Christmas – 1978

This issue was the general Christmas release, first sold on 22nd November 1978 and designed by Faith Jaques. The 7p depicted a family Singing Carols round the Christmas Tree, 9p The Waits, 11p 18th Century Carol Singers and 13p “The Boars Head Carol.”

It was sometime during the 19th Century that the traditional Christmas that we know today started to be formed, and was immortalised by Charles Dickens in his Christmas Carol. The 7p shows a traditional Victorian family with a Christmas Tree, which remains to this day the most symbolic decoration for Christian households. The 9p depicted The Waits in a 19th century scene, the tradition of which goes back to medieval night watchmen. I have been unable to deduce where the name or function came from, but it is believed that they played musical instruments to indicate the hour throughout the night, and became famous for amusing children by playing a countdown to Christmas. The 11p depicts 18th century Carol Singers a tradition that also still exists today. The 13p shows a boars head on a platter and musicians dressed in late 16th century costume. The tradition of eating boars head goes back to an ancient yuletide ceremony and the carol is still sung at Queen’s College, Oxford. Boar was always the traditional Christmas food, but as supplies became more scare it gradually died out and has now been replaced with Turkey as the traditional Christmas meal.

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