Christmas trees…pagan, Christian, or just plain fun?

Few symbols of Christmas are more admired than the Christmas tree, and nowadays, most countries that celebrate this holiday have their own version of Christmas trees. Before that, evergreens were a commonly hung adornment in homes, not just at Christmas but all winter.   Evergreens Dating back hundreds of years, people in many countries hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows during winter, hoping to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and even illness. According…

Christmas Ghost Stories

by Donna Hatch Ghost Stories at Christmas An odd Christmas custom that dates back centuries is telling scary ghost stories. Have you noticed in the popular Christmas Song, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” the verse that says: “Tales of the glories and scary ghost stories of Christmases long, long ago” and wondered over it? Telling ghost stories is an age-old tradition. Many claim the tradition cropped up in the Victorian Era, including Charles…

Halloween Pumpkins and…Turnips?

One of the most widely-celebrated holidays in the USA is Halloween. This favored holiday is fraught with costumes, decorations, and parties galore! An event that was historically honored and/or feared is now really just an excuse to dress up and party, not to mention, go Trick or Treating! A major player in this autumn game is the carved pumpkin, also known as the Jack O’ Lantern. Did you know using pumpkins for Jack O’ Lanterns…

Gambling in Bath

No, I’m not talking about poker in the bathtub, in case you’re wondering. Why Bath? Bath, England was a popular summer destination among the gentry and aristocracy during the Regency and Victorian Eras. Many people went there for their health. They drank mineral waters from a fountain in the Pump Room (pictured below to the right) and frolicked or soak in the Great Bath, a pool constructed by the Romans hundreds of years ago which…

Marriage in Regency England

Ah, the ringing of wedding bells! A lovely, romantic sound. It always conjures in my mind true love and happily ever after. The hope of a bright future awaiting the couple probably isn’t much different now than it was centuries past. But the way people married has evolved over the years. In Regency England, a couple could get married one of three ways: they could marry in a church after the reading of The Banns,…

The Season

Houses of Parliament Houses London 1852 by Edmund Walker Few events created more anticipation and excitement, and in some cases, fear and dread, than the Season in London. Historically, going “up” to London for the Season coincided with the sessions of Parliament. The dates when Parliament convened varied each year but generally ran from January to July. The varied beginning dates may have depended on the hunting season. According to What Jane Austen Ate and…

Regency Wagering

Gamble like the Gentlefolk During the Regency and Georgian Eras, gambling was a not only a socially acceptable pastime among the upper classes, it was wildly popular. Gentlemen and ladies alike enjoyed games of chance, although ladies mostly played in private homes rather than clubs. Many period novels, including Jane Austen’s, refer to characters playing and betting on card games almost as frequently as they danced, went for walks, and rode horses. Private House Games…

Traditional Regency Christmas

There’s nothing quite like the glimmer of a Christmas tree, brightly wrapped packages, and a yule log burning in the fire to invoke wonder and excitement. You may be surprised to know that many Christmas traditions are quite new–at least in both England and the US. Most Christmas customs we think are ancient actually sprang up during the Victorian Era. Regency Christmas traditions varied widely from region to region and even family to family. Generally,…

Introductions, Regency-Style

In our informal modern society, it’s socially acceptable to introduce ourselves to a stranger without needing a third person to get involved. Meeting someone new might start with a clever (or corny) pick up line or be as simple as saying, “Hi, my name is____.” We can be confident that the other person will tell us his or her name. And thus an acquaintance, or more, begins. During the Regency, an introduction was much more…

Regency Dining, the Ultimate Decadence

Those fortunate few who lived in the glamorous, ephemeral world of the upper class in Regency England enjoyed luxury the likes of which most of us modern-day, working-class people can only try to imagine. Gowns that cost more than most workers made in a year, gilded carriages pulled by fine horses, jewels rivaling that of royalty, castles filled with an army of servants all belonged in their world. One of the many extravagances the Regency…