Active Blogs | Popular Blogs | Recent Blogs

vikty xia's Blogs >> fjworuowqurthoqwu4e the first year

Even plum- porridge did not survive the first year of this half cen¬tury ; when the more solid and stable dynasty of plum- pudding was finally established. Brand relates, that on Christmas-Day, 1801, he dined at the Chaplains table, gucci handbags outletat St. Jamess, " and partook of the first thing served and eaten on that festival, at that table, namely, a tureen full of rich, luscious plum-porridge. I do not know," he says, "that the custom is any where else retained." The great innovation, after this, was in the days of the Regent, when oysters were served as agucci outlet prelude to dinner. This fashion was adopted by the Prince on the recommenda¬tion of a gentleman of his household, the elder Mr. Watier, who brought it with him from France, and added an " experto crede " to his recommendation. This fashion, however, like others, has passed away; and oysters and drams, as overtures to dinner, are things that have fallen into the domain of history. There is a custom of these later days, much observed at Christmas time, which deserves a word of notice. I allude to the " Christmas-tree." gucci outlet onlineThe custom is one, however novel in England, of very ancient observance elsewhere. Its birth-place is Egypt. The tree there used was the palm; and the ceremony was in full force long before the days of Antony and Cleopatra. The palm puts forth a fresh shoot every month. Its periodical leaves appear as regularly as those of Mr. Bentleys " Miscellany." In the time of the winter solstice, when parties were given in ancient Misraim, a spray of this tree, with twelve shoots, was suspended, to symbolize thegucci mens watches completion of another year. The custom passed into Italy, where the fir-tree was employed for the purposes of celebration; and its pyramidal tips were decorated with burning candles, in honour of Saturn. This festival, the Saturnalia, was observed at the winter solstice, from the 17th to the 21st of December, and, during its continu¬ance, Davus was as good a man as Chremes. The Sigil- la/ria, days for interchanging presents of figures in wax, like those on the Christifias-tree, followed; and, finally, the Juvenalia, when men became "boys with boys," matrons turned children once again, and young and old indulged in the solemn romps with which the festival closed, and which used to mark our own old-fashioned festivities at Christmas time.