If you're longing for Christmas gone by then join historian Dr Serena Dyer as she tries out five Victorian Christmas crafts, all taken from historical magazines. They are all very simple, and easy to make yourself! Step this way for some Dickensian Christmas nostalgia.
Contents:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:07 Gilded Walnuts
- 06:31 Crackers
- 11:05 Orange Pomander
- 16:31 Mistletoe Ball
- 19:44 Sugar Plums
- 22:00 Conclusion
Sugar Plum Recipe:
- 3oz Prunes
- 2oz Walnuts and other nuts (add a little more if mixture is too wet)
- 1oz Dates
- 1oz Dried Apricots
- 1oz Dried cranberries
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Cloves
- Teaspoon of Honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Coarse sugar to roll them in
Image Sources
- Thomas Kibble Harvey, The Book of Christmas, 1837
- Thomas Kibble Harvey, The Book of Christmas, 1837
- Illustrated London News, 1846
- Christmas Card, private collection
- Francis Wheatley, The Mistletoe Bough, 1790
- Illustration for the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
These crafts recall the experience of Victorian Christians in Britain and America, but remember that not everyone in these places celebrated Christmas, or identified as Christian.
