December Post: A Christmas Vignette
Laughter rang through the wooded hillside above Llawgwalch valley each voice and laugh, distinct in the crisp morning air. Bundled up in woolen mantels and shawls, the women of the manor chattered like magpies as they walked through the woods with baskets, gathering winter greenery. Soon the baskets overflowed with sprigs of red-berried holly. Small children, bundled up, dragged pine boughs down the slope to the horse-drawn sleigh that waited on the path with its leather collar, bedecked with bells and gay ribbons. Agile boys climbed trees to gather mistletoe high in the branches, calling out to those below as they lowered the bundles. The air was perfumed with the fragrance of cut pine, while fat snowflakes gently drifted down from the grey-laden sky.
Today was the start of the festivities and the longest holiday of the calendar year. Villeins, cotters, and all the manor folk stopped their daily work to celebrate the twelve days of Yuletide. The women returning from the woods busied themselves with decorating the hall. Brightly colored ells of fabric draped around garlands of pine and mistletoe while the red berries on holly branches jeweled every trestle board, transforming the hall in to a scene of joy and good cheer.
In the lower valley, the men and older boys felled a fine, broad tree. They were busy sawing off the limbs, readying it to be loaded onto the ox-drawn wagon, that was to take it to the manor hall. The tree had to be long and broad enough to feed the hall’s fire continuously through the twelve days of Yule until the end of twelfth night. It took every strong able-bodied man to heft it through the main doors to the fire pit. Grunts and shouted orders accompanied its placement. When it was finally set down, a resounding cheer went up.
Families arriving from the village with gifts for the Pennaeth joined those who lived at the manor for the traditional lighting of the Yule log, which were to be followed by music, feasting, dancing and spiced ale. Everyone gathered in a circle. Children, anxious to see the excitement, squirmed between legs to pop up red-cheeked in the front row. A hush fell over all as the Pennaeth’s voice rang out, offering the Yule log blessing. Wine was splashed across the tree, welcoming it into the hall. With great ceremony, Rhain approached with a lit torch, fashioned from the end of last year’s Yule log, to light this year’s fire. Soon the flames licked up around the wide base of the tree and the crackle and pop of sap could be heard in the quiet hush of the hall. The fire would be tended, day and night, moving its length steadily into the pit, for everyone knew it was bad luck if the fire were to go out.
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In medieval times the Celts believed that for twelve days at the end of December and the beginning of January, the sun stood still, which is why the days grew shorter and shorter.) If the yule log could be kept burning bright for those twelve days, then the sun would be persuaded to move again and make the days grow longer. Traditionally the twelve days started on the 26th of December. Christmas day was considered a holy day, so feasting and revelries did not commence until the day after, continuing until the 6th of January, which is Epiphany.
The first Monday after Epiphany was called Plough Monday, the day when workers went back to tend the fields.
Yule is the name for the old Winter Solstice festivals.
Merry Christmas
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Marilyn