The mummer's song by Bud Davidge and Ian Wallace

In Australia our Christmas is very different from the one celebrated by our Northern Hemisphere cousins.  The day will be sunny and in some places very hot.  Families may enjoy prawns or a barbecue  and children will wake early to the sound of birds and the light of sunshine.  Oddly though we still have trees with snow on our Christmas cards and pictures of stockings hanging beside warm fires.

This is why I enjoy finding books with different Christmas traditions.  When I was in Canada many years ago I bought this book The Mummer's Song.  Mummers are a Christmas tradition in Newfoundland bought there by the early settlers from Ireland and West Country of England.

For 12 days after Christmas you can expect a knock at the door. You will be greeted by a group of local people in outlandish fancy dress.  Invite them in and try to guess who they are.  Share some hospitality and fruit cake and enjoy some music and dancing.  My copy of this book came with a cassette tape but you can hear the song here.