Boar's Head Feast facts for kids

The Boar's Head Feast is a special celebration that happens during the Christmas season. It's a very old tradition that dates back many centuries, especially in England. This feast often includes music, plays, and a procession where a decorated boar's head is carried in, symbolizing victory and good fortune. It's a way for communities to come together and celebrate the holidays with a unique historical touch.

Where It's Celebrated Today

The Boar's Head Feast is still celebrated in many places, especially in churches and universities across the United States. These celebrations often involve special dinners, carols, and performances that tell the story of the boar's head. It's a fun way to experience a piece of history during the Christmas holidays.

Oglethorpe University's Ceremony

Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia holds its Boar's Head Ceremony every year on the first Friday in December. Students from the Omicron Delta Kappa society lead a parade with a roasted boar's head. After the parade, they read the "Boar's Head" story. The event also includes a concert and a Christmas tree lighting. This tradition is linked to the university's founder, James Oglethorpe, whose family crest featured boars' heads.

Queens University of Charlotte's Tradition

Queens University of Charlotte has hosted its Boar's Head dinner every year since 1932. A beloved Latin professor, Miss Alma Edwards, helped start this tradition. Seniors at the university play important roles in telling the boar's head story. The Dance Club and Choir also perform.

The dining hall is decorated for the feast, and meals are served family style. The university president and guests attend and sit at the main table. The president, guests, and seniors wear special Renaissance clothes. Two boar's heads are carried in by seniors during the feast.

At the end, two faculty members lead the annual Yule Log Ceremony. Students tap their holly branches on the yule log for good luck. Afterward, students throw their holly branches into a fire pit and sing Christmas carols. You can find more about this event's history at the Everett Library on campus.

University of Rochester's Feast

The University of Rochester has celebrated the Boar's Head Feast since 1934. This tradition was strengthened by Alan Valentine, who was a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford. Each year, the university honors a professor and a student club.

The honored professor tells the story of the boar. The student club that is honored receives the head of the slain boar. This is considered a very high honor for that school year. The feast is now held in the Richard Feldman Ballroom on the River Campus.