Happy St. Thomas Day! Okay, I admit that’s not a greeting one often hears. In fact, if you’re like me, that statement left you scratching your head. However, I recently discovered a largely-discarded holiday that, during the Regency, many observed. And if you know me, you know I delight in sniffing out obscure Regency customs. Originally held on December 21, the shortest day of the year, St. Thomas’s Day is still celebrated in some countries but it is not widespread.
As you may have guessed, St. Thomas Day was set aside to honor St. Thomas. Also known as “doubting Thomas,” he was the apostle who would not believe the Savior Jesus Christ had been resurrected unless he saw and touched the holes left by the crucifixion. In medieval times, Thomas was the patron saint of architects, masons, stonecutters, and the aged.
For centuries, people celebrated by doing what people love best: having a feast. Apparently, meat pies starred on the menu of the traditional English St. Thomas’s Day feast.
In many European countries, including England, St. Thomas’s Day falls within the Christmas season to appeal to people’s charitable nature. In rural England, going “Thomasing” was a common practice among children, the poor, and the elderly—especially old women. Also called “mumping,” “doleing,” “corning,” or “gooding,” these poorest of poor went door to door begging for food or money.
An old English Christmas song depicts this custom:
Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat,
Please spare a penny for the old man’s hat,
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do,
If you haven’t got a ha’penny, God bless you.
[Muir, 1977, 35]
Another by-gone custom in England occurred among school children. Students raced to school early on St. Thomas’s Day. If they arrived before the schoolmaster, they could lock him out and avoid that day’s lessons. Perhaps the schoolmaster traveled more slowly to the classroom that so he could have a day off, too.
According to Win Calendar, another custom on St. Thomas’s Day involved farmers and their sons praying over their property on the feast of St. Thomas to drive off evil spirits in preparation for Christmas by sprinkling holy water across their land. Their family members stayed inside and prayed. I guess warding off spirits was serious business.
How will you celebrate St. Thomas’s Day? I recommend chocolate….
Sources:
Regency Christmas Traditions, A Jane Austen Christmas by Maria Grace, White Soup Press, pub. 2014
https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/St.+Thomas%27s+Day
https://www.wincalendar.com/St-Thomas
Thank you, that was very interesting. I’m going to take your recommendation to celebrate with chocolate!!! LOTS and lots of chocolate!! We want those crops to grow!
Didn’t see this earlier, but in Germany the Thomastag often has similar customs as the Andreasnacht (Andrew’s night) for finding your future marriage partner. You can either find out who it will be, how he/ she will be or even bind a certain person to you, depending on the region.
Furthermore, in some regions the Rauhnächte (Twelve Nights) aren’t from the Dec. 25th to Jan. 6th, but rather from St. Thomas’ Day til New Year (with St. Thomas’ Day included or excluded, depending on the region) with the whole package like Wild Hunt and such.
Thanks again for your interesting blog!