Merry Christmas! The Twelve Days of Christmas are here, and we’re taking a look back at traditions of yore when rowdy crowds wandered the streets “mumming” for a good warm drink, Bible cracking would predict the new year’s fortunes, and the most popular drink of the day was Cherry Nog. Danette Welch from the McClung Historical Collection tells the story of Knoxville festivities dating back to the 1800s, and she’s thrown in a good recipe for New Year’s Punch for good measure.
Also, if you’re curious about tinsel versus strings of popcorn and cranberries, you may enjoy a few Christmas trees over the years:
During this holiday break if you’re not out wassailing, take time to explore more photos and documents in the digital collection at the East Tennessee History Center. May the season be merry and bright!
Mary Pom Claiborne is assistant director for marketing, communications and development for Knox County Public Library.…