Page 44 - All About History - Issue 59-17

Mythbusting Christmas

ChrisTmas How the Christmas

seCreTs a feasT for The ages dinner has evolved

A gift often given to American soldiers middle ages
during World War II was a pack of Bicycle
playing cards by the company ISPCC. At first A) Boar’s head B) Venison
glance they were nothing more than simple A roasted boar’s head was a Alongside various other meats,
cards, but if they got wet, each card would common feature at Christmas venison was always served at
reveal part of a secret map. Join them all banquets across Europe as it Christmas. The haunch would
supposedly represented the
have been eaten by the rich
together and the soldier could use them to triumph of Christ over sin — but the animal’s offal would be
escape a prisoner-of-war camp. a reflection of Christianity given to the servants to make
taking over paganism. umble pie.
sainTly sighT C) Bread, cheese D) Frumenty
and ale
pudding
The visions of the mystic Saint Bridget of An unlimited supply of bread Made from boiled, cracked wheat,
and cheese was a popular
frumenty pudding was a popular
Sweden changed the way the Nativity has choice to accompany the dish during the Middle Ages,
been depicted since late Medieval times. extravagant Christmas dishes often served alongside meat such The 15th-century duke of
Shortly before she passed away, Saint at the banquets of the rich, as venison. It was a mainstay of a Berry hosts a festive feast
Medieval Christmas dinner.
washed down with a jug of ale.
Bridget described seeing the infant Jesus
with blond hair, emitting light and lying
on the ground. Alongside her other visions,
many pieces of art portrayed Jesus to match
what she had described.

e
a C

h

f

B
d g

eliZaBeThan
defying E) Roast goose F) Gingerbread Jacob Jordean’s 1593
Cromwell In 1558, the English defeated the Gingerbread was one of the Feast of Epiphany
many sweet foods that could
Spanish Armada. To celebrate,
Between 1644 and 1659, the celebration Elizabeth I ordered that the be found at an Elizabethan
of Christmas was suppressed in England whole of England eat roast Christmas. In fact, gingerbread
goose for Christmas dinner as it
men were first attributed to
under Oliver Cromwell. When the English was the first meal she had eaten Elizabeth’s court and she served
Parliament decided to ban Christmas after the Spanish were beaten. them to foreign dignitaries.
altogether in 1647, there were outbreaks of H) Lambswool
rioting across the country and widespread G) Sweetmeats Lambswool was a popular
disobedience of the law. Shops remained Sugar was an extremely hot drink made from cider,
expensive foodstuff in
closed and many chose to passively resist Elizabethan England. Rather sherry or ale, with spices
the ban by continuing with their Christmas than for taste, it was used to and apples. The heat would
cause the ingredients burst
feasts and festivities. show off the wealth and status and form a woolly top,
of the host and was a key
ingredient in a number of dishes. giving the drink its name.