Formerly, "An English gentleman at the opening of the great day, i.e. on Christmas Day in the morning, had all his tenants and neighbours enter his hall by day-break. The strong beer was broached, and the black jacks went plentifully about with toast, sugar, nutmeg, and good Cheshire cheese. The hackin (the great sausage) must be boiled by day-break, or else two young men must take the maiden (the cook) by the arms, and run her round the market-place till she is ashamed of her laziness."--_From an old Tract, "Round about our Coal Fire, or Christmas Entertainments_." Further, from the same Tract we find that "In Christmas holidayes," the tables were all spread from the first to the last; the sirloins of beef, the minched pies, the _plum porridge_, the capons, turkeys, geese and plum-puddings, were all brought upon the board, every one ate heartily and was welcome, which gave rise to the proverb, "merry in the hall, where beards wag all." Misson says, "the plum-porridge is not at all inferior to the pie;" the goose pie usually made at Christmas. _Yule Cakes_.--I must now call your attention to the _Yule Cakes_. Yule dough a little image of paste, was formerly baked at _Yuletide_, and presented by bakers to their customers, as _Christmas candles_ are given away by tallow chandlers. Brand says, "the Yule dough has perhaps been intended for an image of the child, Jesus, with the Virgin Mary," and he says, "it is now, if I mistake not, pretty generally laid aside, or at most retained only by children." Mr. Brand was not aware that the custom still prevailed in many parts in the north. At Brough I have frequently ate of the cakes; they are figured with currants, and are usually eaten with a basin of frumity on Christmas Eve. Mince pies are there called _minched_, or _shrid pies_. The custom of decking our houses and churches with holly, &c. originates from ancient heathenish practices. Mr. Brand says, that "_holly_ was used only to deck the inside of houses at Christmas, while _ivy_ was used not only as a vintner's sign, but also among the evergreens at funerals." Archdeacon Nares mentions "the custom longest preserved, was the hanging up of a bush of mistletoe in the kitchen or servant's hall, with the _charm_ attached to it, that the maid who was not kissed under it at Christmas would not be married in that year." In the north a similar custom is observed, viz. that of kissing a maiden _over_ a bunch of holly. Polydore Virgil says, that "Trimmyng of the temples with hangynges, flowers, boughs, and garlandes, was taken of the heathen people, whiche decked their idols and houses with such arraye." _Round about our Coal Fire_.--Formerly fires were in the middle of the room, and the company sat in a ring round about it, hence the proverb, "round about our coal fire," which is as great a comfort as any at Christmas.