Living in the victorian era was exciting because of all the new inventions and pace of change and progress, but it was a hard time to live in if you didnt have much money. Photo courtesy of puppenhausmuseum basel the victorian age. Dec 23, 2016 the victorians gave us the christmas cracker but are also to blame for the terrible jokes inside. Christmas traditions in england, scotland and wales a. Victorian christmas victorian christmas traditions, cards. Victorian christmas crackers were filled with all sorts of trinkets and surprises first they contained rhymed mottoes or verses, then some sort of fancypaper hat, bonnet, mobcap or masks. Christmas cards became hugely popular during the era as mass production grew.
Before victorias reign started in 1837, nobody in britain had heard of santa claus or christmas crackers. Pioneering confectioner tom smith perfected the christmas cracker as. Considerable artistic talent was introduced in the adornment of these novelties. Victorian christmas traditions although the birth of christ has been celebrated for the best part of 2,000 years, it only became a festival as we know it in victorian times.
The london sweet maker after a trip to paris, france had the idea of wrapping his sweets in a twist of fancy paper mimicking bon bons he had noticed on his visit. Victorian santa christmas crackers olde english crackers. Easter traditions during the victorian era world history. The original victorian christmas crackers were love tokens. This years best christmas crackers victoriana magazine. It may be that the evergreen tree symbolized eternal life. One day a jet of resin from the confectioners log fire burst into flame with a loud crack. The victorian christmas a traditional celebration of the. A miscellany of observations and historical background from anne. Dec 06, 2015 to open my eyes to the joys of christmas dinner past, gray is giving me a crash course in the 19thcentury recipes from the manuscript book of the stately homes cook, avis crocombe, discovered. The christmas cracker was invented in victorian britain by a sweet shop owner called thomas smith. Invented by british confectioner tom smith in 1848, the christmas cracker started out as an innovative new way of selling sweets inspired by the paperwrapped bonbons sold in paris. Peter and ruth and the year they spent on a reallife, working victorian farm. In this book, you will read about favorite customs family and friends shared during the christmas season in victorian times, including the customs of christmas crackers, advent wreath, how boxing day got started, christmas cards and many others.
All about the favorite holiday tradition victorian christmas crackers. Nowadays, christmas is a time when the shops are full of people buying presents, christmas lights hang in the streets, and people have parties where they eat lots of food. Christmas tale, victorian christmas, white christmas, christmas holidays, christmas foods, christmas wedding, christmas decor, best christmas crackers, christmas in america antique magazine featured instructions to make this delicious raisin and nut victorian christmas tree garland to hang on the tree. The most widely accepted story is that they were invented in the mid1840s by a london pastry cook named tom smith, who came upon the idea while on a trip to paris where he witnessed the french holiday custom of wrapping sugared almonds and other sweets in a twist of colored paper. The history of christmas crackers is one surrounded by controversy. The 1840s saw the introduction of christmas cards and christmas crackers and these items grew in popularity as the century progressed. In the early 1840s, british candymaker tom smith got the idea for christmas crackers while on a trip to france. From christmas cards to decorated trees and christmas crackers, many of our bestknown christmas traditions are products of the victorian era. Why do we have christmas crackers and which of the jokes are. These were just as popular in victorian days, and this article explains how they were made eight to nine million per year for britain alone, with more distributed to overseas. A comprehensive victorian children history guide with facts and information on how the victorian times impacted children in work, play, education and home life. Nevertheless, a year later, christmas cards became wildly popular, and soon their design varied enormously thanks to the various painters that had different visions for the ideal christmas card.
Christmas crackers the strand, 1891b step into a british store at christmas time today, and youll see row upon row of crackers not the kind you eat, the kind you pull to get a bit of a pop and a gift. The victorians began our beloved christmas traditions, the turkey, the christmas tree, mulled wine. However, life had improved a lot for people by the end of the victorian era. Trees were first decorated to celebrate christmas in 15th century europe, although nobody really knows why.
Crackers have been a traditional part of british christmas festivities and other celebrations since victorian times. Wanting to take advantage of the increase in confectionary sales at christmas and inspired by a. May 15, 2014 christmas was produced by manufacturers, delivered by railways, advertised by newspapers and magazines. We have provided you with some original victorian designs to decorate your crackers. Christmas crackers are a british tradition dating back to victorian times when in the early 1850s, london confectioner tom smith started adding a motto to his. Now the more historically aware of you, might think of the christmas cracker as a marketing invention of thomas smith and his two sons in victorian times. Like victorian valentines, some of these new christmas card designs featured cherubs, flowers, and other symbols of spring and new life. At the beginning of the victorian era christmas was hardly celebrated at all in britain. Victorian christmas christmas in the victorian times. During her reign, britain rose to become a leading world and economic power. Christmas eve in victorian times was a day for arrivals. Many of todays christmas traditions and recipes originated from victorian england.
When you create your own you can put inside exactly what you want to. If there is one thing inseparable from a traditional christmas, it is the christmas cracker. The victorians gave us the christmas cracker but are also to blame for the terrible jokes inside december 23, 2016 4. Victorian christmas victorian era christmas traditions. Victorians would exchange letters at christmas time, usually tell of the years events. Victorian christmas facts and information primary facts. How much do you know about victorian christmas traditions. Diy victorian christmas crackers cottage in the oaks. The victorians impact on how we celebrate christmas is fascinating to say the least. When he visited paris tom noticed that sugared almonds were sold in twists of paper bon bons. The victorians gave us the christmas cracker but are. Before queen victoria came to the throne in 1837, nobody in britain had heard of santa claus, christmas crackers or christmas trees. These were just as popular in victorian days, and this article explains how they were made eight to nine million per year for britain.
Christmas in victorian blaenavon blaenavons heritage. The victorians gave us the christmas cracker but are also to blame for the terrible jokes inside. We like to think of christmas as a time of year steeped in tradition, and so it is, but traditions have to start somewhere, and many of the features of our modern christmas celebrations started with the victorians, even the commercialisation. Christmas crackers can be decorated in all manner of themes for all of the occasions they represent. Crackers contain a paper crown folded tissue party hat, a motto british joke or riddle, the crackersnap. Christmas crackers are a british tradition dating back to victorian times when in the early 1850s, london. Step into a british store at christmas time today, and youll see row upon row of crackers not the kind you eat, the kind you pull to get a bit of a pop and a gift. Those who were going to spend christmas with friends or relatives travelled by train or coach. Before victorias reign started in 1837 nobody in britain had heard of santa claus or christmas crackers.
In the edwardian period, the tom smith company was producing more than 200. No christmas cards were sent and most people did not have holidays from work. Christmas was produced by manufacturers, delivered by railways, advertised by newspapers and magazines. However, lots of the christmas traditions we take for granted originated in victorian times 18371902 when the industrial revolution made people richer than before. Christmas traditions in the uk that confuse americans insider. History of christmas crackers olde english crackers. Nov 26, 2019 from christmas cards to decorated trees and christmas crackers, many of our bestknown christmas traditions are products of the victorian era.
Party crackers are a british tradition dating back to victorian times when a confectioner started selling sugared almonds, each with a motto and wrapped in a twisted paper package, as love tokens. The london confectioners james hovell and tom smith are credited with the invention ofchristmas crackers which have been around since 1847. No christmas cards were sent and most people did not. Without the victorian traditions that have been passed on to us, our christmases would be much different than the festive celebrations we enjoy today. Mary, and to commemorate the life of the man who invented the great british cracker. At the dawn of the 19th century, christmas was hardly celebrated at least, not in a way we would recognise today. The victorian christmas cracker in its finer form of crimson and gold and cream and silver is an english holiday tradition that has presented many moments of merriment for generations. Christmas carols are as old as roman times and existed in britain as early as the th century.
As many of his bonbons were bought by men to give to women, many of the mottos were simple love poems. Click here to read the christmas story the story of jesus birth. Our dinners might be much blander, our gifts could be more expensive, and we might not know as many christmas carols. No era influenced the way we celebrate christmas as the victorian era did. Dec 11, 2018 today, christmas may be all about bringing good cheer to others, but victorian christmas celebrations were just as much about frightening your friends and family members. Christmas crackers are a longstanding tradition in england that can be traced back to the victorian age.
Even their original inventor is a source of ongoing debate. They have been banned, caught up in trade disputes and still cause the annual family argument over who own the ubiquitous mini screwdriver set. The london confectioners james hovell and tom smith are credited with the invention of christmas. The christmas tree as we know it today became popular in 18th century germany, and spread to other european countries. The victorian era witnessed the commercialisation of christmas and the season provided an ideal opportunity for tradespeople to make money. You can find them at many storesbut we have always made ours. At that time england was emerging from its historic puritanical bans on celebrations.
Make your own victorian christmas cracker english heritage. The victorians gave us the christmas cracker but are also. No era influenced the way we celebrate christmas as the victorian era. Victorian christmas make your own victorian christmas crackers. Click on a link on the left to begin exploring our christmas pages.
Find out more about alex, peter and ruth and the year they spent on a reallife, working victorian farm. Dec 27, 2017 the history of christmas crackers is one surrounded by controversy. The gathers of cracker are decorated with rich red satin bows trimmed with gold. Some typical themes you will often see on crackers are christmas themes, animals, flowers, cartoon characters, movie characters, hearts, ballerinas, football, trolls, outer space, trains, and many others.
At the beginning of the victorian era there was nothing crackers about the victorian christmas until tom smith came along. He didnt just use the cards to make his own life easier in the hectic. The roast turkey had its introduction in victorian britain, however it was an. The london confectioners james hovell and tom smith are credited with the invention of christmas crackers which have been around since 1847. Victorian christmas make your own victorian christmas. This love for a holiday fright is actually wellrepresented in dickens workhence the ghosts and death in a christmas carol. History of christmas crackers olde english crackers christmas. Christmas presents, christmas travel, christmas pantomimes, christmas concerts, christmas dinners. The wealth and technologies generated by the industrial revolution of the victorian era changed the face of christmas forever. The celebration of christmas was very important to the victorians.
The victorian age describes the period of british history from1837 to 1901 during the rule of queen victoria. Explain to pupils that many of our christmas traditions can be traced back to victorian times. We like to think of christmas as a time of year steeped in tradition, and so it is, but. Victorian christmas crackers in 1848 a british sweet maker, tom smith, came up with a the idea for the christmas cracker. A simple device to sell more of his sweets, that then took on a life of its own. The earliest crackers were centrally wrapped packages of. Family life was epitomised by the popular queen victoria, her husband albert and their nine. Christmas as we celebrate it today has its origins in victorian britain.
In victorian times you could buy sheets of colourful printed labels that were used for craft activities. Christmas festivities and other celebrations since victorian times. Many of our current christmas and easter traditions originated back in the victorian era which covered the duration of queen victorias reign over the uk from 1837 to 1901. In victorian times some new ideas such as father christmas, christmas cards and crackers were added to the celebrations. Today christmas crackers are produced for every pocket, from luxurious to funsized. A british custom since the 19th century, christmas crackers get holiday dinners off to a lively start. Imagine a christmas with no christmas tree, no crackers, no christmas cards and no time off work. Victorian christmas victorian christmas traditions. English language carols first appeared in 1425 in the works of john awdlay, who mentions groups of wassailers singing carols from house to house. Here are some facts about the different traditions and activities associated with christmas in victorian times.
Each year we have special ornaments for each familyand label them with. This red foil cracker with victorian santa motif is banded with delicate gold ribbon on the end pieces. For young children, the cracker prompted a delightful look of expectation as they waited for it to go bang and an eager cry as they scrambled after the surprise which came in response to the explosion. The coach would be crowded both inside and out, with passengers who were on their way to the homes of relations or friends to eat the christmas dinner. Peter and ruth and the year they spent on a real life, working victorian farm. Christmas in victorian times before victorias reign started in 1837 nobody in britain had heard of santa claus or christmas crackers. Today, crackers are part of every english christmas celebration.
One tradition that was revived during the victorian period was the singing of christmas carols. Why do we have christmas crackers and which of the jokes. As long as i can remember we have had christmas crackers at each place on christmas day. The most widely accepted story is that they were invented in the mid1840s by a london pastry cook named tom smith, who came upon the idea while on a trip to paris where he witnessed the french holiday custom. Even very young children had to work if their family needed them to. To open my eyes to the joys of christmas dinner past, gray is giving me a crash course in the 19thcentury recipes from the manuscript book of the. While charles dickens did not invent the victorian christmas. Christmas crackers are a british tradition dating back to victorian times when in the early 1850s, london confectioner tom smith started adding a motto to his sugared almond bonbons which he sold wrapped in a twisted paper package.