Editing Father Christmas (section)

=== 16th century—feasting, entertainment, and music ===
By the 11th century, the term 'Yule' was largely replaced by 'Christmas' in most of England, although it persisted in some dialects. The City of York celebrated an annual St. Thomas's Day tradition known as ''The Riding of Yule and his Wife,'' involving a figure representing Yule carrying bread and lamb. However, in 1572, Archbishop of York Edmund Grindal suppressed the tradition, criticizing its "undecent and uncomely disguising," which distracted people from attending church services.

Personifications of Christmas during the Tudor and Stuart periods often presided over festivities as symbolic figures like 'Captain Christmas,' 'Prince Christmas,' or 'The Christmas Lord.' These characters were common in grand houses, universities, and Inns of Court, exemplifying the medieval love for pageantry and allegory.

In Thomas Nashe's allegorical play ''Summer's Last Will and Testament'' (c. 1592), a miserly Christmas character appears for comic effect, refusing to keep the traditional feast. He is chastised by Summer, who reminds him of his traditional role:

''"Christmas, how chance thou com’st not as the rest,''

''Accompanied with some music, or some song?''

''A merry carol would have graced thee well;''

''Thy ancestors have used it heretofore."''