It’s tempting to imagine a young Jane Austen celebrating Christmas around a Christmas tree, exchanging gifts with her siblings, maybe going house to house caroling for the neighbors.  However, that image depicts a Victorian Christmas, not a Regency era one. Christmastide celebrations at the tail-end of the Georgian era were very different. How different? Christmas trees were uncommon. Gifts were not a main focus of festivities. Most events were adult oriented, with children often consigned … Continue reading →