LOGO Christmas Past and Ancient

LOGO

23 marriages before 1750

LOGO 68 marriages

LOGO 118 marriages

LOGO 136 marriages

LOGO 44 marriages

LOGO 12 marriages

LOGO

The official date of the birth of Christ is notably absent from the Bible and has always been hotly contested. It was Pope Julius I who eventually settled on 25 December.

LOGO Whilst the term “Christmas” first became part of the English language in the 11th century as an amalgamation of the Old English expression “Christes Maesse”, meaning “Festival of Christ”.

LOGO Christmas or Xmas? X stands for the Greek letter chi, which was the early abbreviation for Christ or the Greek ‘Khristos’.

LOGO Carol singers on the doorstep. Many carollers took the word carol literally (to sing and dance in a circle)

LOGO In the Early Middle Ages, Christmas was not as popular as the Epiphany on 6 January, the celebration of Jesus’ baptism and the visit from the three kings. By the High Middle Ages ( ) Christmas had become the most prominent religious celebration in Europe.

LOGO The Christmas crib originated in 1223 in medieval Italy when Saint Francis of Assisi explained the Christmas Nativity story to local people using a crib to symbolise the birth of Jesus.

LOGO Boxing Day has traditionally been seen as the reversal of fortunes, where the rich provide gifts for the poor.

LOGO By the Georgian period (1714 to 1830), Christmas was once again a very popular celebration. And so it would appear that a Georgian Christmas was very much all about parties, balls and family get-togethers. Christmas Day was a national holiday, spent by the gentry in their country houses and estates.

LOGO January 6th or Twelfth Night signalled the end of the Christmas season and was marked in the 18th and 19th centuries by a Twelfth Night party.

LOGO The Gifts In a... Christmas stocking, which first became popular from around 1870, only an apple, orange and a few nuts could be found.

LOGO Christmas Cards Sir Henry Cole tested the water in 1843 by printing a thousand cards for sale in his art shop in London at one shilling each.

LOGO Turkey Time Turkeys had been brought to Britain from America hundreds of years before Victorian times. When Victoria first came to the throne however, both chicken and turkey were too expensive for most people to enjoy.

LOGO Mince Pies Mince pies date from the Middle Ages. Traditional ingredients were minced meat, suet, a range of fruits, and spices. By the 19th century the sweet mince pie we eat today became more widespread.

LOGO The Tree The tradition of a Christmas tree in the house was a German custom and apparently brought to Court in 1800 by Queen Charlotte, wife of George III.

LOGO The Yule Log A great blazing fire was the centerpiece of a family Christmas.

LOGO The Crackers Invented by Tom Smith, a London sweet maker in 1846.

LOGO O Come all ye Faithful Once in Royal David's City See Amid the Winters Snow O Little Town of Bethlehem Away in a Manger

LOGO Happy Christmas!