Welsh Journals

Deceaiber, 1887. CYMRU FU. 49 month of the year they will not at the end of the New Year have a home to go to. Neither will they enter upon a new situation on Friday or Saturday. Friday, of course, is a well-known unlucky day, but why Saturday ? Caergwrle, Wrexham. Maby E. C. Francis. CARNARVONSHIRE. In Carnarvonshire at Christmastide the young follis generally hold a gathering for the purpose of boiling toffee, generally called "cyliaith," when treacle is added toit. Divination by the burning of nuts is also largely practised. An early or "Plýgain" service is held in the Parish Church of Llanteblig, where some excellent carols aro sub- stituted for the usual chants. MONTGOMERYSHIRE. In the upper part of Montgomeryshire toffee is boiled in almost every household, and supper gene- rally consists of sausage, brawn,spiced beer, mince pies, and mulled wine. A yule log is burnt in a few houses, but this custom is evident)y an imported one—probubly from Shropshire, where it prevailed extensively in former times. Just before the day dawns scores of young urchins go from door to door singing, as if they were in a great liurry— I wish you a Merrv Christmas, A Happy New Year; A bagfull of money, A cellar full of beer ; A good fat pig in stye To last you all thè year. concluding with " Please give me a mince pie,"' or on New Year's Eve, "A New Year's gift." Iu the neighbourhood of Newtown one still hears some excellent caroland glee singing, often accompanied by some musical instrument. SHROPSHIRE. The Yule log is still considered indispensable ín some of the old Salopian mansions, but the custom is fast dying away. Supper on Christmas Eve con- sists principally of pork pies, hot beer, mincedpies and spiced elderberry wîne, hot also. The children sing a very old ditty which runs :— Soul, a soul, a soul cake, An apple or a pear; A plum or a cherry Any good thing that Will make us merry. One for Peter, two for Paul, Threefor the One Who made us all. Another old Salopian Christmas Eve custom was after every infirm person inthe village had been made the recipient of some good things from the farm for the morrow, every animal had been given an extra supply of food, and the servants had the yule log on the hearth in full blaze, for the head of the household to steal quietly out with a " feed," or tlie quantum of oats usually given to the horses, which he would place on the highest building in the yard, so that even the birds of the air might have a bountiful supply on the mor- row. This custom was specially observed was the winter a severe one and were berries scarce. At St. Martin's, on the Shropshire-Denbighshire borders, a very pretty custom still prevails. A number of colliers, dressed in their holiday attire, and numbering about two dozan (never less than eighteen), and who are generally selected for their voices, meet together weeks before Christmas ìr. order to practice carols for the annual " star." This " star " consists of a very large board or tray, wiih handles at each end, dotted with as many candles as it will hold, fixed regularly in mi- promptu clay candlesticks. The tray and the clay are neatly concealed with the prettiest variegated holly and berries, and " joy " berries dipped in flour. With this "star" at the head a procession is formed, one of the party carrying a lighted lantern. The vocalists make for the best houses, or, as they themselves say, the " big housen." On arriving at the house the " star " is placed reverently on the steps or at the entrance, and two or three of the party pwceed to light the candles. When the inhabitants are quite sure all is ready, the door is opened and the singers grouped around the " star," commence their caroi singing. Refreshments, consisting of pork and mince pies, and hot spiced beer, and elderberry wine are afterwards served out liberally to the visitors, and with a fervent " Merry Christmas to all," the candles of the " star " are extinguished and the carol-singers wend their way to the next hospitable dwelling. Caerstcs, Mont. A. Ceiriog-Hüghes. [We are personally acquainted with thelastcus- tom mentioned by Mrs. Ceiriog-Hughes, but were under the impression that when the party arrived at the house of call they knelt around the "star," and did not rise from their knees until they had concluded their singing. The practice is still observed at a little place called the Drill, just outside Oswestry, Shropshire. Here it ìs called the "Star of Bethlehem," the appear- ance of which the practice is doubtless meant to commemorate, but it is not always that they singcarols; oftentimes the "star" is nierely ex- hibited. Is there any plaee in Wales where the customis, or was, ob3erved? A writer in Jüotes and Queries of May 9,1874-, says that in Belgium children carry about the streets from Christmas to Epiphany paper stars having a lighted candle in the centre, saying at the same time the verses of a carol.—Ed.]