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Odd News: Any Mummers allowed?

Long before Santa, Bing Crosby and toy companies stole the occasion, even before Christianity itself kidnapped it, the Winter Solstice was celebrated with seasonal ritual. One ancient solstice custom is Mummering.

The word Mummer is said to derive the from the Middle English word 'mum' which means silent; or perhaps the German 'Mummerspiel ' meaning 'masked play' or masquerade.

Mummer's plays have been performed since the Middle Ages to celebrate the triumph of life over death and resurrection.

Pre-Christian pagan rituals, like the Roman Saturnalia, celebrated the rebirth of the Sun god on the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.

In England, the Mummer's plays follow the same basic plot. A hero returns from a distant land. The hero is challenged and killed. A doctor is called and revives the hero. All hostilities are ceased. In the Tudor period, the hero was often Saint George battling evil in the form of a dragon.

Mummers may be friends or complete strangers, and unless you can guess their identities you cannot be sure who is behind the mask. They are certain to track muddy boots across your carpet, play lively music, demand drink and perform outrageously