Many of our favourite Christmas traditions were made popular by Queen Victoria and the royal family in the 19th century. But how did the Victorians celebrate Christmas?
A royal Christmas
Some of the Christmas traditions we know and love today are originally from Germany. Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert was from Germany, but he moved to England to marry the queen. He brought his childhood traditions with him and introduced them to his new family.
At the start of Victoria’s reign, the royal family celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle. However, after Albert died in 1861, the queen spent the festive season at Osborne on the Isle of Wight instead. Continuing the German festive traditions Albert introduced was a way of keeping his memory alive after his death. The royal family also inspired many people across the country to follow the same traditions – but what were they?
Decorating Christmas trees
Christmas trees are often thought to be a Victorian tradition, but Victoria and Albert weren’t the first royals to put one up. Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, was also from Germany. She first introduced a Christmas tree at Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, in 1800.
However, trees didn't become popular with the public until an illustration published in newspapers in the 1840s showed Victoria and Albert standing beside a decorated tree with their children. After seeing it, many people were inspired to copy the royal family and put up their own. Trees in the royal household were adorned with lit candles and small ornaments, and evergreen plants were also brought inside as decorations.
More about why we decorate trees at Christmas timeRoast turkey and all the trimmings
Like many families in the UK today, Victoria and Albert tucked into a turkey with all the trimmings at Christmas time. The royal Christmas dinner had many courses of food. These included mince pies, various starters, soups, turkey and chipolata sausages. Later they might enjoy a plum pudding to satisfy the royal sweet tooth. This food was very rich, and there was plenty to choose from! The Christmas menu could also include beef or a boar’s head, as well as a selection of cold meats.
However, many Victorian families were not wealthy and could not afford a royal Christmas dinner. A roasted bird was a popular choice for families, though it was likely to have been a goose, which was cheaper than turkey. Some people joined a ‘goose club’ which allowed them to pay for their Christmas bird in small amounts throughout the year.
Explore Christmas dinners from the pastGiving gifts
While the Victorians didn’t invent giving gifts at Christmas time, they did make it an important part of family celebrations. Presents were shared on the evening of Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day.
Queen Victoria liked to have her presents unwrapped, spread across tables in a kind of display, and the royal family did this on birthdays too. Some of the gifts that Victoria gave and received are talked about in her diaries. Victoria and Albert often gave each other jewellery, works of art, sculptures and paintings. The children and grandchildren of the queen would give her things they had made themselves, such as paintings, embroidery or other things made by hand.
Poorer Victorians might not have been able to afford elaborate tables filled with gifts, but sharing small presents was still an important part of Christmas celebrations.
Dessert and a game
Queen Victoria often had a Christmas pudding on the dessert menu at Osborne, and Charles Dickens writes about it being a treat enjoyed by ordinary people too. It was usually served with a custard-like sauce. But while this was a popular dessert choice for the Victorians, the humble Christmas pudding began life as a pottage (a kind of stew containing meat and fruits) which was served in the medieval period.
Today, many people enjoy lighting brandy over a Christmas pudding to create a spectacular effect when it is served, but Queen Victoria and her family enjoyed a much more dangerous activity involving brandy: a game called Snapdragon. They would set fire to a bowl of raisins soaked in alcohol, then take turns to try to remove raisins from the bowl! (This is definitely not a game you should try at home.)
Gifts and gratitude
Victoria’s royal homes were run by large teams of servants. Victoria was very interested in their wellbeing and Christmas was an opportunity to thank them for their hard work. At Osborne there were over 100 servants, and on Christmas Eve the royal family would give a gift to each one. These gifts might be books, clothing, or food. Victoria would also give gifts to her close personal servants and she made sure that they received theirs before she and her family had their own presents.
Today, giving to charity is still an important part of living in a community. Giving thanks and helping others is often something that’s included in Christmas traditions, even if we don’t have servants to thank!
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