Boars Head Christmas Festival!!

Danny with two of the three Kings

Ed Bedner, his engineer pal as the jester,Jer,Danny,Molly,Hannah,Mollie the jesters daughter,Charlotte,Sophie

Ed,Laura and Hannah Bedner invited us to join them at their friends Church up in Saginaw this afternoon. The church is in it's 27th year of hosting a Boar's Head Festival. Rooted in pagan times when the boar was the fist dish served at a Roman feast,, the colourful ceremony of the Boar's Head became part of the Christmas celebration at the great manor homes of the middle ages. In medieval England, the boar was a ferocious beast and sovereign of the forest, a danger and a menace to man, and, therefore,  the symbol of evil. The presentation of the boars head, carried into the great hall on a procession at Christmas time, signified the triumph of the Christ-Child over sin. The begin of the ceremony is not known, but the first one recorded was at Queen's College, Oxford, shortly after the founding of the University in 1340. It continues there to this day! The festival came to America in colonial times, performed in Episcopal churches and schools.
The church we went to has an amazing congregation. The many musician, including harp,bagpipe, heralding trumpets, and more are all members of the church. A full choir sang from above, while actors dressed in elaborate costumes danced and sang for us. The Christmas story was told, complete with live new born baby, three Kings and their entourages, and bewildered shepherds. Good King Wenceslas, court jesters and wassailers added to the fun.  What a fantastic, different way to kick off the Christmas season!!