what are the iconic features of christmas today?
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What are the iconic features of Christmas today?. 1700 – 1800 18 th century. 1800 – 1900 19 th century. 1900 – 2000 20 th century. What questions does this raise about the 18 th century?. What was Christmas like in the 18 th century?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
What are the iconic features of Christmas today?
1700 – 180018th century
1800 – 190019th century
1900 – 200020th century
What questions
does this raise about the 18th
century?
What was Christmas like in the 18th century?
Obviously this photo isn’t from
the 18 th century! But it shows you an
18 th century tradition!!!!
• Christmas was far less focused on those features we know today
• In fact it was often less religious and more focused on winter traditions
• Folk traditions!
Mumming
• Mummers plays were often performed in the 18th century in the countryside
• The play was often performed in lots of places in one evening, e.g. different pubs
• It gave farm labourers the chance to let their hair down and have fun at Christmas time
Mummer’s Plays
We need the following characters
• Father Christmas• Saint George• Dragon• Bonaparte• Doctor• Jack Vinney• Niddy Noddy• Belzebub• Saucy Jack
In comes I, old Father Christmas…
Saint George, a man of courage bold…
In comes I, the fiery Dragon….
FIGHT!!!!!!!!
..and just to prove it here’s his head
Bonaparte…
FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!
Doctors and rebirth….
Where you find out…
…..then it all gets a bit more random
Niddy Noddy, big head, little body…
The broad…
Saucy Jack
Belzebub
Then the Wassail Bowl!
Was this a FUN Christmas?
Is this the kind of Christmas you would like?
Why do you think people have brought these plays back and
perform them now?