A Victorian Christmas

When you get to the Victorian era, you really get into a Christmas most of us recognise. It’s a celebration that involves everyone even though the working class are still doing everything on a budget, if you are working for anyone other than Scrooge, you have high hopes of a gift from your employer.

The industrial revolution shortened the Christmas festivities considerably, as now work was pretty relentless for those of the lower orders.

Boxing Day acquired its name from the boxes containing money and gifts the rich would give their servants.

For the first time, with factories making mass production possible, toys and books were available, but for the poorest it was more likely to be  a piece of fruit and some nuts, if they were lucky.

By 1840, not only had the railways made it possible for people to travel more freely and more quickly, but the ‘Penny Post’ had arrived. The sending of cards was to become more and more popular as the years went on.

Turkeys had come into the country from America years before but were largely too expensive for most families, who ate roast beef, goose or rabbit. As the century drew to a close, these noisy birds were more accessible and affordable. Forced to walk on their 80-mile journey down to London from Norfolk in their special protective boots, the birds would be fattened up in the few weeks before Christmas to become the popular choice for anyone who could afford one.

Invented by Tom Smith, a London sweet-maker, in 1846, crackers also began to be popular. They originally consisted of some sweets in a twist of fancy paper, but developed into something we would recognise today, with mottos, small gifts, paper hats and a bit of a bang.

The Victorians loved a good carol and singing was very popular, which is still the case today for many.

So, from our potted histories you can see, many of our traditions are not so old. People have always tried to make the cold weather more bearable by throwing a bit of a celebration of life just before the hardest part of the winter and the hope of a new beginning with the spring to follow.

We wish you comfort and joy, whatever your spiritual or religious beliefs at this dark time of the year, in the knowledge that nothing lasts forever, and the light and the sun will return in good time. Big blessings to you all.