Thread by @hellohistoria

Throughout the rest of the month, I will be sharing some festive snippets and oddities🎄

I'll be adding them to this thread ✨ Keep your eyes peeled 👀

#Christmas #History

A sprig of mistletoe that had been used in the Christmas decorations of a church would bring good luck to its possessor 🌿

If an unmarried woman placed a sprig of mistletoe taken from the parish church under her pillow, she would dream of her future husband 💍

#Wales #History

This is thought to be the earliest photograph of a snowman in the world and it was taken in Wales ❄

It was taken by Mary Dillwyn (c.1853) who is thought to be one of the earliest female photographers in the world 📷

#Wales #History

When the Christmas log is burning you should notice the shadows on the wall.

The shadows that appear without heads belong to the persons who are to die within a year 🔥

#Wales #History

A top tip from the Bedfordshire Times in 1871 🎄

Do not use arsenic to decorate your Christmas shortbread. Learn from the mistakes of this reckless Scottish baker.

(via @BNArchive) #History

🎄8 amazing facts about the history of Christmas🎄

Mince pies were originally shaped like coffins ⚰

Filled with a mix of meat, fruit and spices, they were oval-shaped to represent either a coffin or the manger of the baby Jesus ✨

bbc.co.uk/programmes/art…

(via @greg_jenner)

5 'Real' Christmas Ghost Stories 💀

The most fearsome spectral pigs, highwaymen and white ladies await 🐷

burialsandbeyond.com/2019/12/23/5-r…

(via @BurialsBeyond) #History

The Welsh would taste as many Christmas puddings as possible during the Christmas period.

It was thought that this brought good luck 🎅

#Wales #History

Anyone looking for love? 🌹

On Christmas Eve at midnight, take a brush and sweep the floor backward.

If you hear a whip, you will marry someone connected with horses.

If the sound of music comes, they will be fond of dancing and pleasure 🎶

#Wales #ChristmasEve

Put a small heap of salt on the table on Christmas Eve 🧂

If it melts during the night you will die within a year.

If it remains dry and undiminished, you will live to reach very old age.

#Wales #ChristmasEve

The history of Irish Christmas traditions 🇮🇪

A look at some of the uniquely Irish traditions that are still observed around Christmas time 🎄

irishcentral.com/roots/history/…

#History #Ireland

Y Gwyliau • A Welsh Christmas🎄

This blogpost explores the weird and wonderful traditions our Welsh ancestors practiced during the Christmas season🎄

hellohistoria.blogspot.com/2017/12/y-gwyl…

#History #ChristmasEve

Noson Gyflaith 🎄

Families, in their turn, would invite friends to their homes for supper, usually in the form of a Christmas dinner, and it would be followed by merriment, playing games, making toffee, and storytelling 📚

museum.wales/articles/1186/…

#History #Christmas

The Plygain 🎶

"...the inhabitants of Dyffryn Clwyd kindled their lights at two in the morning and sang and danced to the harp until the call to the Plygain."

hellohistoria.blogspot.com/2017/12/y-gwyl…

#History #Christmas

St Stephen's Day in Wales 🌿

St Stephen's Day (Boxing Day) saw the custom of 'Holming.' This was the act of beating a person with Holly.

The last person to awake on this day would be beaten with branches of Holly and named 'Tapster.'

#Wales #BoxingDay

For the rest of the year, the 'Tapster' would be forced to undertake the most menial tasks of the family.

Animals did not escape this tradition of 'Holming.' Animals were also bled on this day.

It was thought that this was good for the health of the animal and brought good luck to the homestead.

#Wales #BoxingDay

Interestingly, the Welsh version of this (usually) takes place on the Twelfth Night ✨

"The ancient tradition of the ceremony of the Cutty Wren takes place on St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day), in the Suffolk village of Middleton."

historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Old-…

#History #BoxingDay