A riotous Lord of Misrule at the Temple--Stubbes on Lords of Misrule--The Bishops ditto--Mumming at Norwich 1440--Dancing at the Inns of Court--Dancing at Christmas--The Cushion Dance 155 CHAPTER XXI Honey Fairs--Card-playing at Christmas--Throwing the Hood--Early Religious Plays--Moralities--Story of a Gray's Inn Play--The first Pantomime--Spectacular drama--George Barnwell--Story respecting this Play 162 CHAPTER XXII Profusion of Food at Christ-tide--Old English Fare--Hospitality--Proclamations for People to spend Christ-tide at their Country Places--Roast Beef--Boar's Head--Boar's Head Carol--Custom at Queen's College, Oxon.--Brawn--Christmas Pie--Goose Pie--Plum Pudding--Plum Porridge--Anecdotes of Plum Pudding--Large one--Mince Pies--Hackin--Folk-lore--Gifts at Christ-tide--Yule Doughs--Cop-a-loaf--Snap-dragon 169 CHAPTER XXIII The First Carol--Anglo-Norman Carol--Fifteenth-Century Carol--"The Twelve Good Joys of Mary"--Other Carols--"A Virgin most Pure"--Carol of Fifteenth Century--"A Christenmesse Carroll" 180 CHAPTER XXIV Christmas Gifts forbidden in the City of London--Charles II. and Christmas Gifts--Christmas Tree--Asiatic Descent--Scandinavian Descent--Candles on the Tree--Early Notices of in England--Santa Claus--Krishkinkle--Curious Tenures of Land at Christmas 186 CHAPTER XXV Christ-tide Literature--Christmas Cards--Their Origin--Lamplighter's Verses--Watchman's Verses--Christmas Pieces 194 CHAPTER XXVI Carol for St. Stephen's Day--Boxing Day--Origin of Custom--Early examples--The Box--Bleeding Horses--Festivity on this Day--Charity at Bampton--Hunting the Wren in Ireland--Song of the Wren Boys 201 CHAPTER XXVII St. John's Day--Legend of the Saint--Carols for the Day--Holy Innocents--Whipping Children--Boy Bishops--Ceremonies connected therewith--The King of Cockney's Unlucky Day--Anecdote thereon--Carol for the Day 207 CHAPTER XXVIII New Year's Eve--Wassail--New Year's Eve Customs--Hogmany--The Cl[=a]vie--Other Customs--Weather Prophecy 214 CHAPTER XXIX New Year's Day--Carol--New Year's Gifts--"Dipping"--Riding the "Stang"--Curious Tenures--God Cakes--The "Quaaltagh"--"First foot" in Scotland--Highland Customs--In Ireland--Weather Prophecies--Handsel Monday 220 CHAPTER XXX Eve of Twelfth Day--Thirteen Fires--Tossing the Cake--Wassailing Apple-Trees--The Eve in Ireland--Twelfth Day, or Epiphany--Carol for the Day--Royal Offerings 232 CHAPTER XXXI "The King of the Bean"--Customs on Twelfth Day--Twelfth Cakes--Twelfth Night Characters--Modern Twelfth Night--The Pastry Cook's Shops--Dethier's Lottery--The Song of the Wren--"Holly Night" at Brough--"Cutting off the Fiddler's Head" 238 CHAPTER XXXII St. Distaff's Day--Plough Monday--Customs on the Day--Feast of the Purification 246 CHAPTER I Date of Christ's Birth discussed--Opinions of the Fathers--The Eastern Church and Christ-tide--Error in Chronology--Roman Saturnalia--Scandinavian Yule--Duration of Christ-tide.