The Scots have always preferred to postpone the celebrations for a few days to welcome in the New Year, in the style that is Hogmanay. Those new fangled inventions, the railways allowed the country folk who had moved into the towns and cities in search of work to return home for a family Christmas. Boxing Day, December 26th, earned its name as the day servants and working people opened the boxes in which they had collected gifts of money from the “rich folk”.
The holidays – The wealth generated by the new factories and industries of the Victorian age allowed middle class families in England and Wales to take time off work and celebrate over two days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Sentimental do-gooders like Charles Dickens wrote books like “Christmas Carol”, published in 1843, which actually encouraged rich Victorians to redistribute their wealth by giving money and gifts to the poor – Humbug! These radical middle class ideals eventually spread to the not-quite-so-poor as well.įrom ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens The wealth and technologies generated by the industrial revolution of the Victorian era changed the face of Christmas forever. No Christmas cards were sent and most people did not have holidays from work. No era in history however, has influenced the way in which we celebrate Christmas, quite as much as the Victorians.īefore Victoria‘s reign started in 1837 nobody in Britain had heard of Santa Claus or Christmas Crackers. Apparently, as well as their magical connection in protecting us from evil spirits, they also encourage the return of spring. One of the leftovers from these pagan days is the custom of bedecking houses and churches with evergreen plants like mistletoe, holly and ivy. With the arrival of Christianity, pagan festivals became mixed with Christmas celebrations. For thousands of years people around the world have enjoyed midwinter festivals.
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