Happy Holly Night!

It's Holly Night tonight!

Get your marching band, light a branch of holly (Ash is an accepted substitute) and march through the town to the public house.

There is no need to extinguish the holly, just drink your ale and try not to singe your beard.

"To every branch a torch they tie,

To every torch a light apply,

At each new light send forth huzzas

Till all the tree is in a blaze ;

And then bear it flaming through the town,

With minstrelsy, and. rockets throwr."

The following information about Holly Night in Brough is taken from The Table  Book by William Hone

"Formerly the " Holly-tree" at Brough was

really " holly," but ash being abundant,

the latter is now. substituted. There are

two head inns in the town, which provide

for the ceremony alternately, though the

good townspeople mostly lend their assistance

in preparing the tree, to every branch

of which they fasten a torch. About eight

o'clock in the evening, it is taken to a convenient

part of the town, where the torches

are lighted, the town band accompanying

and playing till all is completed, when

it is removed to the lower end of the town;

and, after divers salutes and huzzas from

the spectators, is carried up and down the

town, in stately procession, usually by a

person of renowned strength, named Joseph

Ling. The band march behind it, playing

their instruments, and stopping every

time they reach the town bridge, and the

cross, where the " holly" is again greeted

with shouts of applause. Many of the inhabitants

carry lighted branches and flambeaus

; and rockets, squibs, &c. are discharged

on the joyful occasion. After the

tree is thus carried, and the torches are

sufficiently burnt, it is placed in the middle

of the town, when it is again cheered by

the surrounding populace, and is afterwards

thrown among them. They eagerly watch

for this opportunity ; and, clinging to each

end of the tree, endeavour to carry it away

to the inn they are contending for, where

they are allowed their usual quantum of

ale and spirits, and pass a " merry night,"

it seldom breaks up before two in the

morning.

Although the origin of this usage is lost,

and no tradition exists by which it can be

traced, yet it may not be a strained surmise

to derive it from the church ceremony of

the day when branches of trees were carried

in procession to decorate the altars, in commemoration

of the offerings of the Magi,

whose names are handed down to us as

Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar, the patrons

of travellers. In catholic countries,

flambeaus and torches always abound in

their ceremonies ; and persons residing in

the streets through which they pass, testify

their zeal and piety by providing flambeaus

at their own expense, and bringing them

 to the doors of their houses.