Christmas traditions in the antebellum period in Lexington County were a bit different than today’s traditions.

Christmas cut-out cookies are now almost universally associated with the holidays. We can trace these cookies back to mumming, a Christmas tradition in colonial areas where the Church of England was influential.

In mumming, Christmas stories were acted and food was used to depict the stories. Yule dows were cut-outs made in this tradition, often in the shape of the baby Jesus.

In the 1800s, children created large cut out cookies as window decorations. Yule dows became popular again and were called Yule dollies. They were made with tin cutters and shaped like people, elaborately decorated with icing like gingerbread men.

The face was made out of paper cut out of magazines. They were removed before the cookie was eaten. Some factions felt the cookies were not religious enough as they did not depict the Baby Jesus.

December days were good for clearing new fields and cleaning up brush along fence rows. This provided kindling and wood for fires. Also trimmings of greenery such as holly they used for decorating.

Bonfires were common at Christmas time as the days were short and farmers burned excess brush they had cleared.

Europeans also celebrated Christmas with bonfires as a way of dispelling the darkness and welcoming the Christ Child.

Also common on Christmas Eve was the firing of shotguns. This tradition was later continued into the 20th century with shooting off fireworks.

JR Fennell is Director of the Lexington County Museum on Fox Street.

Christmas gift idea

Feeling desperate about what to give Mom or someone else difficult to find just the right Christmas gift for?

“Remembering Lexington South Carolina: Good Stewards in a New Land” by the Lexington County Chronicle’s historian Claudette Holliday may be the solution.

Autographed copies are available from the author for $20 plus postage $5 Send Money Order to Claudette Holliday, 1453 Corley Mill Road Lexington, SC 29072 or call 803-359-9247