Let’s say you were invited to Christmas Dinner at a noble household… what would your Tudor Christmas Feast have been like? From the food and drink to the music, let’s discuss…
Listen below, or read the Very Rough Transcript.
Check out some related Christmasy episodes
Supplemental: Tudor Christmas Carols
Episode 008: Christmas celebrations in Tudor England
Renaissance Christmas Traditions
Hello friend and welcome to the Renaissance English History Podcast, a part of the Agora Podcast Network and the original Tudor History Podcast. I am your host, Heather Teysko, and I’m a storyteller who makes history accessible because I believe it’s a pathway to understanding who we are. Our place in the universe and being much more deeply in touch with our own humanity.
This is episode, I’m not sure, 262, 261, I don’t know, something. Um, and we are going to start talking about, yes, the universe. Christmas. It is time to begin talking about Christmas. Uh, if you follow my YouTube channel, you will note that on Monday I put up a video of, uh, Christmas traditions, five Tudor Christmas traditions.
And I said in that video that while I am not someone who has their Christmas decorations up yet, I am still fully in pumpkin spice mode. I will be doing some very special things this Christmas and having some opportunities for you to spend your Yuletide with me. So I’m going to be talking about that more in the next couple of weeks.
And yes, that was indeed intentionally vague because it is designed to have you be interested. So you will get more information on that. But in the meantime, I wanted to start sprinkling in episodes and videos on Tudor holiday traditions. So today we are going to talk about the Christmas feast food.
The, uh, the swan and the peacock and all of the Christmas wonderful foods. Thank you so much for joining us. Have you started noticing Christmas goodies in your grocery store? I’m sure you have. I have friends in England who sent pictures even about a month and a half ago of some of the Christmas stuff that’s out.
And I said that I do think one thing about being an American that is a plus is that we have Thanksgiving in here. To kind of be a buffer between Halloween and, and Christmas, because as much as people might like to go directly into Christmas mode, we do have Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is an amazing holiday, and I love it so very, very much.
It is my favorite holiday. And so, you know, that kind of keeps us from going fully, becoming fully invested in, in the Christmas food and the Christmas decorations and all that, because we’ve got Thanksgiving to plan for.
But with that said, we are going to talk about the Christmas feast today that our tutor friends would’ve had.
And you know, I was doing research for this Christmas programming that I’m going to be telling you more about. And I was reading about some of these traditional foods that the Tudors would have had with their Christmas dinner. And we’re going to talk about that in a little bit here. And it’s just interesting that so many of the foods that we consider part of our Christmas dinners and holiday dinners.
were actually foods that the Tudors were eating as well. Stuffing and Brussels sprouts were first reported in, uh, 1587. There were sprouts at the Christmas Brussels sprouts at the Christmas table.
And so it’s just kind of cool to think that we are still eating some of the same foods. at the holidays that our Tudor friends ate. So let us get right into it.
Imagine that you are stepping into the grand hall of a Tudor manor home.
It was chilly outside, it’s chilly inside, the stone is cold as you walk through into the hall. The air, though, is thick with scents that feel both foreign and familiar. You smell roasted meats and warm spices, the hint of sweetened wine, all blending together to create a heady perfume that fills the vast and decorated space.
There are long tables with rich tapestries and fine linens all around and the place settings all have been carefully set. The act of feasting itself seems to be a ritual
then there’s gleaming silver goblets and golden plate catching the flickering glow of the candles. There’s platters piled high with food gleaming in the firelight. Each one looks like its own little work of art, laden with fruits and with flowers. There’s musicians in the corner, and there’s the buzz of conversation and laughter.
And the halls are decked with greenery, holly, ivy, mistletoe, and the warmth of the hearth. competes with the chill that is coming through the cold stone walls. It is Christmas Day in Tudor England, a time of pageantry, indulgence, and reverence, all wrapped up into one glorious season.
But what is on the menu? Well, that is what we are going to talk about today. Let’s journey through this feast together. We will savor each course and each tradition and message that is behind the food, and talk about the meaning and the magic.
Behind the dishes that were on the tables of our Tudor elite friends. We are imagining in this case that we are friends with some Tudor nobles, alright? But first, Advent, the Advent fast. Before you could feast, you had to fast. Advent was a period of fasting and restraint observed with great reverence in Tudor England.
Unlike today’s lead up to Christmas, which is filled with festive treats and parties and indulgence, the weeks before Christmas, were a time for reflection, for restraint, for preparation. Advent was marked by abstaining from certain foods, specifically meat, which made the arrival of the Christmas feast all the more anticipated.
Weeks of meals centered around fish and simpler fare built up a sense of longing for the rich foods that would await on Christmas day.
To add to the anticipation, of course, people would have been preparing for the feast during that period of fasting. So you would have been surrounded by all of this meat being butchered, by all of this bread baked, pastries being baked, all the smells
but you were not allowed to indulge until after the Christmas Mass.
It is evident, though, that at least if you go by a poem by Robert Herrick, that not everybody was waiting until Christmas Day.
There’s a poem that says, Come guard this night the Christmas pie, that the thief, though ne’er so sly, with his flesh hooks, don’t come nigh to catch it. From him who all alone sits there, having his eyes still in his ear, and a deal of nightly fear to watch it. So you had to watch the Christmas pie to make sure that no one was going to come and eat it before things were ready.
Advent wasn’t just a matter of religious observance. It was a way of attuning yourself to the season’s significance. The fast acted as a spiritual and physical cleanse, a reminder of the humility and the patience that That marked the approach to the celebration of Christ’s birth. By the time Christmas arrived, the Fast had created such a yearning for the meats, sweets, and spiced wines that would soon be on the table.
Every dish served during the Christmas feast became a celebration. Each flavor was heightened by weeks of restraint. So the Christmas feast then wasn’t just a big meal like it is for us today. It was a reward, a breaking of the fast that had honed the appetites of the diners. And infused each bite with a deeper meaning.
Let’s talk about the meat dishes. At the heart of every Tudor Christmas feast was the centerpiece, grand roasted meats that stood as symbols of status, tradition, and even bravery. These dishes were crafted and presented with an artistry that announced the host’s wealth and power before a single bite was taken.
We start with the boar’s head. Do you still sing the Boar’s Head Carol? I still sing the Boar’s Head Carol. I think I might be one of the few people who still enjoys the Boar’s Head Carol. Uh, you should go look up the Boar’s Head Carol if you don’t know it. But the Boar’s Head was carried into the hall on a silver platter.
Its tusks were polished to a gleam, its mouth adorned with a red apple. This wasn’t just food, this was a scene. statement. The boar symbolized bravery and strength, embodying the warrior spirit that Tudor society prized. It was garnished with fragrant springs of rosemary and bright winter berries. The boar’s head was a feast for the eyes, a reminder of the hunt and an ancient connection to the land and its wild beauty.
The ceremonial dish was typically brought in accompanied by trumpets and carols, a jester might be dancing in front. It was a whole parade. It was a whole procession. So there was this whole sense of theater and pageantry that filled the room as the boar’s head was brought in. Next would have come the swan.
If you were wealthy enough, the swan was only for the very wealthiest of households. It was served whole, sometimes even with feathers carefully reattached for display. The swan was a symbol of nobility. Its pure white feathers were thought to signify grace and purity, qualities that the Tudor court valued deeply. Only the nobility could afford such an extravagant dish. And its presence on the table was as much about showcasing privilege as it was about savoring the taste.
The swan’s skin might actually be gilded with a thin layer of edible gold, catching the candlelight and casting a warm glow over the table. There’s that scene in the Tudors, the end of the season where Anne Boleyn is executed. where Henry VIII digs into a swan. And, you know, it’s so symbolic because the swan is, is just symbolizes this purity, right?
That we talked about just now. And there’s Henry just like digging into it and, and just eating it without even thinking about it. And I think it’s a really powerful scene. , but swan was a dish for the nobles and it would have been a very, very special dish to have on Christmas. There also might be venison, a prized meat in Tudor England.
Venison represented the hunt, marking a man’s prowess and connection to the forest.
Unlike the controlled elegance of the swan, venison brought the wildness of the forest into the hall, connecting the feast to the cycles of nature and the thrill of the chase. Venison could be served with fruits or sweet sauces. Its gamey flavor tempered by rich spiced gravies that soaked into the tender meat.
As the dishes were laid out, the aromas filled the hall. A heady mix of roasted meat, spices, and the subtle tang of herbs and fruit. The scent of venison seasoned with pepper and cloves, mingled with the earthy rosemary on the boar’s head, and the faint smoky richness of the swan.
You as a guest would breathe in these aromas as you settle into your place. Each dish would offer a sensory experience before a single bite was even tasted.
So imagine settling into your seat, smelling all of these smells. It would have been pretty amazing.
If the boar’s head and venison were the mainstays of the Tudor Christmas table, the exotic birds were the crown jewels, adding an extra layer of drama and delight. Perhaps no dish encapsulated the Tudor love of spectacle quite like the peacock. Imagine the grand procession as servants carefully carried this prized dish to the table, its iridescent feathers reattached in a dazzling display.
The peacock was often presented in full regalia, its skin like the swan gilded with gold leaf, giving it an almost otherworldly shimmer. This was art, and it showed the host’s wealth and creativity, and it was placed at the center of the table, holding court over the other dishes.
But peacock was only one of the many birds that would have graced the Tudor Christmas feast. The array included pheasants, partridges, and capons, each served in splendid variety, often roasted and garnished with fresh herbs and winter fruits. These birds weren’t just scattered around the table. They were sometimes layered in the famous Tudor tradition of stuffed birds, which is basically like a turducken, where smaller birds are carefully placed within the larger ones, creating a cascade of flavors and textures when carved.
This method was a display of culinary skill as well as a feast for the senses. So the tutors had turduckens.
Who knew? I always wanted to make a turducken at Thanksgiving, but it seems like an awful lot of work. Have you ever made one? I would like to know. Anyway, in contrast to the rich meats and birds, the feast also would include a fish course, which held a special place in Tudor hearts as a nod to the Advent season.
Like we said, during Advent many people abstained from meat turning to dishes of fish. Fish was a lighter fare that complemented the heavier meats and birds, providing a balance. Popular choices included cod, salmon, and eel, prepared with care, and often served in sauces spiced with mustard or sweetened with dried fruits and honey.
For the Tudors, fish brought a sense of humility to the table, a reminder of the simpler meals that they had eaten during Advent. So in this way it honored the fast while enhancing the sense of indulgence that marked the Christmas celebration. And just as each big meat dish represented nobility or bravery, fish symbolized devotion and restraint, rounding out the feast in both flavor and meaning. So let’s say the savory courses of a Tudor Christmas feast were an expression of power and tradition, then the sweet courses were a display of creativity, wealth, and sheer extravagance. In a world where sugar was a luxury, desserts were more than just a final course. They were a symbol of affluence, crafted to dazzle and impress.
The crown jewel of these sweet offerings was the sugar sculpture. Imagine entering the Grand Hall and seeing elaborate castles, animals, and mythical creatures, even entire scenes, all crafted from pure sugar. These sculptures were known as subtleties. They were carefully shaped and painted to perfection, each detail contributing to the illusion.
A sugar castle might stand at the center of the table, complete with tiny turrets, miniature knights, and banners that looked ready to wave in an imaginary breeze. Or perhaps a delicate swan, lifelike in form, graced the feast, its neck arched elegantly as if ready to take flight. Creations were unmistakable displays of status.
In Tudor England, sugar was both rare and expensive. It was imported from far off lands that only the wealthiest could afford. To have it molded and colored into a masterpiece was a statement of both the host’s wealth and their access to luxury. Subtleties were served at the most important gatherings, marking the occasions as truly special.
For the Tudors, presenting sugar was similar to displaying gold, a reminder to the guests that they were in the presence of someone with both power and taste. Among the most popular desserts was Marchpane, a type of marzipan crafted from almonds and sugar, molded and often gilded to catch the candlelight.
March pain could be shaped into everything from flowers to fruits to elaborate crusts and coats of arms. Its flavor was sweet and slightly nutty, a delicate treat that almost melted in the mouth. Some March pain displays were so detailed that they looked more like sculptures than food. And it wasn’t uncommon for guests to hesitate before taking a bite, not wanting to disrupt the artistry.
There were also spiced fruit pies. They were another favorite, with fillings of dried fruits like figs, prunes, and raisins, sweetened with honey or sugar, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. These pies were small, almost bite sized. Each one packed a powerful punch of flavor. The combination of warm spices and the sweetness of the fruit made for a comforting, festive treat, one that echoed the flavors of the season.
There were also sweetmeats, small candies made from sugar caraway. They were delicate little confections, sometimes shaped into flowers or fruits, and presented in bowls or on small trays. Sweetmeats offered a playful finish to the meal, with colors and flavors that added to the visual and sensory variety of the feast.
The sweet course was the grand finale of the feast, a final flourish that left guests not only satisfied, but also dazzled, their senses filled with the sights, smells, and tastes of a celebration unlike any other. It was the perfect close to a feast that was, in itself, a work of art.
The festive atmosphere of a Tudor Christmas feast wouldn’t be complete without the warm, inviting scents of spiced drinks that filled the hall. Drinking was as much a part of the celebration as the food, with every cup and goblet raised in toasts to health, good fortune, and the joy of the season. The centerpiece of these traditions was the Wassail, a drink as symbolic as it was flavorful.
Wassail was a warm, spiced ale or cider, rich with flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Traditionally served in a large communal bowl, wassail was ladled into goblets and passed around the table. The very word wassail comes from the old English toast wassail, meaning be in good health. As each guest raised their goblet, they joined in the communal blessing, wishing health and prosperity for all in the coming year.
Wassail wasn’t only enjoyed indoors though. In some places, revelers would take the wassail bowl outside to the orchards, especially on Twelfth Night. They would sing to the trees and pour a bit of the spiced drink on the roots to bless them for a bountiful harvest in the new year. This practice was known as orchard wassailing, and it blended ancient pagan customs with Christian traditions, And there are some places in England where they still have orchard wassailing.
They also do it in Vermont, apparently.
For the wealthiest Tudors, the drinks didn’t stop with wassail. You had mulled wines, a popular choice among those who could afford the imported wines and spices. Wine was gently heated and infused with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peels, creating a rich aromatic beverage that was both comforting and luxurious.
This spiced wine, often sweetened with honey or sugar, was served in silver goblets, the warmth of the drink contrasting with the cold of the goblet. The spices were rare and costly, so they were another subtle display of wealth, reminding people of the exotic trade routes that brought such flavors to the English shores.
For those who preferred something stronger, mead and spiced ale were also on offer, adding variety to the Tudor drink selection. Mead was made from fermented honey, and it had a sweetness that complemented the spices added to it, creating a drink that was smooth and warming and deeply satisfying. Spiced ale was often brewed with herbs and grains, and it was an everyday drink, made festive with added spices and a touch of honey or sugar for sweetness.
Both beverages provided warmth and cheer, turning a simple drink into a celebration of flavor. Drinking customs at the Tudor table were as important as the drinks themselves. Guests would raise their goblets and toasts, sometimes to the health of the host, other times to mark the start of a new course, or simply to enjoy the company of those around them.
The feast itself was only part of the evening’s grandeur. Just as vital was the atmosphere, the music, and the laughter, and the spirit of merriment. A Tudor Christmas feast was an event meant to delight every sense, with musicians playing lutes and harps and drums, filling the room with festive tunes.
Minstrels and singers would wander through the hall, adding a lively soundtrack to the celebration, while jesters and acrobats entertained the crowd with jokes, tricks, and daring feats. In many noble households, the lord of misrule would preside over the festivities, a chosen reveler who turned the social order upside down.
Playfully mocking the nobility and creating a world where for a brief time, roles could be reversed and laughter ruled. The seating arrangements themselves reflected the strict hierarchy of tutor society. At the head of the table sat, the Lord and the Lady of the manor, flanked by the highest ranking guests
each position part of the carefully maintained social order. The lower ranked guests sat further down, each person’s place determined by their rank and their relationship to the host.
As we step back from the feast, we could almost hear the laughter, smell the spices, and feel the warmth of the Tudor Christmas Feast.
So we will leave it there for now.
As I said, if you would like to celebrate Christmas like the Tudors did, I will have a special program called Yuletide with the Tudors that will be a chance to immerse yourself in these traditions and learn about the history of the holiday and bring some Tudor festivity to your own season. I will share more about that next week and the week after, but I just wanted to give you a heads up that it’s coming and start to get you in the holiday spirit.
Like I said, I myself am still in Pumpkin Spice mode. I do not have any Christmas decorations up yet.
I wait until after Thanksgiving for that. However, I do allow myself to listen to Christmas music this early. And, , SiriusXM recently, I guess on November 1st, they release their holiday stations. So I’ve been having fun going through that.
All right, my friend, we will conclude this Christmas feast. Thank you so much for being here.
I will be back again next week and in the meantime, have an amazing week. All right. Bye bye.
Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.
She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).
