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Christmas customs formerly more observed than among the hills of 

 Cumberland and Westmorland. 



In order to understand the general hospitality which then prevailed, 

 we must remember, that at the middle of the last century, society in the 

 rural parts of Cumberland and Westmorland, was very differently consti- 

 tuted from what it is at present. Instead of there being Landlords, 

 Farmers, and Labourers, which now form three distinct grades, the land 

 was divided into a great number of small estates, each occupied by its 

 owner, and cultivated by himself and his family; so that the head of 

 every house was landlord, farmer, and labourer, at the same time. Most 

 of these holdings were so small, that with the then imperfect modes of 

 cultivation, their produce was quite insufficient to support the families of 

 their owners, who consequently had to eke out a living by hand carding, 

 spinning, and weaving the wool, shorn from their mountain flocks ; an 

 employment with which they occupied themselves during the long winter 

 evenings; in wet weather, and at other vacant times. In a community 

 so constituted, all were socially equal, and when there was any important 

 event to be celebrated in a family, all the neighbours within a certain 

 distance, were invited to go, and partake of the hospitalities and join in 

 the rejoicings of the occasion. Even the clergy assisted in the fieldwork, 

 at busy seasons, and mixed freely with the people, in their sports and 

 revellings. We learn from old authors, as well as from tradition, that on 

 Christmas eve, all work was suspended, and with the exception of 

 attending to the cattle, was not resumed until after the twelfth day. 

 During this fortnight the whirr of the spinning wheel was never heard, 

 the looms were silent, and the flails hung idle in the barn, while the 

 people went from house to house, feasting, singing, dancing, and card 

 playing. Every dwelling was visited in turn, the Christmas pie, home- 

 brewed ale, and ale possets without stint, were provided by every 

 housewife. Soon after the commencement of the present century, a 

 great change took place in the district. When machinery came to be : 

 applied to manufactures, the trade all went into the towns, hand-carding, 

 hand-spinning, and country weaving were thrown out of use, and the 

 dalesmen found that the better half of their occupation was gone. In a 



