Not so jolly old Saint Nicholas

Father Christmas may be the rosy-cheeked, jolly character who personifies the fun of the festive season, but he's had to overcome a few setbacks, notes Ian Morton

- Ian Morton

A MID-15TH-CENTURY carol attributed to Richard Smart, rector of Plymtree in Devon, had 'Sir Christemas' announcing the birth of Christ and inviting his audience to drink and make good cheer and be right merry and sing with us now joyfully. Nowell! Nowell!'. It is the first documented mention of a metaphorical character in charge of the festivities, the patriarch, who would eventually become our Father Christmas, although the use of Nowel (with one 'l' and derived from old French) was first recorded in English in the 14th century by Chaucer in The Franklin's Tale.

During the Tudor and Stuart periods, the seasonal proceedings were presided over by a variety of figures, including the Lord of Misrule ('All hail the Lord of Misrule', January 4), who re-echoed the chaos of Saturnalia, the old Roman seven-day role-changing romp. Popular pageants featured Captain Christmas or Prince Christmas, with feasting and entertainment in grand houses, university colleges and the Inns of Court being conducted by the Christmas Lord. Except for tending to animals, work on the land ceased from December 25 to January 6-marking the 12 days of Christmas. For the privileged, many seasonal features we embrace today were introduced at this time, including carols, personal gifts, mince pies (with 13 ingredients representing Christ and his apostles) and recognition of the Greek and pagan mistletoe fertility ritual. Henry VIII sampled turkey, as well as the traditional boar's head and goose.