Christmas is coming. Let's all fast....

At the Tonbridge Civic Society talk earlier this week Pat Mortlock gave us an excellently delivered insight into Christmas celebrations down the ages. Many of the traditions which we have grown up with and which we'd all be loath to let go have, in truth, only been around for a relatively short time or are adaptations of much older traditions. The Christmas tree, for example, many people think was "invented" by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. This is only partly true in the sense that he embraced it and made it a popular way to celebrate the event. The evergreen tree had been used in stately homes though long before the 19th Century. You could argue that it's roots (no pun intended) stretch back as far as pagan celebrations of the mid-winter festival. The turkey is also fairly modern in it's association with Christmas although game birds had for centuries been eaten as part of the feasting. As had roast beef, sheep, pork and goose but definitely not fish (that was associated with periods of restraint, like Lent and Advent.) Some would say that Oliver Cromwell had the best idea of all. From about 1653, as effectively dictator of England, until his death in 1658, the pruitan ruler banned Christmas as a celebration and people were asked instead to fast and to think of Christ's birth. A bit harsh you might think but then again hasn't it all gone a bit too far the other way in modern times?...