Mummers were bands of men and women from the medieval to early modern era who (during public festivities) dressed in fantastic clothes and costumes and serenaded people outside their houses, or joined the party inside. Costumes were varied and might include bears, unicorns, deer (with deer hides and antlers) or rams (with rams' horns). The practice was widespread in Europe, present in England, Ireland and Scotland, with words for it in German and French. The practice dates back to the Romans and has survived in some areas (such as Scotland) and is used in the holiday tradition of Mummer's plays. It has also been revived in the modern Mummer's Parade. The practice may also be related to miming.

History

Mumming was preceded by the Roman holiday

Saturnalia Saturnalia is an Roman festivals, ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the List of Roman deities, god Saturn (mythology), Saturn, held on 17 December in the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities until 19 December. By t ...

, in which partiers masqueraded. Feasts of Pallas Athena included "visars and painted visages." The holiday was a time of "frequent and luxurious feastings amongst friends, presents were mutually sent, and changes of dress made." Some of these habits carried over to Christmas, including exchanging clothes and visiting neighbors "in the manner which Germans call mummery,"

wassailing The tradition of wassailing (also spelled wasselling) falls into two distinct categories: the house-visiting wassail and the orchard-visiting wassail. The house-visiting wassail, which traditionally occurs on the twelfth day of Christmastide ...

, and

Saint Stephen's Day Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in Western Christianity and 27 December in Eastern Ch ...

celebrations. In 1377, citizens of London dressed in mummery to amuse the son of

Edward the Black Prince Edward of Woodstock (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), known as the Black Prince, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne instead. Edward n ...

. In England, the tradition became associated with obnoxious behavior and led King Henry VIII to declare the wearing of masks to be a misdemeanor. In Scotland, mummers are called ''guisards'' and traditionally put on a "rude drama" called ''Galatian''. Mumming was labeled part of "the progeny of Father Christmas" by

Ben Jonson Benjamin Jonson ( 11 June 1572 – ) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence on English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for the satire, satirical ...

in his 1616 play ''Chrismas Masque''. In the 18th into the 19th century, mummers were mimes, actors, largely specializing in Christmas. The idea of mumming in the 19th century was that it looked back to "simpler times" and mumming antics became part of a "controlled expression of seasonal 'misrule'".

Etymology

The word ''mummers'' appears in late Middle English. It derived from the Old French word ''momeur'', itself from ''momer'' ("to act in a mime"). Mummery ties to the similar Old French word ''mommerie''. The word is related to ''mum'' (silence, mum's the word), ''mum'' (to act in a dumb show), mumble (to speak indistinctly, silent utterance) and ''murmer''. File:Dancers (mummers and ladies) dance to handbells and tabor, MS Bodley 264, folio 110r.jpg, Not limited to Christmas in this image, partiers dressed as dogs and monkeys dance with ladies. File:Drum from PSALTERIUM TRIPLEX, St John's College Cambridge, manuscript B.18, folio 1r.jpg, Early 12th century A.D., England. Image of demon or bear playing drum, possible mummer. File:Jan Steen - Nocturnal Serenade - WGA21755.jpg, Revelers, some in mummers' garb, serenading in the Netherlands, playing a bumbass. File:St. Stephens Day (26 December) in Dingle, Co Kerry.jpg, 1990s, Ireland. "Wren boys" parading on Saint Stephen's Day. File:Mummers02.jpg, Mummers performing in Exeter, Devon in 1994 File:2010 Mummers New Year's Day Parade (4235128343).jpg, 2010, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mummer in the 2010 Mummers New Year's Day Parade.

References

{{reflist Mime Medieval performers