Edinburgh at Christmas Time

It’s hard to imagine that once upon a time Christmas was banned for over 400 years in Scotland. Today shops are full of anything and everything Christmas related you could ever need, you can spot Christmas trees in almost every sitting room window and fairy lights adorn houses and businesses across the land. Up until 54 years ago, Christmas day was just another working day in Scotland. The ban was surprisingly only lifted as recently as 1958 and Boxing Day was only recognised as a public holiday in 1974.

So where does this turbulent history of Christmas in Scotland begin? Celtic Pagans who were kicking about in Western Europe between 500 BCE and 500 CE held celebrations around the time of winter solstice (usually around the 21st or 22nd of December). The festivities were in part to brighten the dark winter days, and to appease the Gods to allow the sun to return. Traditions included the burning of the Yule log, with the charred remains being used to protect the house throughout the year, and kissing under mistletoe (a fertility rite). It is the pagans too who have been credited with the early tradition of decorating a tree. It is thought that they hung shapes from an evergreen brought into the house to symbolise life.

With the establishment of Roman Catholicism in Scotland in the 5th and 6th centuries, Pagan winter solstice traditions were mishmashed with Christian traditions, perhaps explaining why they are still around in some form or another to this day. Prior to the Scottish Reformation of 1560, Christmas in Scotland was known as Yule and celebrated in a similar fashion to the rest of Europe. Yule is a Scots word that comes from the Old Norse jól, their word for winter solstice festivities. Traditionally Yule refers not just to Christmas Day but the festive season associated with it, which began before Christmas day and continued till after the new year.

John Knox, Leader of the Scottish Reformation

Post-Reformation of 1560, in which Scotland formally declared its split with the Catholic Church, anti-Catholic sentiment towards feast days and church holidays was high. John Knox, the leader of the Presbyterian movement, banned the celebration of Christmas in Scotland in 1580. He saw the holiday (including St. Nicholas) as one created by the Catholic Church and instead favored the continuation of Hogmanay as a time to celebrate new life. This eventually led to the 1640 Act of Scottish Parliament which officially abolished the “Yule vacation and all observation thereof in time coming”, and was strictly enforced by law.

The Act stated (in Middle Scots):

“… the kirke within this kingdome is now purged of all superstitious observatione of dayes… thairfor the saidis estatis have dischairged and simply dischairges the foirsaid Yule vacance and all observation thairof in tymecomeing, and rescindis and annullis all acts, statutis and warrandis and ordinances whatsoevir granted at any tyme heirtofoir for keiping of the said Yule vacance, with all custome of observatione thairof, and findis and declaires the samene to be extinct, voyd and of no force nor effect in tymecomeing.”

(English translation: “… the kirk within this kingdom is now purged of all superstitious observation of days… therefore the said estates have discharged and simply discharge the foresaid Yule vacation and all observation thereof in time coming, and rescind and annul all acts, statutes and warrants and ordinances whatsoever granted at any time heretofore for keeping of the said Yule vacation, with all custom of observation thereof, and find and declare the same to be extinct, void and of no force nor effect in time coming.”)

Nevertheless there are many accounts of folk who continued their Christmas festivities, with some receiving fines or even prison sentences. On 27 December 1583, five people in Glasgow were brought before the kirk session and sternly ordered to make public repentance for ‘keeping Yule’. In the same year the Scot’s Church forbade bakers from preparing mincemeat pies, a chiefly tradition in pre-Reformation Christmas festivities. Anyone found baking them would be punished, or as more often happened, bakers were encouraged to inform on the customers who ordered them. In order to fox the Church, mincemeat pies became smaller and easier to hide. During the Christmas of 1605, five Aberdonians were prosecuted for going through the town ‘maskit and dancing with bellis’

For anti-Christmas humbuggery on a spectacular scale, it’s hard to beat a demonstration by students at Edinburgh University in 1680. In a letter entitled The Scots Demonstration of Their Abhorrence of Popery, with all its Adherents, the author recounts how the students had themselves a jolly Christmas by burning an effigy of the Pope. “Our Chriftmafs, this morning very pleasantly began” begins the letter, describing how the students burnt the effigy in public, despite a plea by authorities against “tumultuous affemblies.”

Even though the Victorians revived Christmas traditions to some extent, up until the 1960s Scots were mostly indiffernt to Christmas. With the fading of the influence of the Church and influence from the rest of the UK and elsewhere, Christmas time in Scotland today is celebrated with all the trimmings.

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Chambers Street, Edinburgh

In August 1561 Mary, Queen of Scots returned to Edinburgh from France as a Catholic queen in a newly reformed Protestant Scotland. Initially greeted with crowds curious to catch a glimpse of their new queen, Mary Stewart was regarded with suspicion and faced a volatile political situation from the fervent Protestant ascendancy.

450 years on, Mary has made a triumphant return to the Scottish capital in the form of an exclusive major exhibition currently on show at the National Museum of Scotland. Entitled Mary, Queen of Scots, the exhibition chronicles one of the most well-known and captivating royals of all time. It brings together jewels, furniture, tapestry, portraits and documents, providing an insightful view of a fascinating woman and the tumultuous era in which she lived.

Last week I attended a talk highlighting the exhibition’s star pieces by George Dalgliesh – Keeper of Scottish History and Archaeology at the National Museum for over 20 years. He explained that the 200+ items on display aim to present a slightly different view of Mary’s life, focusing on her personal rule in Scotland. He added that Mary still excites controversy to this day, with debates ensuing as to whether the Scottish queen was a Catholic martyr or a scheming adulteress.

Blairs Memorial Portrait of Mary

On entrance to the exhibition the giant Blairs Memorial portrait of Mary towers over you, providing a commanding view of Mary on her way to the executioners block. Commissioned by Elizabeth Curle, a companion to Mary in the final years of her life, the portrait was painted 10-15 years after Mary’s death and was used as a piece of Catholic propaganda to promote Mary’s martyrdom. The portrait also includes visual vignettes of Mary’s grieving ladies in waiting and a scene from the execution.

The exhibition is set out chronologically, with the pinnacle point her reign as Queen of Scotland. Amongst the 16th century artifacts, which include a handwritten letter from Mary to her mother Mary of Guise, an innovative 21st century video shows a 3D image of what Mary would have looked like during her reign. Costume sketches and models by Jasper Conran for a recent production of Donizetti’s tragic opera Maria Stuarda show her renowned regal fashion sense and striking figure that continues to inspire artists today. Even John Knox, the leading light of protestant reformation is said to have described her features as “pleasing”.

Among the most fascinating of the items on display are the documents in the concluding section of the exhibition which include a set of cipher codes, the death warrant issued by Mary’s second cousin Elizabeth I, and a letter from Mary’s son James VI pleading Elizabeth for mercy. The original death warrant disappeared during the legal accusations following the execution, however the surviving copy on display was made for court records and includes the signature of Elizabeth I. The warrant instructs Elizabeth’s commissioners to:

“…repaire to our Castle of Fotheringhaye where the said Queene of Scottes is in custodie of our right trustie servant and Counsellor Sir Amyas Poulet Knight, and then taking her into your charge to cause by your commandment execution to be done upon her person.”

 

 

The Penicuik Jewels

Today very little survives that belonged to Mary for a number of reasons. Following her death her belongings were burned to try and stop the creation of a cult of relics around a martyred Queen. Mary’s half-brother, James Stewart Earl of Moray, is also said to have sold his sister’s jewels following her abdication to pay for troops. A surviving relic on display are the Penicuik Jewels. Originally from a rosary, the jewels are now strung as a necklace and include a locket set with Scottish river pearls. Dalgleish thinks the jewels were probably commissioned by Mary to be given away, as they are not regal enough to be fit for a queen. Giving jewels as gifts was a common practice during the 16th Century as a way of binding a person to your cause.

To this day Mary continues to hold a place in Edinburgh’s heart, as buses make their way through the city’s streets with her face displayed on their sides. The exhibition provides a wondrous insight into the life of a controversial Queen whose legacy still lives on, almost 450 years after her death.

‘Mary, Queen of Scots’ runs until Sunday 17th November 2013. You can read more about the exhibition by clicking here.

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