Christmas events and activities
Image: re-enactors dressed as Victorian servants decorate a Christmas tree

Christmas Traditions, crafts, history and more

From the origins of Christmas to authentic Victorian crafts, explore the history of your favourite holiday and find festive inspiration with recipes from Mrs Crocombe and more.

The history of Christmas: Our Experts Answer Your Questions

What was the Christmas contraption marketed as 'bangs of expectation', and when were carols actually meant to be sung? If you're into the origins of Christmas, or interested in everything the Victorians popularised about the season - yule love this!

The History of Father Christmas

Explore how Father Christmas emerged in England at a time when seasonal celebrations were under attack. 

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The History of Christmas

Discover the history of Christmas through the ages, from the Victorian celebration we're familiar with to the evidence of winter traditions dating back to the neolithic period. 

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What's in a traditional Christmas dinner?

Food historian Sam Bilton explores what makes up a traditional Christmas dinner and how tastes have changed over the centuries.

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A brief history of carols

We speak to Professor Ronald Hutton, the leading historian of the ritual year in Britain, to find out the origins of the first carols.

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More Christmas history and tradition

  • Christmas Wreaths at Audley End House and Gardens

  • Make Your Own Tudor Christmas Sandwich

  • The Real Twelve Days of Christmas

Victorian Christmas Crafts

Christmas crackers, gilded walnuts, pin-prick cards and paper flowers

The Victorians popularised many Christmas traditions we know and love, decorating their homes just as we do today. Most of their decorations and gifts were made using household items and are surprisingly simple to make.

Watch our video and click on the links below to discover easy guides and templates to make your own Victorian Christmas crafts. 

  • Make your own: Christmas crackers

    The Christmas cracker can be traced back to the middle of the 19th century and London confectioner Tom Smith. Smith patented his first cracker in 1847 and perfected the mechanism in the 1860s. Smith's son Walter added the paper hats and novelty gifts. 

  • Make your own: pin-prick cards

    Christmas cards date back to 1843 when civil servant Henry Cole commissioned a card showing a family around a dinner table. The idea caught people’s imaginations and with advances in colour printing technology, the sending of cards had become hugely popular by the 1880s.

     

  • Make your own: paper flowers

    Making paper flowers was a popular craft activity among wealthy Victorian women. Hundreds of magazine articles showed how to make elaborate imitation flowers, which were displayed throughout the house and considered an indispensable personal accessory.

Christmas with Mrs Crocombe

Learn to cook the Victorian Way with Mrs Avis Crocombe, head cook at Audley End in the 1880s. Find all the weird and wonderful festive recipes below to create the perfect Victorian spread this Christmas. 

Buy the cookbook

  • How to make Christmas Pudding

  • How to make a Christmas Cake

  • How to make Christmas Gin Punch

  • Laying the Table at Christmas – The Victorian Way

Stay cosy by the fire

Welcome in winter with the soothing, crackling fire at Pendennis Castle, and experience an authentic Tudor fireplace in your own home.

Find more relaxing videos on our channel

More to explore

  • For Kids

    Find Christmas fun and games for the whole family. 

  • Christmas

    Celebrate Christmas at an English Heritage site near you. 

  • Shop Christmas

    Find gifts for all the family with our Christmas range.