use after the
old year has expired. In the North of England this important person
must be a dark man, otherwise superstitious folk believe that
ill-luck would befall the household. In other parts of England a
light-complexioned man is considered a more favourable harbinger of
good fortune.

The Christmas holidays extended over twelve days, which bring us to
January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany. It is stated that "in the
days of King Alfred a law was made with regard to holidays, by
virtue of which the twelve days after the Nativity of our Saviour
were made festivals." Twelfth Day Eve was a great occasion among the
rustics of England, and many curious customs are connected with it.
In Herefordshire the farmers and servants used to meet together in
the evening and walk to a field of wheat. There they lighted twelve
small fires and one large one[2], and forming a circle round the
huge bonfire, they raised a shout, which was answered from all the
neighbouring fields and villages. At home the busy housewife was
preparing a hearty supper for the men. After supper they adjourned
to the ox-stalls, and the master stood in front of the finest of the
oxen and pledged him in a curious toast; the company followed his
example with all the other oxen, and then they returned to the house
and found all the doors locked, and admittance sternly refused until
they had sung some joyous songs.

In the south of Devonshire, on the eve of the Epiphany, the
best-bearing trees in the orchard were encircled by the farmer and
his labourers, who sang the following refrain--

"Here's to thee, old apple-tree,
Whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow,
And whence thou may'st bear apples enow!
Hats full! caps full!
Bushel-bushel-sacks full,
And my pockets full too! Huzza!"

The returning company were not allowed to enter the house until some
one guessed what was on the spit, which savoury tit-bit was awarded
to the man who first named it.

The youths of the village during the holidays had plenty of sport,
outdoor and indoor, which kept out the cold by wholesome exercise
and recreative games. Many a hard battle was fought with snowballs,
or with bat-and-ball on the ice; the barns were the scenes of many a
wrestling match or exciting game at skittles; and in the evenings
they played such romping games as blind-man's-buff, hunt the
slipper, and others of a similar cha