Christmas in the Olden Time, 1650

At Wycoller Hall the family usually kept open house the twelve days at Christmas. Their entertainment was, a large hall of curious ashler work, a long table, plenty of furmenty like new milk, in a morning, made of husked wheat, boiled and roasted beef, with a fat goose, and a pudding, with plenty of good beer for dinner. A round-about fire-place, surrounded with stone benches, where the young folks sat and cracked nuts, and diverted themselves, and in this manner the sons and daughters got matching without going much from home."— Family MS. of the Cunliffes.

You must come back, my brother,
    For Christmas is so near,
And Christmas is the crowning time,
    The purple of the year;
He calls his court about him,
    He is the fairy king,
Whose revel is at midnight
    Within a charmed ring.
        Christmas is coming, my brother dear,
        And Christmas comes, my brother, but once a year.

The last leaf hath departed
    From off the old oak tree,
But there is the wreath of misletoe
    Where the green leaf used to be.
And we’ll hang up the charmed coronal
    Above the highest door,
And strangers all must pay the fine
    Ere they tread the fairy floor.
        Christmas is coming, my brother dear,
        And Christmas comes, my brother, but once a year.

The trees are white with hoar-frost,
    And snow is on the ground,
But there are yet some roses
    Beside the casement found;
And the terrace yet has myrtle;
    Both shall be saved for you;
And you shall give them, my brother,
    But I must not guess to who!
        Christmas is coming, my brother dear,
        And Christmas comes, my brother, but once a year.

The willow lake is frozen,
    You will have such skaiting there;
And the trees, like lovelorn maidens,
    Hang down their glittering hair.
The holly’s scarlet berries,
    Amid the leaves appear;
It is an elfin armoury,
    With banner and with spear.
        Christmas is coming, my brother dear,
        And Christmas comes, my brother, but once a year.

We shall gather every evening
    Beside the ancient hearth,
But one vacant place beside it,
    Would darken all its mirth.
At any time but Christmas
    We give you leave to roam,
But now come back, my brother,
    You are so missed at home.
        Christmas is coming, my brother dear,
        And Christmas comes, my brother, but once a year.