Ever feel like you do the same things every year at Christmas? Now don’t get me wrong; I love to keep to traditions, but as I dragged out the same baubles, paper chains and table decorations this December, it got me thinking about mixing it up a bit this year.
With tradition in mind I decided to try and create aspects of a Victorian Christmas, to give an extra special feel to the day. Here are a few easy things to try:
Make crackers
Crackers are so expensive, and full of bad jokes and toys, that I’ve always thought about making my own. And considering that a sweetshop owner invented the cracker in Victorian Britain, it seemed appropriate for the theme to try it this year.
Use empty toilet rolls, crepe paper, cracker snaps, and treats to go inside. You can just use sweets, or make your own jokes and paper hats to go inside too.
Image: Still from Kirstie’s Homemade Home (Christmas Special)
Christmas Wreaths
Victorian wreaths were more elaborate than most of the ones you see today. They used all natural materials: holly, ivy, mistletoe, fir cones and fruit. Buy yourself a wooden or metal frame and get creative.
Even if it ends up looking quite rustic and thrown together, it’ll look great on a Victorian front door.
An alternative to Mulled Wine
The Victorians would serve ‘Wassail Punch’ to Christmas carollers after they’d finished singing. This would be hot to warm them up, and served from a big punch bowl. Recreate your own with a beer or cider base heated with spices, with lemon slices and roasted apples in it.
A Victorian Tree
Prince Albert introduced the Christmas tree to England during Victoria’s reign, so what better way to complete your Victorian Christmas than to decorate it how they would have.
The Victorians would collect objects from the house and garden to dress the tree; pinecones, evergreen leaves, and fruits were popular. Try drying out orange and lemon slices in a low oven to thread onto ribbon, or use ribbon to make bundles of cinnamon sticks, nuts and pinecones to hang from the tree.
A Victorian and homemade Christmas just adds a little extra festivity to the season, and is great to get the kids involved in too.
DISCLAIMER: Guest Post from Sash Windows
