Category Archives: Regency Life

Regency Christmas Traditions: Parlor Games pt. 1

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What better way to pass the long, dark evenings during Christmastide than with parlor games? Christmastide was a time for fun and frivolity. Parlor games made up a large part of the fun. They were played by all classes of society and often involved overstepping the strict bound of propriety. Losers often paid a forfeit, which could be an elaborate penalty or dare, but more often were a thinly disguised machination for getting a kiss. … Continue reading →

Regency Traditions Video: Mistletoe and Kissing Bough

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  A full month of posts to celebrate the Christmastide season. Stories, traditions, recipes, videos, games and a giveaway to fill your Yuletide with Regency Era fun.       Christmas Traditions in Georgian Times: Mistletoe and Kissing Bough     Read Miss Darcy and the Kissing Ball here Read more about holiday decorating here and here. If you enjoyed this post you might also enjoy:  

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Regency Traditions Video: Make Your Own Kissing Ball

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  Though uncommon, a kissing ball might be found in some regency households. Sadly, they were considered a bit crass and would usually be confined to servant’s areas. To make one of your own you need: (1) wire to shape the ball–clothes hangers would be a ready source. (2) Something to bind the form together, the video suggests string. In my house of engineers, it would be duct tape. (3) Mistletoe and other greenery. Since … Continue reading →

Regency Christmas Traditions: Deck the Halls

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A full month of posts to celebrate the Christmastide season. Stories, traditions, recipes, videos, games and a giveaway to fill your Yuletide with Regency Era fun.  Families put up decorations and greenery throughout the house on Christmas Eve, usually not before. Traditional greenery included holly, ivy, rosemary, evergreen, hawthorn, laurel, and hellebore (Christmas rose). Boughs, garlands and sprigs decorated windows, tables, mantles and stairways with the scents and colors of the season. For those who could … Continue reading →

Regency Traditions Video:Make Your Your Own Wassail Punch

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Regency wassail was usually far more alcoholic than this, and wine based. But this recipe has a lot of the same feel with fruit and spices.     We are more the fruit juice and spice punch type people, so I’m not sure we’ll try this particular version, but I’d love to hear about it if any of you do!  Make Your Your Own Wassail Punch   Read more about syllabub and other holiday foods here. … Continue reading →