December in Particular

Early December

Tree Dressing Day, first full weekend in December. Established by Common Ground in 1990 as a countrywide, cross-cultural celebration of the mature trees in our streets, parks and gardens. The first trees to be decorated were three London planes at the junction of Shaftesbury Avenue and High Holborn in Covent Garden with 150 large numbers showing 'Every Tree Counts'. Contact Common Ground +44(0)1747 850820 or look at the Common Ground web-site. Look at some trees dressed by young children at Burnham Beeches, a wood with ancient beech trees near Slough. For more information, see their web-site. You can also see some pictures of and read about tree dressing activities at Lauderdale House, Highgate, London, or visit the Lauderdale web-site.

Stour Descent canoe race, held on the first Sunday in December from Sturminster Newton Mill in Dorset down the River Stour to Bryanston. Contact Peter Carter at the Stour Valley Canoe Club +44(0)1202 602757 or look at this web-site.

Mid December

Thorn Cutting Ceremony, Glastonbury, Somerset - the Glastonbury Thorn or Holy Thorn is a type of Hawthorn that flowers at Christmas and is believed by some to have originated from the Middle East. It is said that Joseph of Arimathea visited England nearly 2000 years ago and visited the Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury. He carried a staff which he stuck into the ground and which took root and grew into a tree. The original tree was cut down by Cromwell's soldiers in the Civil War but trees across the country are said to have been grown from cuttings, such as at Appleton, Cheshire. On the second Wednesday in December, a piece of the thorn in St John's Church, Glastonbury is cut and sent to the Queen. Contact Glastonbury TIC +44(0)1458 832954. See more events in Glastonbury during January and June.

Winter Solstice - the shortest day, 22nd December

Christmas Eve 24th December

Tolling the Devil's Knell, All Saints Parish Church, Dewsbury, W.Yorks - Starting at 11pm on Christmas Eve, one stroke of the church bells is tolled for every year since the birth of Christ, whose birth heralded the devil's demise. Contact +44(0) 1484 223200.

T'owd 'oss, Richmond, N.Yorks - custom passed down through local families who dress in hunting clothes and blow a horn, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Contact the Town Clerk +44(0)1748 850808). see other events in Richmond during February and September.

Christmas Day 25th December

To remember Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem, but people are more likely now to eat a good deal and exchange presents.

Christmas Day Race, London. The Serpentine Swimming Club meet in Hyde park in all weathers to race in the 'Serp' as they have done since 1864. It is one of the oldest swimming clubs in the country, and many of its members swim in the river every day.

Boxing Day, 26th December

Mummers plays have been a feature of Christmas for perhaps a thousand years and more. 'Mum' comes from an old word for 'silent' (the plays were once acted out silently - perhaps they were asked to 'keep mum'?), and relates to 'mime' These short and stylised battles between good - often St George - and evil end with a resurrection enacted by a quack Doctor and his potions.

Marshfield Mummers, Marshfield, Gloucs - A mumming play performed by the Paperboys, so-called because they wear costumes covering them from head to toe in paper streamers. They may have originally been made of leaves or skins symbolising the death and rebirth in nature. After the Christmas Hymns are sung and beginning at 11am, seven figures (seven was thought to be a lucky number) led by the town cryer and his handbell perform the play several times along the High Street beginning in the Market Place. In the 19th century the mummers may have been villagers who toured the large houses collecting money for village festivities, but there is some evidence that the plays were performed here since the 11th century.The play lapsed in the 1880s after many of the troupe died of influenza but was revived in 1931. The Revd Alford heard his gardener mumble the words "Room, room, gallant room, I say" and encouraged the surviving troupe members to reform. See this web-site for more information.

City of Gloucester Mummers, outside Gloucester Cathedral - began in 1969 outside the cathedral and performed every year since. The members were given the text of the Gloucester play by David Todd who had researched and printed a pamphlet as a student. Laurie Lee was the Patron of the Mummers until his death. This troupe is unlike many others in that it is not exclusive to the members of Mumming families. See this web-site for more information.

Langport Mummers, Langport, Somerset. The Langport Mummers have revived the tradition of mumming in local pubs, performing on Boxing Day and the weekend following New Year. They are a troupe of nine, with the Black Knight, St George, St George's mother, the Doctor, Beelzebub, Molly Masket, Toss Pot, Devity Doubt and Enterin. It is based on a traditional script but rewritten in parts with a local and contemporary flavour. The cast have not come from the Morris tradition and have flamboyant costumes. Contact Kate Lynch +44(0)1458 250367 or e-mail kate.lynch [at] ntlworld.com.

Solway Morris perform their own Mummers play on Boxing Day every year at local pubs in the Wigton area (Cumb).

New Year's Eve, 31st December

Tar Barrels, Allendale, Northumberland - at 11.30pm on New Years Eve. Geoff Noble writes "The flaming half-barrels, carried aloft by about forty local-born males in costume ("guisers") process through the little town and encircle a giant wood stack in the market place. On a given signal at about twenty minutes to midnight, the barrels are thrown forward to light the bonfire and when the church bells strike, the crowd (often three or four thousand strong) sings Auld Lang Syne." Contact Hexham TIC +44(0)1434 605225 or e-mail hexham. tic [at] tynedale. gov. uk

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