Victorian Christmas Traditions

written by Rosa Morgan

Salutations Gentle Reader,
There are so many jolly traditions ,which arise during Christmastide; let us examine a few.

Wreaths were once worn by ancient Romans on their heads to denote victory or social status. The circular shape, with no beginning or end, represents eternity and is now used for many different holidays, especially at Christmas.

Mold-blown colored glass Christmas ornaments were invented in the small German town of Lauscha. After a picture of Queen Victoria's Christmas tree was shown in a London newspaper decorated with glass ornaments from her husband Prince Albert's native Germany, Lauscha began exporting its products throughout Europe. In the 1880s, American F.W. Woolworth made a fortune by importing the German glass ornaments to the United States.

When a man kissed a woman under the mistletoe, he would pluck a berry from the bush after each kiss. After all the berries were gone, it was bad luck to continue kissing under that bush. Keep in mind that kissing during the Victorian period was practically a marriage proposal!

Once upon a time a poor man did not have enough money to get his three daughters married. Saint Nick, passing through the village, heard of his plight and threw three bags of gold into their stockings hanging at the hearth to dry. After this singular occurrence, children all over the world hung up their own stockings, hoping for similar good luck.

Wishing Goodwill and Peace on Earth to All Men & Women.