"Old Christmas" Traditions
Over the years, New Christmas became the focus of religious observances, while the next two weeks were spent on more secular traditions, leading up to the big Old Christmas party. People take turns hosting gatherings in their homes which featured huge feasts and lots of dancing. In the old days, revelers would move the furniture outside, so as to provide maximal indoor space for musicians and dancers. On Old Christmas Day, it was traditional for folks to go outside very early in the morning, where the farm animals were said to kneel in honor of the birth of Christ. Afterwards, it was time to bless the farm and especially any fruit trees on the property.
On the previous night, it would not be uncommon to see girls and single ladies setting out a meal on a "dumb table", in hopes that the image of their future husband could be glimpsed as it hovered over the offering. A version of caroling was also practiced, in which disguised revelers would go from house to house, singing and begging for food and liquor. Usually, the leader of these carolers would carry a severed cow's head around on top of a long pole as the group made their rounds. Eventually, this evolved into the tradition of "Old Buck", a figure more important than Santa Claus to Old Christmas celebrators.
Check out some North Carolina old timers playing a classic NC Old Christmas tune, 'Breaking Up Christmas". The title refers to the extension of the holiday across two weeks, and all of the festivities that take place during that time.
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Nowadays, Christmas has become so commercialized, that it seems to have lost its meaning, although some traditions like a big family dinner have survived. I wonder how Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations will look like in ten or twenty years' time.