Christmas Bush

The Cornish Christmas Bush

MUSIC: Deck The Boughs With Holly.

In Cornwall the tradition of hanging up the " Bush" goes back to a pagan festival celebrating the Winter Solstice.

The construction of the bush is a memento of the practice of human sacrifice practiced by the Celts before the coming of Christianity. Great cages of withies were fashioned in the likeness of the gods and into these human victims were crowded and at midnight on the solstice eve they would be burnt as an offering to the solar deity in order that he might furnish the god with renewed power to rejuvenate the soil. So the "Bush" just like the Hobby Hoss ( which in tradition was also made of withies) is a celebration of the coming of the sun god and new life. With the introduction of Christianity the tradition was adapted by the first Christian missionaries who just like the Bards before them would cut Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe bushes using a bronze sickle and then bless the cuttings before handing them to the people who would take them home to make the bush. Now the bush was used to celebrate the new life that had come with the birth of the baby Jesus. So like many of the old traditions yet another was used by the church as a way of letting the people continue to use the old practice of their new faith.

Use willow canes to make two hoops. Fastened these one inside the other to make a ball shape. Decorate the hoops with Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe which where believed by the old ones to have magical powers as they stayed green when everything around them was dying. Wrap the holly and the ivy around the hoops and fastened an apple inside the top and hang the mistletoe below the hoops.

On Solstice eve the 20th of December, securs the bush to the ceiling and taking great care, fastened a red candle inside the bush and light just before midnight then form a ring and dance under the bush welcoming the rebirth of the God of Light. Make sure you extinguish the candle before leaving the room.

The Christmas bush’. The latter when properly constructed, consists of two little wooden hoops fastened one into the other at right angles, the framework thus formed being decorated with evergreens, furze blossom, apples, oranges, etc. This pleasing form of decoration, which is known in some districts as the ‘kissing bush’, is usually suspended in the front window of the house, and when illuminated at night by a lighted candle set inside it, has a peculiarly festive appearance. Considering how easily and cheaply the bush can be made, it is regrettble that this old British form of decoration should have been so widely supplanted by its German counterpart—the Christmas tree.

A.K. Hamilton Jenkin "Cornwall and its People" Pub.1934

If there is one experience more joyous than returning home at Christmas it is to be there to welcome a loved one after a long absence. I close my eyes and see my brother and two sisters and myself racing to meet my father home from his ship. Memory revives the fresh sea-scent he brought with him for, as Kipling says, Smells are surer than sounds and sights to make the heart-strings crack.” Once more he had arrived for Christmas in time to make for us the Cornish Bush an old custom, depicted in Mordon’s drawing.

The Bush, known much earlier than the Victorian Christmas tree, was made by interlinking two wooden hoops at right angles and tying them firmly together; the hollow globe of four curves thus formed was covered in twists of red crinkled paper and decorated along the staves with holly, ivy or other evergreens. I do not recollect mistletoe, though I have heard it called The Kissing Bough.” Fruit such as red apples and oranges was added, and the sparkling shining balls

unknown in earlier days. Our presents also adorned the dainty structure which was hung in a window. One red candle inside at the base was lit after dark, and I recall this once caused a near-tragedy by setting the whole thing ablaze—no candle after that! I believe we thought the light welcomed the Infant Christ on his way to Bethlehem.

When I returned to my native county I made one of these bushes “ and was asked ironically if it signified RIP. the Spirit of Christmas! “ Another I made for a church bazaar was received with curiosity and interest.

I shall place Mordon’s beautiful drawing with other nostalgic treasures—the naval button, the wisp of my mother’s dark hair, with no trace of grey, cut on her golden wedding, the dried scrap of Cornish heather. . . I now embalm them all afresh with this recollection of a happy childhood.

Gladys Hunkin (Winner of a Old Cornwall competition 1967 )

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