The descriptions of the festivities and customs of different periods are given, as far as possible, on the authority of contemporary authors, or writers who have special knowledge of those periods, and the most reliable authorities have been consulted for facts and dates, great care being taken to make the work as accurate and trustworthy as possible. I sincerely wish that all who read it may find as much pleasure in its perusal as I have had in its compilation. WILLIAM FRANCIS DAWSON. [Illustration] [Illustration: Contents] CHAPTER I. PAGE THE ORIGIN AND ASSOCIATIONS OF CHRISTMAS 5 CHAPTER II. The Earlier Celebrations of the Festival 10 CHAPTER III. Early Christmas Celebrations in Britain 23 CHAPTER IV. Christmas, From the Norman Conquest To Magna Charta 40 (A.D. 1066-1215.) CHAPTER V. Christmas, From Magna Charta To the End of the Wars of the Roses (A.D. 1215-1485.) 62 CHAPTER VI. Christmas Under Henry VII. and Henry VIII. 94 (A.D. 1485-1547.) CHAPTER VII. Christmas Under Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth 115 (A.D. 1547-1603.) CHAPTER VIII. Christmas Under James I. 151 (A.D. 1603-1625.) CHAPTER IX. Christmas Under Charles the First and the Commonwealth 197 (A.D. 1625-1660.) CHAPTER X. Christmas, From the Restoration To the Death Of George II. (A.D. 1660-1760.) 215 CHAPTER XI. Modern Christmases at Home 240 CHAPTER XII. Modern Christmases Abroad 294 CHAPTER XIII. Concluding Carol Service of the Nineteenth Century 349 INDEX 351 [Illustration] [Illustration] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Bringing in the Yule Log _Frontispiece_ The Herald Angels 2 Virgin and Child 5 Joseph Taking Mary to be Taxed, and the Nativity Events 6 The Nativity (_Central portion of Picture in National Gallery_) 8 Virgin and Child (_Relievo_) 9 Group from the Angels' Serenade 10 Adoration of the Magi (_From Pulpit of Pisa_) 11 "The Inns are Full" 14 Grape Gathering and the Vintage (_Mosaic in the Church of St. Constantine, Rome, A.D. 320_) 16 German Ninth Century Picture of the Nativity 16 Ancient Roman Illustrations 17