2nd Millennium Christmas Celebrations
Formalizing Christmas

Finding written references to the celebration of 2nd Millennium Christmas (during the middle ages) is a little rough. Not many people could read, let alone write. There are, however, a few interesting highlights which have come down to us through the prominent members of society...

The first is the origin of the word "Christmas" itself.

Sometime during the Norman Invasion of Britain in the 11th century, Christians in Britain were observing something called "Christes Maesse".

This was not the Christmas we know today. The 2nd Millennium Christmas was still the solemn, quiet observance first proposed 600 years previously by Perpetuus (and earlier by Origen).

Though it was now more common to have candles lit in the church, most homes sported little, if any, decoration. Music seems to have always enjoyed a large spot in Christmas history, though the "Christmas songs" of the time were the hymns sung in church, and were not the festive tunes we think of today.

Eventually, as often happens, Christes Maesse became shortened and popularized as the word "Christmas". So, it wasn't even until then that the word "Christmas" actually became a part of Christmas history!

During the time between the 11th and 14th centuries, Christmas was evolving. Through changes in politics, civil life, and church reforms, the 2nd Millennium Christmas began to take on a more prominent air.

It became a more joyous affair, almost what we would consider a celebration. It was still very religious in tone, and primarily honored in church and privately in the home.

King Richard II of England would be the first to add a truly modern twist to Christmas history in 1377. In that year, the King hosted a lavish feast for Christmas.

There were carolers who sang and danced at the party. Gambling was allowed in public on Christmas. Role-reversals were common, and societal roles and positions were turned topsy-turvy on Christmas.

While this was fairly common in Britain from the fifth through the fourteenth century, it was first banned in 1431, and finally ended officially with Queen Mary I in 1555.

The writers throughout this time, being mainly clergy of course, condemned the practice.

Not only was this a hold-over from the old Roman Saturnalia and its Lord of Misrule who reigned from December 17th to the 23rd, but the drunkenness, "lewd dancing", gambling and other riotous activities were definitely not something that the church leaders approved of.

It is possible that vestiges of this remained in Christmas history with the tradition of wassailing.

There are several wassailing songs that are still popular today, and this was the very beginning of what we would now call caroling.