Make It a Victorian Christmas This Year!

Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Location
central NC
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The Victorians impact on how we celebrate Christmas is fascinating to say the least. Likely no era influenced the way we celebrate Christmas as the Victorian era did. Celebrating a Victorian Christmas may be easier than you think. Take a look at these Victorian era traditions. Which ones do you still enjoy?

Haul out the holly - Our Victorian friends adorned the sideboard, mantle, banisters, and most any other wooden surface available with rope upon rope of evergreen garland.

Send Christmas cards - Victorians extended the custom of sharing holiday greetings from Valentine's Day to Christmas. Many kept albums to save their favorite Christmas postcards.

Go caroling - Victorians revived the centuries-old custom of singing carols to celebrate the season. You don’t have to go door to door, our Victorian friends enjoyed singing carols in their parlors with family and friends.

Decorate a tree - The German custom of tabletop Christmas trees was taken to new heights by our Victorian friends who placed them on the floor in their homes.

Make your own gifts - According to Joy to the World, in 1890 editor Emma Hopper wrote: "An article one makes is certainly more complimentary than one bought, for we weave with every stitch sweet wishes for the recipient." This is so true!

Plan a Christmas program - The Victorian parlor was center stage for Christmas Day entertainment. Family members and visiting friends would recite poems, read lively stories, offer songs, or pick up an instrument for a musical solo.

Make the most of Christmas Day - Victorians ventured out on Christmas Day to visit relatives and close friends and to deliver dinners to the poor and sick. Those who were unable to go out would enjoy reading, looking at their greeting cards, writing letters to loved ones and having the gift of time to rest and rejuvenate.

Merry Christmas to all of my CWT friends from Mid-19th Century Life!
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Well, I’ve done carolling...it was cold, and a blast. Tree is decorated, cards have been sent. I’ll be singing at 4 services(!) We plan on having a quiet Christmas Day here. Gifts, food, phone calls to relatives etc.

Marry Christmas to all my CivilWarTalk folk. I’m so glad I made your aquaintance!
 
Remember making your own gifts as a kid then your kids doing the same? How many of us still have the stick 'n glue tree ornaments? Best gifts ever and I mean that.

The only thing we've improved on from Victorian days is electric lights. Those candles were awfully dicey. Could you imagine? One cat up the tree and whoosh. Otherwise, prettiest era ever.

Merry Christmas!
 
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