Readers have shared a variety of old Christmas traditions they believe should be revived, from wassailing to keeping decorations up until Candlemas. The suggestions, submitted in response to a query from a reader in Kent, range from the quaint to the bizarre.
One reader proposed reintroducing wassailing, not just the carolling but the practice of going door-to-door with drinks to wish people a good harvest and toast their health. Another suggested reverting to calling the season Yule, as other northern European countries do, describing it as a feast to break the back of a dark winter rather than a celebration of a sunny Judea.
Other ideas include reviving the Victorian parlour game snapdragons, where players grab currants from a tray of flaming alcohol, and returning Father Christmas to a green costume instead of the red associated with Coca-Cola. One reader advocated keeping Christmas decorations up until Candlemas in early February, arguing that winter requires the glow and green of foliage.
Several readers criticised modern commercialism. One called for a return to the Twelve Days of Christmas rather than the Twelve Weeks, and a ban on festive music in shops, particularly Paul McCartney's 'Wonderful Christmastime'. Another lamented that the true sound of a British Christmas—Noddy Holder's roar over a glam riff—barely charted last year, while Wham! and Mariah Carey dominate annually.
More unusual traditions included the old northern German custom of not washing laundry between Christmas Eve and 6 January, to prevent the Wild Hunt from stealing it. One reader recalled simpler pleasures like sacrificing an ox and drinking mead before defenestrating an irritating relative, though noted this was not for everyone.
On a lighter note, an American reader suggested skipping the massive roast dinner in favour of a low-key Scandi-style julbord with cheeses, tinned fish and crackers, allowing families to spend the day relaxing together after presents.
