@hedgerow_healing: 🌲 Christmas Customs 🌲 The Yuletide period was once filled with customs that have since been lost to the centuries and survive only in certain households that still embrace the old ways. The Lord of Misrule is one such custom. Originally part of the Roman midwinter festival of Saturnalia, it is a custom that has adapted over time and now forms part of Twelfth Night traditions. Before it took place on Twelfth night, the Roman custom was to name a peasant or a low-born person, who would not only have to act as the fool for the week of Saturnalia, but would also organise all of the plays, drinking, feasting, processions and other merriment activities. During medieval England, this custom stayed very much the same when it was revived by Henry VII. Today, it usually takes place on Twelfth Night, which is the last of the great feasts of the season, held on the twelfth night after Christmas Day. It has inspired carols and plays such as the Twelve Days of Christmas and Shakespears Twelfth Night. One of the traditions of Twelfth Night was to bake a cake and place a bean or pea inside the cake. Whoever found this bean would be named the Lord of Lady of Misrule and would then become the "jester" for the rest of the evening. . . . . #christmascustoms #christmastraditions #Yuletide #Christmas #thewintersolstice #medivalbritain #historyfacts #thelordofmisrule #twelfthnight #wassailing #medievalchristmas #pagantraditions #midwinterfestival #Saturnalia #Romans #romancustoms #romanfestival #twelfthnighttraditions #Christmascustoms #winter #wintertraditions #twelvedaysofchristmas