To prepare for it, friends get together and dress in the most outrageous ways imaginable. They wear shirts and pants backwards, mitts on their feet and socks on their hands. There is no set pattern or dress code, just the sillier the better. The most important part of clothing is a mask, typically a pillow case with holes for the eyes. Once everyone is dressed in their ridiculous garb, it’s time to head out.

In groups of three or more, they go around their local community pounding their fists on doors, and in a disguised voice, shouting the ubiquitous line, “Any mummers ’llowed in?” Normally if anyone is home, they’ll open the door and lead them into the kitchen where there’s dancing and playing of guitars, accordions and even home-made instruments. Typically they will dance jigs and sing old songs. There are Christmas treats such as fruit cake, wine, beer and more. Young and old join the festivities.

One of the main activities is to guess who is behind a costume. Often, the identity of a particular mummer remains a mystery and they leave anonymously. Most of the time however, mummers are recognized, due to the close-knit nature of outport communities.

Although mummering began as a pagan festival in commemoration of the New Year, it is now practised equally by both Protestants and Catholics and in many ways brings them together. During the Christmas season, their differences are ignored.

For both my parents, who come from large Catholic families in rural towns, mummering was one of the most exciting events of their childhoods. My mother would beg her parents to let her go.

Mummering was banned in St. John’s after a murder took place during the festivities in broad daylight on a busy street in 1861 by an unknown assailant. After this, anyone caught dressing as a mummer in the capital would be sent to prison for seven days. But mummering was not banned in smaller communities and fishing villages and despite the ban, during the Yuletide season, references to mummers and mummering are everywhere. The most popular Christmas song in Newfoundland is “The Mummers Song” by Simani. Small mummer statues, dolls and paintings are very popular and available in many stores across the province. Mummers are also an integral part of the annual Christmas parade.

This month, I attended a film festival devoted entirely to the theme of mummering.

On Dec. 20 in St. John’s, there will be a huge mummers’ parade going through the city. I can’t wait to join this big group of mummers, sing mummer songs, do mummer dances and realize how lucky I am to be a Newfoundlander at Christmastime.

(Lynch, 27, works in marketing and web site maintenance in St. John’s, Nfld.)