I asked our group if they wanted to have medieval Christmas faire. Thirteen families contributed, and it turned out great! Every mom agreed to produce at least one kind of medieval food, or a craft item for the faire.
We quickly turned a backyard into a medieval faire.
This was the first week of December, and I wanted the day to feel relaxed.
This was the first week of December, and I wanted the day to feel relaxed.
We began with a wassailing ceremony. Bridey poured spiced cider onto toast in a bowl. As the queen, I held the bowl aloft and led everyone in a procession around our booths and up to an apple tree. I said a little verse to the tree and poured the soggy toast onto it. This blessed the tree to produce lots more cider next year. When you go wassailing, you toast the master of the house by eating the soggy toast--that's where that expression "to toast" someone came from.
After wassailing the apple tree everyone helped pull a huge yule log to the fire so that we would have good luck throughout the coming year. These group activities were so much fun, and made the day feel authentically medieval! Later on we couldn't buy wassail from Bridey's booth, we had to wassail a carol to her and wish her good health.
All the kids were given pouches of money--from our church Night in Bethlehem--with which they could buy the items that day. Giselle and Katy buy my pasties and Amy's seashell souvenirs from the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage.
One of my contributions was directing my Latin class in the traditional English Christmas mummers' play, Saint George and the Dragon, which is still performed in England today.
St. George and the Dragon Mummers Play
Performed by Miles Christi Sum Latin Class
December 7, 2011
Narrator--KatyGeorge--MikaylaDragon—BradleySlasher the Turkish Knight--GiselleKing of Egypt—LarissaEgyptian Princess—IndiaDoctor—LorenzoRobin Hood—Michelangelo
Make room, make room, make gallant room,
Make room, make room I say,
For in this space we’ve found the place
To perform our Christmas play!
Stir up your fire and give us light,
And see the merry actors fight!
For in this room there shall be shown
The greatest battle ever known,
Betwixt King George and the Turkish knight,
Would you ever believe such a sight?
So room, room, gentles I pray,
Step in the Turkish Knight and clear the way
Giselle as Slasher, the Turkish Knight
St. George fights Slasher, who dies.
A 'five-pound' doctor is called for, but none is to be found. A 'ten-pound' doctor is called for, and he appears. He tries to cure Slasher with potions and drink, but to no avail.
Finally, Slasher's father waves a smelly sock before Slasher's nose, and Slasher revives! He kneels before Saint George to ask forgiveness.
Our great performers
Another mother organized a medieval shepherd's play with Latin singing. Giselle and Lorenzo as Mary and Joseph.
In between the plays we all relaxed and visited and ate and made crafts. Giselle is doing some medieval ribbon weaving, as taught to her by Amanda.
The moms were so creative: some roasted apples on sticks by the fire; one sold reliquaries--golden boxes to hold relics like some strands of St. Joan's hair; others sold medieval Christmas food or crafts; and some brought medieval games to play. We did a little dancing too, though no one was required to participate in any of the events.
Kathy hosted a thematic family ornament exchange. Families were invited to create thematic ornaments to exchange that day.
I had fun painting Jeanne d'Arc coats of arms on balsa wood. At the end of our faire every family received a large drawstring cloth bag containing wrapped ornaments. I still have mine!
This began a Christmas tradition of exchanging thematic ornaments for the school years.
We did have a merry day.
'Twas a fair day, full of mirth and jollity!
The moms:
Victoria, Tammy, Crystal, Jeanne, Amanda, Bridey, Kathy, Autumn
Ruth, Ashley, Dana, Sadie, Amy
This day far surpassed my hopes. We clad ourselves in medieval garb, feasted on medieval fare, and reveled in jests and merriment. 'Twas a a fitting prelude to the Yule season.
SCIENCE FAIRE
Some of the mothers put together a science faire during the week between the closing day of Santo Francesco and the opening day of Jeanne d'Arc. Merlin (Lorenzo) directed it. Throughout this year we held several school events directly after Latin class, so that is why we were at mine or Tammy's homes.
The days' demonstrations were fun and engaging. My folks were in town, and it was fun for them to see Giselle at a school event.
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