Special Days of the Holiday Season
Explore the traditions the Darcys enjoy in the Darcys’ First Christmas.
Continue reading →Tag Archives: New Year’s eve
Regency Christmas Traditions: Ringing in the New Year
A number of traditions formed for celebrating the new year. Some varied by region or county. Family traditions for good luck prevailed over general social convention. Some families gathered whomever was in the house in a circle before midnight. At the stroke of midnight, the head of the family would open the door and usher out the old and welcome the new. Some who held to old superstitions went further, removing ashes, rags, scraps and anything … Continue reading →
Regency Christmas Traditions: Special Days of the Holiday Season
Christmas celebrations for our Regency ancestors started more than a month before Christmas and continue for almost two weeks beyond! In Jane Austen’s England, Christmas wasn’t simply a day of gifts and a large family dinner. The holiday season followed a calendar of special days, each with its own customs, celebrations, and occasional peculiarities. From Stir-up Sunday before Advent to the revelry of Twelfth Night in January, there was plenty to keep everyone in the … Continue reading →