Mummers

14th century, England. Performers dressed as a stag, rabbit and boar dance to the music of a gittern. The image is not labeled and these have been interpreted as "mummers" and "minstrels."<ref name=Daseger>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Costumes were varied and might include bears, unicorns, deer (with deer hides and antlers) or rams (with rams' horns).<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> The practice was widespread in Europe, present in England, Ireland and Scotland, with words for it in German and French.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/><ref name=ConciseOxford1919/> The practice dates back to the Romans and has survived in some areas (such as Scotland) and is used in the holiday tradition of Mummers' plays. It has also been revived in the modern Mummers' Parade.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> The practice may also be related to miming.<ref name=mime/>

History

Mumming was preceded by the Roman holiday Saturnalia, in which partiers masqueraded.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> Feasts of Pallas Athena included "visars and painted visages."<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> The holiday was a time of "frequent and luxurious feastings amongst friends, presents were mutually sent, and changes of dress made."<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/>

Some of these habits carried over to Christmas, including exchanging clothes and visiting neighbors "in the manner which Germans call mummery," wassailing, and Saint Stephen's Day celebrations.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> In 1377, citizens of London dressed in mummery to amuse the son of Edward the Black Prince.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> In England, the tradition became associated with obnoxious behavior and led King Henry VIII to declare the wearing of masks to be a misdemeanor.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/> In Scotland, mummers are called guisards and traditionally put on a "rude drama" called Galatian.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/>

Mumming was labeled part of "the progeny of Father Christmas" by Ben Jonson in his 1616 play Chrismas Masque.<ref name=Daseger/> In the 18th into the 19th century, mummers were mimes, actors, largely specializing in Christmas.<ref>Template:Cite dictionary</ref> 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'".<ref name=Daseger/>

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").<ref name=mime>Template:Cite dictionary</ref>

Mummery ties to the similar Old French word mommerie.<ref name=ConciseOxford1919>Template:Cite dictionary</ref>

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.<ref name=Britannica_Mummers/><ref name=ConciseOxford1919/>

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  Not limited to Christmas in this image, partiers dressed as dogs and monkeys dance with ladies.
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  Early 12th century A.D., England. Image of demon or bear playing drum, possible mummer.
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  Revelers, some in mummers' garb, serenading in the Netherlands, playing a bumbass.
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  1990s, Ireland. "Wren boys" parading on Saint Stephen's Day.
• Mummers performing in Exeter, Devon in 1994
  Mummers performing in Exeter, Devon in 1994
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  2010, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mummer in the 2010 Mummers New Year's Day Parade.