STOKE SUNDAY HISTORY SPOT
Investigating the Past, to Understand the Present, to Plan for the Future
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Happy Christmas 2025
A Seasonal Message - don't believe everything your AI Assistant tells you!
In 1775 (250 Years Ago), the people of Stoke would still have been getting used to the change of calendar that moved the date of Christmas. They may still have celebrated on what we now know as January 6th, or Old Christmas Day. What is NOT true is the information given by Microsoft's AI 'Copilot', that as well as the Glastonbury Thorn, said to flower on Christmas Day, there is also a Thurloxton Thorn that flowers on 6th January. It took a while to extract an apology and an admission of lying . . .
In 1825 (200 Years Ago), we hope that The Taunton Courier was telling the truth when it published this story:
"A few days since, a poor, but we suspect, honest, countryman, entered a grocer’s shop in this town, and with a very obsequious and appropriate bow, thumbing of the hat, and hair-smoothing, begged the female behind the counter to give him a Christmas Box. These contributions being very rarely bestowed nowadays, unless some ‘suit or service’ can proved in favour of the applicant, the rustic was accordingly asked on what grounds he made the request. With the greatest possible simplicity and readiness, he exclaimed, Please, Ma’am, don’t you mind I bought a quarter a pound o’bacon here this day fortnight. The shopwoman’s reply, we understand, was brief enough, simply informing Zekial Homespun, No. 2, that it was not customary with her master to bestow Christmas benefactions on such truly petty customers."
On to 1875 (150 Years Ago), and this item appeared in the Courier. Another wet winter then:
And finally, in 1925 (100 Years Ago), these words of advice appeared in the same local paper:
CHRISTMAS SUPERSTITIONS Naturally round such an old festival as Christmas many legends and superstitious beliefs are woven. It is said that if you draw water from clear well Christmas on morning you draw good luck to all who drink of it. People who do not want to lose money during the year should scan their garments carefully make sure that they are free from holes. They should not put on anything with a hole in it on Christmas Day, otherwise their purse will leak throughout the year. When putting on your clothes, remember to get into the right sleeve of all your garments first, and put on your right shoe before your left. Save a crumb or two of the first piece of Chrismas cake you eat. If you carry it in your pocket during the next year good fortune will attend you the whole time. As soon as you lose the crumbs troubles will befall you. It is considered lucky to eat as many mince pies, made by different cooks, before Christmas as there are months in the year. Therefore, when visiting your friends before Christmas, do not refuse their mince pies. Each mince pie means a lucky month. Never decorate your house with holly, mistletoe, and evergreens before Christmas Eve, and remove all decorations before Twelfth Night.