Ten Historical Christmas Facts part two

Once again, I’ve gone through the archives of the reputable sites that only a third year would know to bring you ten (more) historically accurate Christmas facts for you to delight your family and friends with this Christmas Eve

1. Recipes show that mince pies were in fact initially made from meat, as per the Tudor tradition. Fruit mince started gaining popularity with the upper classes in the 19^th century
2. Mistletoe is linked with Druids and Norse mythology. Former enemies would sealed new reconciliation with a kiss beneath it
3. The first Christmas card as we know them was sold in 1843 after it was designed by John Calcott Horsley on commission by Henry Cole
4. The central panel showed a family enjoying a Christmas lunch – the characters toasting with wine, whilst a child is also given a little. Obviously this was then the source of some criticism due to its apparent encouragement of drunkenness
5. These cards were sold at one shilling each – this was quite pricey for ordinary Victorians so until developments in printing brought the price down, children were encouraged to make their own
6. Punch magazine enjoyed ridiculing the idea of kissing under the mistletoe. In Leech’s cartoon ‘Caution During the Mistletoe Season’ (1855), he warned young people about being ‘mercilessly lampooned’ by unwanted admirers employing the use of mistletoe
7. Cards and cartoons in magazines such as Punch in the 19^th century often portrayed the message of charity, announcing that the middle classes should keep in mind those who could not enjoy the extravagances of Christmas
8. A goose was the traditional Christmas bird, however this was replaced by the turkey in the 19th century as it was the perfect size for a family
9. Religious Christmas cards were not so popular in the 19^th  century. They could be commissioned by societies such as the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, but most conveyed secular messages or pagan imagery
10. 5 million Christmas cards were sold in 1880

Happy Christmas!

All from:

Christmas, Ideology and Popular Culture, Sheila Whiteley (2008)

BBC Two, Victorian Christmas, History of Christmas