Long-Lost Christmas Eve Traditions
How did people in centuries past celebrate Christmas Eve? Here are a few examples from pre-modern France.
Medieval Christmas token discovered in England
A medieval Christmas token has been found during an archaeological survey in eastern England. Dating to between 1470 and 1560, the token is believed to be depicting St Nicholas.
Seven Medieval Christmas Traditions
Here are seven things you might see during Christmas in the Middle Ages, which range from cribs in Italy to trolls in Iceland.
Saints and Feasts of the Holiday Season
In the Middle Ages, December meant a celebration of jolly old St. Nicholas along with a host of other sainted figures and important moments in the Christian story. This week, Danièle presents a quick guide to medieval holiday saints and feasts.
The First Christmas Tree
One of the most iconic traditions of Christmas is having a tree in your house, decorated with ornaments and with presents underneath. When and where did this tradition begin?
The Ancient Origins of Christmas Magic
From magi to holly – a look at the magical aspects of Christmas celebrations.
Medieval Events that Happened on Christmas Day
Christmas Day was one of the most important days of the year for medieval Christians. It would be a time for baptisms, coronations and even truces.
Holiday Gifts in the Middle Ages
Christmas in the Middle Ages looked quite different than it does today, but gifts still played a role. Read on to find out what gift-giving looked like during the holidays in the Middle Ages.
The Feast of Fools, with Max Harris
January 1st is the Feast of Fools, notoriously a time of drunkenness and debauchery in the medieval church. But was it really? This…
The Liturgical Drama of Christmas
An in-depth look at the music of liturgical drama and its role within medieval Christmas celebrations.
A Tale of Two Yules
A look at the medieval Norse festival of Yule.
Christmas Traditions in the Hidden Corners of Europe
Celebrating the Christmas season in the Carpathian Mountains
Pagan Survivals in Medieval Holiday Celebrations
Many of the most signature parts of Christmas in the Middle Ages (and today) actually come from pagan rather than Christian traditions. So, if you want to find out how you can make your Christmas and end of year celebrations just a little bit more pagan, read on!
Christmas and Food in the Middle Ages
Here are five foods associated with Christmas that originated in the Middle Ages.
The Christmas relics that came to medieval England
If you wanted to see the manger where Jesus Christ was born, or the finger bones of Saint Nicholas (the original Santa Claus), you could have done so at an English abbey in the 15th century.
Tales from the Hundred Years’ War: Christmas in the Count’s Court
At the feasts of Christmas, which he kept with great solemnity, crowds of knights and squires from Gascony waited on him, to all of whom he gave splendid entertainments.
The Story of Christmas: Medieval Extended Edition
Ludolph of Saxony’s 14th century work The Life of Christ offers an extended version of the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus.
How Much Do You Know About The History Of Christmas?
Here are 15 questions about the history of Christmas. See how many you can answer!
Viking Age Christmas Traditions
By Emma “Bruni” Boast Everyone knows that a lot of the modern Christmas traditions stem from previous pagan cultural ones. What are the seasonal…
From Ale to Wassail: Lady Matilda’s Guide to Surviving a Medieval Christmas
Christmas is around the corner, are you worried about hosting the perfect medieval feast? Lady Matilda has you covered.
Merrie Medieval Recipes for Holiday Feasting
I’d like to suggest a few common and simple medieval recipes for your table.
Medieval Manuscripts: Illustrating the Nativity Scene at the end of the 15th century
The Hours of Charles of Angoulême was commissioned c. 1485 by the Count of Angoulême, and is undeniably Robinet Testard’s most personal work. Around the same time (c. 1500), in England, the illuminator Jean Poyer finished his masterpiece, The Hours of Henry VIII.
The social, political and religious contexts of the late Medieval carol
This thesis examines the late medieval English carol, an important indigenous musical form that is abundant in a number of sources from the late fourteenth to the early sixteenth century, both with and without extant musical notation.
The Medieval Magazine 102 – Vol. 3, No. 19: Merry Medieval! Christmas – Part I
The first of our holiday issues! Christmas cheer, Medieval style! A mulled wine recipe, monastic brewing practices, Japanese Anime’s take on Medieval legends, and the Circumcision of Christ. We’ve got your table talk covered in in this issue, so pass the gravy!
York Becomes Home of Medieval Christmas Celebrations
York Becomes Home of Medieval Christmas Celebrations York’s historic Barley Hall is hosting a special exhibition exploring the lost Christmas celebrations of ordinary…