I
know I'm not alone when I say the holidays are my favorite time of year.
There's so much to love: the scent of fir trees and cinnamon in the air, the Christmas
carols on the radio, the cheerful
gatherings of friends and family.
For
me, the connection between many Christmas traditions and the Victorian era makes
it especially sweet.
In
historical romance, the Regency era often takes precedence. But there's
something about the Victorian era that captivates me. It was such an exciting
time. Industry and innovation were changing the world in remarkable ways. Machines
were revolutionizing work on the farm and at home, as well as spawning factories
that would transform the work force.
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I
love the exuberance and the optimism that came with all the new inventions. What
I don't like so well were the pervasive social restrictions on women, but I
believe there were feisty females who thrived even under those trying
circumstances. I've written about a few of them in my novels, THE BELLY DANCER and
DANCING AT THE CHANCE.
And
when it comes to Christmas, the Victorians set the standard. According to
Historic-UK.com, it was during Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901) that Britons,
and subsequently Americans, first discovered Santa Claus, received time off
work to celebrate, hung Christmas stockings and sent Christmas cards.
Queen
Victoria also popularized the Christmas tree, which had been a mostly German tradition
and much loved by the Queen's German husband, Prince Albert.
Decorating
the Christmas tree is the tradition I love best because each ornament is like a
crucible of memories. I love taking my time unwrapping them, and then placing
them in just the perfect spot on the tree. And it's always a tradition in our
house to add a new ornament to the collection each year, one that reflects a
special moment like our wedding day or the birth of our daughter. I love
knowing that all these memories are close as we celebrate this wonderful time
of year.
Do
you have a favorite tradition, too? I'd love to hear about it. Please share it
in the comments section.
DeAnna
Cameron is a history buff, bustle lover,
and author of two romantic historicals set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras:
THE BELLY DANCER and DANCING AT THE CHANCE. Learn more at
www.deannacameron.com.
6 comments:
Traditons have changed in our family as we got older and the next generations came into the world, and then changed again now that both our parents are not with us any longer. But one tradition has stayed the course and that is being together, my brothers and I, at Christmas. I hope that this tradition never changes..
Being with loved ones -- that's the most important tradition of all, isn't it? And it's a wonderful reminder. Thank you, Kathleen!
Traditions come and go, but the one that
stays is that we are all together for this
special season. One tradition that we added
a few years back, when the grandchildren
were younger, is celebrating "Baby Jesus" '
birthday. We have a birthday cake, a candle,
all sing "Happy Birthday" and the youngest
ones blow out the candle!
What fun, Pat!
My tree, too, is loaded with memories. Our family has had its traditions over the years, but they are now beginning to morph. This year, our son must be away for Christmas Eve and morning (he's a paid singer in a church choir), and hubby's out of town on business until the 21st. So I'm reduced to celebrating the season with the dogs, which mostly consists of me yelling "Stop eating that!"
Hi, Gayle! Thanks for stopping by. This will be the first year we won't have our fur baby with us. We're sure going to miss watching him tear apart his tissue-paper wrapped squeaker toys on Christmas morning. And, yes, repeating over and over again, "Stop eating that!" :)
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