28 December – Childermas
Childermas, also known as the Feast of the Holy Innocents, fell on the fourth day of Christmas. It commemorated the children of Bethlehem who were killed on the orders of King Herod in his attempt to destroy the baby Jesus. In Tudor times, children were often lightly whipped in the morning as a reminder of this suffering—but for the rest of the day, the usual order was turned upside down, and children were given authority over their parents.
This sense of role reversal was also seen in the church. Choirboys were chosen to act as ‘Boy Bishops’ from 6 December, taking on many of the duties of a real bishop. They wore special robes, led services, and even delivered sermons. As a reward, they were often given money or gifts, and if a Boy Bishop died during his time in office, he was granted a bishop’s full burial. Although some critics claimed they abused their temporary power, they were protected by law. Their rule ended on 28 December, when the real bishops resumed control.
Another popular custom saw schoolboys locking their teachers out of the school, refusing to let them return until they agreed to reduce punishments or allow more holidays.
Images are Pro Content included with Canva Teams. Article written by Chat GPT