Mummering

The visit and the guessing game

A mummering visit begins when disguised callers arrive at a house during the festive season. To keep their identities secret, participants pad their outfits, swap clothes across genders, or pull pillowcases and hoods over their faces. They often speak while inhaling their breath to distort their natural voices. Once inside, the visitors play instruments, dance, recite lines or share jokes. The hosts inspect the guests, asking questions and prodding costumes to uncover who is inside. Unmasking happens only after a correct guess, turning each stop into a lively challenge before the group moves on.

Newfoundland history and revival

Settlers from England and Ireland brought mummering to Newfoundland, with records appearing as early as 1819. The custom was briefly pushed underground in 1861 after the death of Isaac Mercer led to laws banning public disguises without official permits. While the practice faded in large towns, rural communities kept it alive. In 1982, a song by the folk duo Simani sparked widespread renewed interest across the province. Today, the tradition is celebrated with an annual December festival in St. John's, featuring workshops for making wren sticks and hobby horses alongside a public parade.

Philadelphia parade traditions

In Philadelphia, mummering grew out of eighteenth-century plays and working-class street gatherings around Christmas and New Year. It merged with traditions like firearm salutes and the German practice of belsnickling. By the late nineteenth century, city leaders sought to regulate noisy street groups by requiring permits and troupe leaders. This led to an official city-sanctioned parade in 1900. Modern Philadelphia mummering features thousands of costumed performers organized into Comics, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigades, supported by a dedicated museum documenting the history of the event.

Food and hospitality

Hospitality is central to the house-visiting custom once the guessing game concludes. After disguises are removed, hosts welcome their guests with a modest spread. Typical offerings include slices of Christmas cake paired with glasses of sweet fruit syrup, blueberry wine or dogberry wine. Before setting out into the winter night for the next home, visitors often share a small glass of grog, usually rum or whiskey. Sharing food and drink seals the social visit, thanking the performers for their songs and dances.

How Mummering is kept

A group of friends dresses in concealing outfits, using masks, padded clothing or reversed roles. They knock on neighbourhood doors during the holidays, stepping inside to dance, play instruments or tell jokes. Hosts quiz the disguised guests, poking at their costumes and listening to altered voices until they identify each person. Once unmasked, the visitors eat cake, drink wine or grog, and chat before moving to the next home.

When and where

Mummering takes place during the Twelve Days of Christmas, stretching to the night of the Old Twelfth on 17 January. In Philadelphia, the organized parades and performances center on New Year's Day.

The house-visiting tradition is strongest in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom. A large-scale urban parade tradition is also maintained in Philadelphia, while St. John's hosts an annual festival.

What Mummering means

Mummering centers on disguise and the playful overturning of everyday social boundaries. By altering voices, padding figures and swapping traditional dress across genders, participants test the bonds of their community. The guessing game creates a warm puzzle where neighbours reconnect through mystery, performance and hospitality during midwinter.

Days Mummering is marked

Questions people ask about Mummering

See also

Christmas marketA seasonal street market held during Advent in German-speaking regions and beyond, featuring stalls, food, and crafts.Christmas crackerA decorative paper tube pulled apart with a bang during Christmas dinnerMimounaA Maghrebi Jewish celebration marking the end of Passover with sweets and open doorsJāņiAn annual Latvian summer solstice celebration of bonfires, singing and woven wreaths

Good reading and sources

• Mummering on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.