes. Minstrels were medieval musical entertainers. They sang songs about poetry as they played small harps. Jesters were men of merriment and silliness. They were often called BUFFOONS because they gave the appearance of being stupid. No one was better at juggling than jesters. Jesters were the entertainers in castles, but they also traveled from village to village to entertain the people. Since village people in the Middle Ages did not travel much, they looked forward to seeing the minstrels and jesters every year during holiday and faire time.

Mummers, revelers, jesters, jugglers, and minstrels were favorite entertainers at court. In the Middle Ages, every castle had Christmas entertaining, sometimes lasting days or weeks. It was customary to invite a few of the farmers who lived on castle property to a dinner which had entertainment. The guests were required to bring their own table covering, napkin, a cup from which to drink, and a trencher or two, or three.

A trencher was like a bowl, but made of hard, stale bread. Everyone had their own trenchers, and ate from trenchers, but no one ate trenchers unless crudely rude, or terribly, terribly hungry. The reason for using trenchers was simple: the bread would soak up gravies, and other liquid from food. This kept the tables dry and clean. Today's custom of dipping one's bread into gravy, or "mopping" up liquid around one's plate, comes from the medieval trencher.