<P> As interest in Christmas customs waned, Father Christmas's profile declined . He still continued to be regarded as Christmas's presiding spirit, although his occasional earlier associations with the Lord of Misrule died out with the disappearance of the Lord of Misrule himself . The historian Ronald Hutton notes, "after a taste of genuine misrule during the Interregnum nobody in the ruling elite seems to have had any stomach for simulating it ." Hutton also found, "patterns of entertainment at late Stuart Christmases are remarkably timeless (and) nothing very much seems to have altered during the next century either ." The diaries of 18th and early 19th century clergy take little note of any Christmas traditions . </P> <P> In The Country Squire, a play of 1732, Old Christmas is depicted as someone who is rarely - found: a generous squire . The character Scabbard remarks, "Men are grown so...stingy, now - a-days, that there is scarce One, in ten Parishes, makes any House - keeping...Squire Christmas...keeps a good House, or else I do not know of One besides ." When invited to spend Christmas with the squire, he comments "I will...else I shall forget Christmas, for aught I see ." Similar opinions were expressed in Round About Our Coal Fire...with some curious Memories of Old Father Christmas; Shewing what Hospitality was in former Times, and how little there remains of it at present (1734, reprinted with Father Christmas subtitle 1796). </P> <P> David Garrick's popular 1774 Drury Lane production A Christmas Tale included a personified Christmas character who announced "Behold a personage well known to fame; / Once lov'd and honour'd--Christmas is my name! /.../ I, English hearts rejoic'd in days of yore; / for new strange modes, imported by the score, / You will not sure turn Christmas out of door!" </P> <P> By the late 18th century Father Christmas had become a stock character in the Christmas folk plays later known as mummers plays . During the following century they became probably the most widespread of all calendar customs . Hundreds of villages had their own mummers who performed traditional plays around the neighbourhood, especially at the big houses . Father Christmas appears as a character in plays of the Southern England type, featuring in 46 of the surviving 18th and 19th century texts . His ritual opening speech is characterised by variants of a couplet closely reminiscent of John Taylor's "But welcome or not welcome, I am come ..." from 1652 . </P>

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