A Victorian Christmas, 1840

"Bringing in the Boar's Head"*

 
Caput apri defero,
Reddens laudes Domino.
The boar's head in hand bring I
With garlands gay and rosemary;
Qui estis in convivio.

I pray you all sing merrily
The boar's head, I understand,
ls the chief service in this land ;
Look wherever it be found,
Servile cum cantico.

Be glad, both more and less,
For this hath ordained our steward,
To cheer you all this Christmas—
The boar's head and mustard!
Caput apri defero,
Reddens laudes Domino.

*Excerpted from The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities. R. Chambers ed., W. & R. Chambers: London-Edinburgh, 1883

Christmas Past: "Entertaining on Christmas"

December 18, 1915, City Times, Galveston, Texas
ENTERTAINING ON CHRISTMAS

The Christmas season brings to mind the many Christmas days gone by, with their four great features—turkey, cranberry sauce, plum pudding and mince pie.

It was a good old English custom, not to be rejected by the American colonists, although modificatlons were necessary to suit the religion and conditions of living in the colonies, the. Chrlst-splrlt being substituted for the pagan Yuletlde, the famous "boar's, head" was omitted, and the Christmas pie became known as-mince pie. However, many old observances were kept, including the mistletoe and holly, and Christmas was a day for family gatherings, with a feast prepared by the" women of the house.

169 Christmas Movies and Animated Features

Compiling this list was rather nostalgic for me, as I fondly remember some of the films from my childhood, as others doubtless will.

Some of these are available on DVD; some are not. Many of them will doubtless air on television this holiday season. I have tried to include both the old and the new in this little directory.

Each link opens in a separate window.

1. All I Want for Christmas (1991)


2. American Christmas Carol, An (TV) (1979)


3. Babes in Toyland (1934)


4. Babes in Toyland (1961)


5. Babes in Toyland (TV) (1986)


6. Bells of St. Mary's, The (1945)


7. Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The (1983) (TV)


8. Bishops Wife, The (1947)


9. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) (TV)


10. Black Christmas (1974)