Offices of the old New York Sun, from which Francis Pharcellus Church

assured a young reader that "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

"The holiday season of the British Isles has always suggested strange miracle plays

and in these there was generally a character which rode on a hobby horse. In many parts

of rural England years ago it was common to carve from wood the head of an animal.

This head was made as grotesque as possible and painted. It was usually represented

as having dug-out eyes and a large, awe-inspiring jaw, with hob-nail teeth. Two boys

beneath a sheet formed the horse under a horse blanket and manipulated strings that

made the teeth clank. The horse and his followers went to the windows of the houses

and frightened the inmates almost out of their wits. Sometimes a lighted candle was

placed in the hollow of the head and the mouth seemed to belch forth flames. After giving

the good family a scare, they expected to be invited in for a treat of cakes and cider.

 In Wales it was a custom for the Hodening Horse to recite long, extemporaneous poems,

whereupon the host returned other extemporaneous poems, and if the disguised horse

could outwit the host he gained admittance. It was the custom in some parts of

the British Isles for unknown Hodening Horses to attack wealthy citizens,

and these in turn were not released until they had paid a fine."

-- from 1001 Christmas Facts and Fancies by Alfred Carl Hottes

'When righteous Joeseph wedded was

To Israel's Hebrew maid,

The angel Garbiel came from Heaven,

And to the Virgin said:

'Hail, blessed Mary, full of grace,

The Lord remain on thee;

Thous shalt conceive and bear a son,

Our Saviour for to be':

Then sing you all, both great and small,

Now well, now well, now well!

We may rejoice to hear the voice

Of the angel Gabriel.

Then Joseph thought to shun all shame

And Mary to forsake;

But God's dear angel in a dream

His mind did undertake:

'Fear not, old Joseph, she's thy wife,

She's still a spotless maid;

There's no conceit or sin at all

Against her can be laid.

Then Mary and her husband kind

Together did remain,

Until the time of Jesus' birth,

As Scripture doth make plain.

As mother, wife, and virtuous maid,

Our Saviour sweet conceived;

And in due time to bring us him,

Of whom we were bereaved.

Sing praises all, both young and old,

To him that wrought such things;

And all without the means of man,

Sent us the King of kings,

Who is of such a spirit blest,

That with his might did quell

The world, the flesh, and by his death

Did conquer death and hell.'

Righteous Joseph, Cornish

The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928

    Days 'til Christmas