Tag Archives: christmas traditions

Kissing Boughs and Mistletoe

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Did Jane Austen hang mistletoe for the Yuletide season?  On Christmas Eve, decorations and greenery were put up throughout the house—not before as that was bad luck. Traditional greenery included holly, ivy, rosemary, evergreen, hawthorn and, bay leaf, 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 not go out and cut their own, greenery could be … Continue reading →

New Year’s Celebrations with Old Fashioned Style

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What New Year’s celebrations do you and your family have to get the new year started off right? My husband didn’t grow up with much of a New Year’s tradition in his family, so I’ve always felt like we’ve floundered a bit on this holiday. But now, with our first grandchild, I feel like we have a chance to start something new. I really like some of these regency era traditions and am thinking about … Continue reading →

Regency Christmas Traditions: Black Butter

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 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 →

Christmas as Jane Austen Knew It

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 Many Christmas traditions and images of ‘old fashioned’ holidays are based on Victorian celebrations. Going back just a little further, to the beginning of the 19th century, the holiday Jane Austen knew would have looked distinctly odd to modern sensibilities. What would have been odd about them? Families rarely decorated Christmas trees. Festivities centered on socializing instead of gift-giving. Festivities focused on adults, with children largely consigned to the nursery. Holiday events, including balls, parties, … Continue reading →

Stir it up Sunday

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The Sunday before the Netherfield Ball was Stir it up Sunday, the day Christmas puddings were traditionally made. Mr. Collins makes it a bit interesting this year.  November 24, 1811 Papa paced along his favorite track in the parlor, back and forth in front of the fireplace whilst the rest of the family assembled there before church. “Mrs. Bennet, we await your presence.” He stared at the doorway as though that might bring her in … Continue reading →