The History of Christmas Mummers
Mummers, also called ‘Jannies’, have been a tradition in Newfoundland since colonists from England brought the custom at the beginning of t
he seventeenth century. Mummer comes from the old French ‘momer’ which means to wear a mask; pantomime.
Sometime during the twelve days of Christmas, usually on the night of the "Old Twelfth", people would disguise themselves with old articles of clothing and visit the homes of their friends and neighbours. They would even cover their faces with a hood, scarf, mask or pillowcase to keep their identity hidden. Men would sometimes dress as women, and women as men. They would go from house to house. They usually carried their own musical instruments to play, sing and dance in every house they visited. The host and hostess of these 'mummers parties' would serve a small lunch of Christmas cake with a glass of syrup or blueberry or dogberry wine. All mummers usually drink a Christmas "grog" before they leave each house. (A grog is a drink of an alcoholic beverage such as rum or whiskey.)
When mummers visit everyone in the house starts playing a guessing game. They try to guess the identity of each mummer. As each one is identified they uncover their faces, but if their true identity is not guessed they do not have to unmask. For a time the old tradition of "Mummering", or "Jannying" as it is sometimes called, seemed to fade, especially in the larger centers of Newfoundland.
But in recent years, thanks to the popular musical duo, Simini, who wrote and recorded "The Mummer's Song" in 1982, mummering has been revived. It is just as prevalent and popular as it was years ago, and young and old look forward to dressing up each Christmas, knocking on a friend's door and shouting out "ANY MUMMERS ALLOWED IN?"
These Hand's Christmas Mummers are each handmade, and each has their own unique personality. They stand about 14 inches tall, each with their own favourite musical instrument, just as you would have seen them years ago. Their clothes are all handmade, and each comes with their own pants, shirt or jacket, and of course, a pair of mittens and a pillow pulled down over their head. They make excellent Christmas gifts, and you will certainly want to start your very own collection. They come in many shapes and sizes, both male and female.
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To place an order for these very unique keepsakes, please give us a call at (709) 697-0724, or just send an email to nina@thesehandsupholstery.ca