Part 35 (1/2)
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHRISTMAS PLUM-PUDDING.
(_From an old print._)]
Writing to Southey, in 1798, Lamb tells the poet that Christmas is a ”glorious theme”; and addressing his ”dear old friend and absentee,”
Mr. Manning, at Canton, on December 25, 1815, Lamb says:--”This is Christmas Day, 1815, with us; what it may be with you I don't know, the 12th of June next year perhaps; and if it should be the consecrated season with you, I don't see how you can keep it. You have no turkeys; you would not desecrate the festival by offering up a withered Chinese bantam, instead of the savoury grand Norfolcian holocaust, that smokes all around my nostrils at this moment from a thousand firesides. Then what puddings have you? Where will you get holly to stick in your churches, or churches to stick your dried tea-leaves (that must be the subst.i.tute) in? Come out of Babylon, O my friend.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ITALIAN MINSTRELS IN LONDON, AT CHRISTMAS, 1825.
(_From a sketch of that period._)]
”Ranged in a row, with guitars slung Before them thus, they played and sung: Their instruments and choral voice Bid each glad guest still more rejoice; And each guest wish'd again to hear Their wild guitars and voices clear.”[82]
THE CHRISTMAS GAMES
at the beginning of the nineteenth century include the old Christmas game of _Forfeits_, for every breach of the rules of which the players have to deposit some little article as a forfeit, to be redeemed by some sportive penalty, imposed by the ”Crier of the Forfeits” (usually a bonnie la.s.sie). The ”crying of the forfeits” and paying of the penalties creates much merriment, particularly when a bashful youth is sentenced to ”kiss through the fire-tongs” some beautiful romp of a girl, who delights playing him tricks while the room rings with laughter.
Some of the old pastimes, however, have fallen into disuse, as, for instance, the once popular game of _Hot c.o.c.kles_, _Hunt the Slipper_, and ”the vulgar game of _Post and Pair_”; but _Cards_ are still popular, and Snapdragon continues such Christmas merriment as is set forth in the following verses:--
[Ill.u.s.tration]
SNAP DRAGON.
”Here he comes with flaming bowl, Don't he mean to take his toll, Snip! Snap! Dragon!
Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in your clutch, Snip! Snap! Dragon!
With his blue and lapping tongue Many of you will be stung, Snip! Snap! Dragon!
For he snaps at all that comes s.n.a.t.c.hing at his feast of plums, Snip! Snap! Dragon!
But old Christmas makes him come, Though he looks so fee! fa! fum!
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
Don't 'ee fear him, be but bold-- Out he goes, his flames are cold, Snip! Snap! Dragon!”
”Don't 'ee fear him, be but bold,” accords with the advice of a writer in ”Pantalogia,” in 1813, who says that when the brandy in the bowl is set on fire, and raisins thrown into it, those who are unused to the sport are afraid to take out, but the raisins may be safely s.n.a.t.c.hed by a quick motion and put blazing into the mouth, which being closed, the fire is at once extinguished. The game requires both courage and rapidity of action, and a good deal of merriment is caused by the unsuccessful efforts of compet.i.tors for the raisins in the flaming bowl.
BLINDMAN'S BUFF.
A favourite game of Christmastide, is thus described by Thomas Miller, in his ”Sports and Pastimes of Merry England”:--
”The very youngest of our brothers and sisters can join in this old English game: and it is selfish to select only such sports as they cannot become sharers of. Its ancient name is 'hoodman-blind'; and when hoods were worn by both men and women--centuries before hats and caps were so common as they are now--the hood was reversed, placed hind-before, and was, no doubt, a much surer way of blinding the player than that now adopted--for we have seen Charley try to catch his pretty cousin Caroline, by chasing her behind chairs and into all sorts of corners, to our strong conviction that he was not half so well blinded as he ought to have been. Some said he could see through the black silk handkerchief; others that it ought to have been tied clean over his nose, for that when he looked down he could see her feet, wherever she moved; and Charley had often been heard to say that she had the prettiest foot and ankle he had ever seen. But there he goes, head over heels across a chair, tearing off Caroline's gown skirt in his fall, as he clutches it in the hope of saving himself.
Now, that is what I call retributive justice; for she threw down the chair for him to stumble over, and, if he has grazed his knees, she suffers under a torn dress, and must retire until one of the maids darn up the rent. But now the mirth and glee grow 'fast and furious,'
for hoodman blind has imprisoned three or four of the youngest boys in a corner, and can place his hand on whichever he likes. Into what a small compa.s.s they have forced themselves! But the one behind has the wall at his back, and, taking advantage of so good a purchase, he sends his three laughing companions sprawling on the floor, and is himself caught through their having fallen, as his shoulder is the first that is grasped by Blindman-buff--so that he must now submit to be hooded.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: BLINDMAN'S BUFF.
(_In the last century_.)]
THE CHRISTMAS DANCE.
”Again the ball-room is wide open thrown, The oak beams festooned with the garlands gay; The red dais where the fiddlers sit alone, Where, flushed with pride, the good old tunes they play.
Strike, fiddlers, strike! we're ready for the set; The young folks' feet are eager for the dance; We'll trip Sir Roger and the minuet, And revel in the latest games from France.”[83]