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Show poof Mpp Christmas Shopping Guide Page 5 yo r?z'& holiday celebrations are fun today, read these excerpts from: Christmas Entertainments London 1740 First acknowledging the Sacredness of the Holy Time of Christmas, I proceed to set forth the Rejoicings which are generally made at that great Festival. You must understand, good People, that the manner of celebrating this great Course of Holydays is vastly different now to what it was in former Days: There was once UDon a time Hosoi- ality in the Land; an English Gentleman at the opening of the great Day, had all his Tenants and Neighbours enter'd his Hall by Day-break, the Strong-Beer was broach'd, and the Black-Jacks went plentifully about with Toast, Sugar, Nutmeg, and good Cheshire Cheese; the Rooms were embower'd with Holly, Ivy, Cypress, Bays, Laurel, and Missleto, and a bouncing Christmas Log in the Chimney glowing like the Cheeks of a Country Milk-maid; then was the Pewter as bright as Clannda, and every bit of Brass as polished as the most refined Gentleman; the Servants were then running here and there, with merry Hearts and jolly Countenances; Coun-tenances; every one was busy welcoming of Guests, and look'd as smug as new-lick'd Puppies; the Lasses were as blithe and buxom as the Maids in good Queen Bess's Days, when they eat Sir-Loins of Roast Beef for Breakfast; Peg would scuttle about to make a toast for John, while Tom run ha rum scarum to draw a Jug oi Ale lor Margery: Gaffer Spriggins was bid thrice welcome by the Squire, and Gooddv Goose did not tail of a smacking Buss from his Worship, while his Son and Heir did the Honours of the House; In a word, the Spirit of Generosity ran thro' the whole House. . In these Times all the Spits were sparkling, the Haekin must be boil'd bv Dav-break, or else two young Men -took .the Maiden by the Anns, and .t un: her round -the Market-place, .'till she was. ashamed ot her Laziness. :Andvwjatwa4- -worse .than 4ni-:sfie;-rmi&-Hot play with the young 4'cllowvihat.Dav, but .stand Ncutenlike Girl doing penance in a Winding Win-ding shtet at a Church door a- - But not let us enquire a little farther, to arrive at the Sense of the - I hmg; this great Festival was in former limes kept with so much Freedom and Openness ot Heart, that every one in the Country where a Gentleman resided, possessed at least a Day ot Pleasure in iheChnstmas Holydays; the Tables were all spread'from the first to the last, the Sir-Loyns Sir-Loyns of Beet, the "Minc'd-Pies, the' Plumb-Porridge, the Capons, Turkeys, Geese, and Plumb-Puddings, were all brought upon the board; and all those who had sharp stomachs and sharp Knives eat heartily and were welcome, which gave rise to the Proverb: : ' .,-' ,--' -, Merry in the Hal'h tvhen Beards ivugall ..." i -. This time of Year being cold and frost' generally speaking, or when-. Jack-Frost commonly: takes us by the Nose, the Diversions are within.--Doors, either in Exercise or by the Fire-side. Country-Dancing is one of the chief Exercises: Moll Peat ley and the , Black Joke are never forgot; these Dances stir the Blood, and give the Males and Females a fellow-feeling ot each other's Activity, Ability, and Agility; Cupid always sits in the Corner of the Room where these Diversions Diver-sions are transacting, and shoots Quivers full ot Arrows at the Dancers, and makes his own game ot them. Then comes Mumming or Masquerading, when the "Squire's Wardrobe Ward-robe is ransacked for Dresses of all Kinds, and the Coal-hole searched around, or corks burnt to black tlje Faces of the Fair, or make Deputy-Mustaches, Deputy-Mustaches, and every one in the Family except the 'Squire himself must be transformed from what they were, then begins the Freedom between one and t'other to be sprinkled about the Hall, and every one shews their Wit according to their Capacity, and then a Dance again, and a good hearty Pull or two at a Silver-Tankard of Strong-Beer, made woundy good with Sugar and Nutmeg. Then Jenny gives you a Jig, which is proportionately good as it makes her abound in Sweat; Doll in her way gives you a Double-Courant, and turns round fifty times in a Minute, 'till most of them are drunk enough," and reel home, or lie down in the Barn. Or else there is a Match at Blind-Man's-Buff, and then it is lawful to set any thing in the way for Folks to tumble over, whether it be to break Arms, Legs, or Heads, 'tis no matter, for Neck-or-nothing, the Devil loves no Cripples. This Play, I am told, was first set on foot by the Country Bone-setters. As for Puss in the Corner, that is a very harmless Sport, and one may romp at it as much as one will; for at this Game when a Man catches his Woman, he may kiss her 'till her Ears crack, or she will be disappointed if she is a Woman of any Spirit; but if it is one who offers at a Struggle and blushes, then be assured she is a Prude, and though she won't stand a Buss in publick, she'll receive it with open Arms behind the Door, and you may kiss her 'till she makes your Heart ake. May all the seasons: of your life be filled with Peace and Love a 614 Main St. Park City 649-9066 1 Dj C?(Q)a la . . . il |