Christmas as we know it largely emerged during the Victorian era, but do you know which traditions originated in the 19th century and which are much older?
Caroling
Although some well known carols were written in the 19th century (e.g. “Silent Night”), Christmas carols had been around for centuries already and can arguably be traced back to the 4th century.
Gift Giving
Holiday gift giving used to centre on New Year’s, but during the Victorian era this tradition shifted to Christmas Eve. Besides giving gifts to family members, Queen Victoria prioritized giving gifts (such as books, clothing, and food) to the dozens of servants who worked for the family.
Snapdragon
Have you heard of this Victorian parlour game? It involves dousing a plate of raisins and almonds with alcohol, lighting it on fire, and snatching the treats without getting burned. According to Atlas Obscura it’s pretty exciting and not that dangerous, so maybe it should be brought back! But is it really a Victorian invention? Turns out it is referenced in the writings of Samuel Johnson and even Shakespeare, so it dates back at least to Elizabethan England.
Christmas Trees
Prince Albert is credited with bringing the tradition of the Christmas tree from his native Germany, but turns out the first royal to put up a Christmas tree was Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, who had a tree at Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, in 1800.
Christmas Cards
The first commercial Christmas card was introduced in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, who was instrumental in the development of the Penny Post and the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Turkey Dinner
Turkeys were introduced to Britain from North America in the 1500s. In the 1850s the royal family changed their Christmas dinner menu from roast swan to roast turkey, although roast beef, goose, and chicken also remained popular throughout the country. (Interestingly some poorer families joined “goose clubs” so they could pay for their Christmas goose in installments throughout the year.) Today roast turkey is the most common centrepiece to Christmas dinner in the UK.
Christmas Lectures
The Royal Institution has hosted Christmas Lectures on scientific topics since 1825 when they were introduced by scientist Michael Faraday. They have been held every year except during the Second World War.
Christmas Crackers
Christmas crackers were invented by British confectioner Tom Smith in 1847. He was inspired by the shape of bonbons he saw in Paris and he eventually added the snapping element and trinkets. They became popular in the 1860s.
Sources
- “Victorian Christmas Traditions” via V&A Museum
- “11 Odd Victorian Christmas Traditions” via Mental Floss
- “Victorian Christmas Traditions” via English Heritage
Interesting, especially the Snapdragon game. The things people do!