Page 29 - Dec 2022

The Mist let oe Tradit ion

Boxing Day
It's not just as simple as stealing a kiss under a sprig
of the stuff hung from a beam in a room. As early as For those in service in England, Christmas Day
1444, an account of using greenery in holiday was another work day, but the day after brought
decorations reported that: " every man's house and Christmas boxes, filled with small gifts and
also his parish church was decked with holme, ivie, sometimes money, from their masters to thank
bayes, and whatever the season of the year afforded to them for their service.
be green." Mistletoe was also part of the greenery. According to the BBC, the day after Christmas,

English poet Robert Herrick (1591-1674) is the first got its name when Queen Victoria was on the
known author to associate mistletoe with Christmas. throne, naming the tradition of wealthy families
His poem entitled "Ceremonie upon Candlemas Eve" boxing up gifts to give to the poor and to
focused on the day when holiday greenery was tradesmen. Alms from Church poor boxes were
removed from homes. "Down with the Rosemary, and also distributed. There was a tradition of
so, Down with the Baies, & mistletoe." employers giving gifts of money or food to
employees and servants on this day, stretching all
Long a symbol of fertility and vivacity, When the
the way back to feudal times when the Lord of the
tradition of kissing under the mistletoe first began has
Manor would gather all the workers on his land
been lost in the mists of time. Druids certainly used
and distribute practical goods, like food, tools, and
mistletoe in rituals and for healing long before it
cloth, as payment for the work they had done all
became a staple in kissing boughs ( now referred to as
year.
balls). The Georgians said that a gentlemen upon
plucking a mistletoe berry from the bough could kiss Today Boxing Day is a public holiday, filled with
a lady on the cheek. When the berries were gone, sports , shopping, and family time.
there was no more kissing.
Some believed the plant had magical properties at the
holidays. ( That idea carries over in the new Netflix
British Holiday film called Christmas at Mistletoe Farm,
now streaming.) The first written record of the kissing
tradition is found in a comic opera written in England
in 1784, where the following is reported:
"When at Christmas in the hall, the men and maids
are hopping...Cry what good luck has sent you and
kiss beneath the mistletoe."

Mince Pies image by iStock / Kuovana
Like the Christmas pudding, it wouldn't be the holidays in the UK without the presence of mince pies. Mince pies were
brought to England in the 13th century by Crusaders returning from the Middle East. They contained actual minced
meat and a blend of spices, back when spice was pretty much the provenance of the Middle Eastern countries. By the
17th century, the meat was on the run, being replaced by dried fruit. The spices remained, with three, cinnamon,
cloves , and nutmeg, representing the gifts of the Three Kings. No longer a main dish, now a dessert, the tradition is
that one eats a mince pie, either hot or cold, on each of the 12 Days of Christmas; some Brits admit to eating 14 or
more of the sugary pies during the holidays, including at breakfast. The first mince pies were ovals to represent the
manger where Baby Jesus slept in Bethlehem. [Some people do not like mince pies. For them, putting one on a plate,
is simply an excuse to eat brandy butter sauce by the teaspoonful. As if an excuse were actually needed! ]
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