by Ralph Hudson
As a young boy growing up on a small farm in Victory County, New Brunswick, Canada, I never gave it much thought about some of our Christmas Traditions and where they came from until just lately
There weren't many, but they were there some and without realizing it I have carried some of them over into my family. Were they British or Isle of Man Traditions? I have no way of knowing, but sure believe they were from what we know today as the old country.
Well before Christmas there was a plum pudding made and it had to be British for I have never tasted one since that tasted as good as it did. It was always wrapped in some sort of cloth and was stored away for days. On Christmas day a special sauce was made and my father tasted it to see that it was just right. Apple and mincemeat pies were a must also.
Some of the other things that we did: our gifts were not opened until we all had a good hearty breakfast and at Christmas dinner we would always sit together and father would say the blessing. We were reminded that it was a day for our Lord and certain games were not allowed to be played.
I am sure there were more. I am glad that I have carried them on for it is always a time for me to remember my parents and how much they passed on to me.
Another Snippet from Ralph
Ralph writes:
Recently while at one of our Sally Ann stores I picked up a Hammond's Historical Atlas. Now mind you it was printed in the United States and there is no date when it was printed, but I did notice some interesting maps in it.
Some of the map information that I found was on the names for the Isle of Man.
Britannia about 350 A. D., showing the Celtic Tribes and The 4 divisions of DIOCLETIAN. The Isle of Man is shown as Monapia (Mona).
England in the Eighth Century. (The "HEPTARCHY") and Isle of Man name is shown as Eubonia (Man).
England after the peace of Wedmore (878 A. D.). This showed the Divisions between ALFRED and GUTHRUM. Isle of Man shown as Man.
The first map that shows it as the Isle of Man is the map for Europe in 1559.
© Copyright by Malcolm Qualtrough, Elizabeth Feisst and the late John Karran Qualtrough.