As Christianity spread in Medieval Europe, new traditions were established.  For instance, near the end of the ninth century, King Alfred the Great of England (849-899) mandated that his subjects observe the Twelve Days of Christmas.  He outlawed all legal proceedings, work, and fighting during that time.

The well-to-do were busy at Christmas: they made music, played games, danced, told stories, hunted, jousted, and feasted.  The peasants were busy keeping the well-to-do fed.  How busy?  In 1213 King John of England (1167-1216) held one of the largest and most sumptuous Christmas banquets on record:

• 400 pigs
• 3,000 hens
• 15,000 herrings
• 10,000 salt eels
• scores of pheasants, partridges and other birds
• 27 hogsheads of wine
• 100 pounds of almonds
• 50 pounds of pepper
• and 2 pounds of saffron

Let’s just say that that would be an awful lot of leftovers.

Merry Christmas to all, and we’ll see you on the other side of New Year’s.