Christmas

Christmas is a lovely time of year, the very best time, even if it is cold and dark now. Gilbert fetched me in some holly and ivy and bay leaves to hang about the room. It makes the place very cheery and I love the smell of the green. I've been very busy making extra barley loaves and sweet meats.

From the eve of Christmas to Twelfth Night, William is free from his toil and we can all have such pleasure as we don't see all the rest of the year. In the village there will be games and singing, maybe some cock-fights and wrestling. Christmas morning we will go to mass at the abbey church. I don't understand what is going on at mass, but I do know the Christmas story. While the choir is singing, I can tell Gilbert and Matilda about the story of Jesus the babe, and the angels, and the Blessed Virgin and show them the pictures painter on the pillars and walls, and in the colourful windows.

We have to send extra hens, eggs and bread up to the abbey before Christmas it is certain, but after mass on Christmas day there is the feast at the abbey hall, when we are honoured to eat and drink to our hearts' content. William has cut the yule log with Gilbert helping, and has already taken it up to the abbey hall so there will be a big roaring fire as usual. He had better be sure to take a faggot of brushwood along on Christmas so we can cook our meat if need be. Just in case the cook gets cranky and doles it out raw!

We can be sure of two kinds of meat, maybe pork and mutton, and plenty of bread and hot broth. I have prepared new linen napkins and William has carved us each a new Christmas spoon to go with our mugs and bowls. All through the meal the musicians will be playing and afterward there might be a mummers' play. I can hardly wait.

Christmastime

During the Christmas season, no work was required of the tenants for almost two weeks. As well as the major feast on Christmas day, there were several other feasts to be participated in during that period and all were celebrated with great merriment.