Decorating the Christmas tree Planning what you will hang on your Christmas tree for many is quite an undertaking. First of all, have you planned your colours and whether or not you will have tinsel? Lastly how big is your tree and where will it … Continue readingChristmas Tree decorations the Victorian way
Advent Calendar There is nothing better than counting down the days till Christmas with your Advent calendar. I have happy memories of doing just that with mine as a child. Excitedly opening the window to see what lay behind it, and what shaped chocolate I … Continue readingHistory of the Advent Calendar
Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth in 1812 on the 7th of February to John Dickens and Elizabeth Dickens (nee Barrow), at 387 Mile End Terrace while his father was stationed in Portsmouth due to his employment as a pay cleric in the … Continue readingCharles Dickens: The Man Who Invented Christmas
What is Marbling Marbling is a specialised painting technique that imitates the characteristics of marble. This technique has been around for centuries and was mainly used in the past to augment interior and exterior decor of homes and buildings. It waned in popularity during the … Continue readingMarbling Christmas Wrapping Paper The Victorian Way
When we think of the Victorian times we think of a time of great change and time of innovation, largely due to the Industrial Revolution, a time of great social expansion and the growth in the middle class. Also, the divide in rich and poor … Continue reading5 Things We Need to Thank the Victorians For!
Who is Santa? Our image of Santa Claus today is very much different to how he started. We recognise him as an old man who wears a red suit and likes to eat cookies! He is a man of many names ranging from St … Continue readingThe Evolution of Santa Claus
Sugar Plums Sugar Plums are something that’s becoming a favourite in our house and I hope will feature highly in yours. They were very popular at Christmas time for children during the Victorian era. I have wanted to make them for years and finally got … Continue readingMy Own Sugar Plum Recipe
Great Inventions of the Victorian Christmas Christmas Cards The Christmas card has been around for Centuries. The first recorded Christmas card was sent in 1611 by Michael Maier to James I and his son Prince Henry. However, the humble Christmas card did not take off … Continue readingThe Christmas Card
It’s hard to think of Christmas without thinking of Christmas dinner, arguably the best meal of the year. However, … The Royal Feast Began on Christmas Eve Victoria and Albert’s Christmas feast in 1840 was certainly a sight to see. With such dishes as turtle … Continue readingVictorian Christmas Dinner
The Invention of the Christmas Cracker To put it simply, the Christmas cracker is a table decoration that goes on the table during the Christmas feast, which is mainly a British tradition. I know that my own table at Christmas wouldn’t be the same without … Continue readingThe Christmas Cracker Story