Some suggest that the origins of Boxing Day can be found during the Victorian Era, but it appears to have begun much earlier.. “Good King Wenceslas Looked Out On The Feast Of Stephen” The traditional Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas” points us to a 10th century start to the Boxing Day tradition. Wenceslas, a 10th century Bohemian Duke, surveyed his land on St. Stephen’s Day (Dec. 26) and saw a peasant gathering wood in the … Continue reading →
Celebrating Jane Austen’s birthday in style this year! My darling Mr. Darcy and I were privileged to celebrate Jane Austen’s birthday in style this year. Our English Country Dance group was invited to do a dance demo for the Cinco Ranch Library at a tea in honor of Jane Austen’s birthday. You didn’t have to ask us twice! An excuse to pull out our regency garb–including the infamous ‘Belle’ gown–and dress up with some of … Continue reading →
Each year, Regency era British theaters prepared Christmas pantomimes (pantos) that would begin on Boxing Day and run as long as the audiences demanded them. These were not silent productions, but rather very verbal performances that included the audience as an extra character in plays bearing many similarities to modern burlesque. The Pantomime Tradition The tradition of pantomimes and the pantomime characters in England traces back to medieval theater. Broadbent (1901) notes: A sketch of … Continue reading →
Black butter was another traditional Christmastide treat. Jane Austen mentioned black butter in a letter to her sister. One might infer that she liked it on the whole, but was rather unimpressed with this particular batch of it. December 27, 1808:The widgeon (a kind of duck) and the preserved ginger were as delicious as one could wish. But as to our black butter, do not decoy anybody to Southampton by such a lure, for it … Continue reading →
