History Of Christmases Past |

Keep Calm and Read Suzi Love’s Books. #Romance #Reading #Nonfiction #History

Posted on January 12, 2022 by Suzi LoveJanuary 13, 2022

Keep Calm and Read Suzi Love’s Books. Regency, historical and contemporary romance. Plus non-fiction history and writing.

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Keep Calm and Read Suzi Love's Books. https://books2read.com/suziloveTVPH — Keep Calm and Read Suzi Love’s Books. https://books2read.com/suziloveTVPH

The Viscount’s Pleasure House Book 1 Irresistible Aristocrats Disenchanted Viscount tutoring three Regency Ladies. What could go wrong? #Regency Erotic https://books2read.com/suziloveTVPH

Four Times A Virgin Book 2 Irresistible Aristocrats Tortured duke reunites with mysterious lady to expose those who orchestrated the evil that scarred them both. #RegencyRomance #Mystery books2read.com/suziloveFTAV

Pleasure House Ball Book 3 Irresistible Aristocrats Lord Mallory attends first courtesan’s ball in years to appease concerned friends. Though mortified that Lord Mallory unmasks her, Lady Armstrong doesn’t regret their night together. . But will Brenton, Lord Mallory, still treat her as his friend’s little sister? http://books2read.com/suzilovePHB

Petunia and the Pearl Diver Book 4 Irresistible Aristocrats The pearl diver needs a working girl to rouse his body. Petunia needs the money from the pearls if she is to save her family. A night at a London brothel could be the solution to both their problems. https://books2read.com/suzilovePetPD

Embracing Scandal Book 1 Scandalous Siblings Lady Rebecca Jamison invests in railway stocks to save family from ruin. #Victorian #HistRomance #Mystery https://books2read.com/suziloveES

Scenting Scandal Book 2 Scandalous Siblings Series. Lady Laura Jamison believes her extraordinary olfactory senses will sniff out her perfect match, but will Richard St. Martin, the Earl of Winchester, prove her theory wrong? #HistoricalRomance #RomCom https://books2read.com/suziloveSS

December Scandal Book 3 Scandalous Siblings #HistoricalRomance Michael Brandon travels to introduce the woman he loves to family but is shocked when his missing brother arrives. https://books2read.com/suziloveDS

Love After Waterloo When Lady Melton and son join antagonistic Captain Belling and the last group of wounded British soldiers evacuating Waterloo, she anticipates hardship and trouble with deserters. Not her relationship with a belligerent Captain. #RegencyRomance #military books2read.com/suziloveLAW

Self Publishing: Absolute Beginner’s Guide.
Information, contacts, and checklists steer you towards professionally produced books. Helps both fiction and non-fiction authors and available in digital and paperback. Co-Authored by two Australians: multi-published Imogene Nix and best-selling and award winning Suzi Love. http://books2read.com/selfpublishing

History Notes Books 1-28. Do you need more factual and visual information for your historical fiction? Non-fiction Series: Fashion, music and social manners in the 18th and 19th centuries books2read.com/suziloveFashWomen1700s

Regency Life Series Bigger and better images now allowed! Yippee! All books updated in this light-hearted series about Regency Era, or early 1800s. For writers, readers and history lovers. #Regency #nonfiction #amwriting books2read.com/suziloveROver books2read.com/suziloveYGD books2read.com/suziloveOGD books2read.com/suziloveYLD books2read.com/suziloveOLD

History of Christmases Past History Events Book 1 Want to learn more about the history and traditions of Christmas? Information and images through the centuries, including religious aspects, decorations, games, food and plays. books2read.com/suziloveHOCP

Easter In Images History Events Book 2 Pictorial look at Easter through history, which includes artworks, postcards, and Faberge eggs and jewelry. full of paintings and images of Easter through history and is a non-fiction visual feast which include artworks, postcards, and Faberge eggs and jewelry. https://books2read.com/suziloveEaster

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Auld Lang Syne Traditionally Sung To Farewell the Old Year. #NewYear. #2022 #Scotland #BritishHistory

Posted on January 1, 2022 by Suzi LoveJanuary 1, 2022

Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung to farewell the old year at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. It’s a poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 in Scotland but based on an older Scottish folk song. In 1799, it was set to the traditional tune.

Auld Lang Syne Traditionally Sung To Farewell the Old Year. #NewYear. #2022 #Scotland #BritishHistory books2read.com/suziloveHOCP Click To Tweet

Xmas_HOCP_Want to learn more about the history and traditions of Christmas? Information and images from throughout the centuries. #Christmas #Holidays #Nonfiction books2read.com/suziloveHOCP — ON Sale_Want to learn more about the history and traditions of Christmas? Information and images from throughout the centuries. #Christmas #Holidays #Nonfiction books2read.com/suziloveHOCP

1896 Christmas Comes But Once A Year by Charles Green (1840-1898) #Christmas #BritishHistory #Art

Posted on December 25, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 24, 2021

1896 Christmas Comes But Once A Year by Charles Green (1840-1898)

1896 Christmas Comes But Once A Year by Charles Green (1840-1898) #Christmas #BritishHistory #Art Click To Tweet

Saint Nicholas Visits On Christmas Eve #Christmas #holidays #Traditions #Customs

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 21, 2021

Saint Nicholas Visits On Christmas Eve

StNic_Saint Nicholas — Saint Nicholas Vintage Christmas Card.

A Visit from St. Nicholas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads:

And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,—

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below;

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!

Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So, up to the house-top the coursers, they flew,

With a sleigh full of toys, —and Saint Nicholas, too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,

Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a pedlr just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook, whe he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, —a right jolly old elf—

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle;

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight:

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

THE END

By Clement Clark Moore

24th December 1906 Happy Christmas to You Dear. Vintage Christmas Card. #Christmas #Holidays #Vintage

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 24, 2021

25th December 1906 Happy Christmas to You Dear. Vintage Christmas Card.

24th December 1906 Happy Christmas to You Dear. Vintage Christmas Card. #Christmas #Holidays #Vintage. books2read.com/suziloveHOCP Click To Tweet

Christmas Bells #Christmas #holidays #Traditions #Customs

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 23, 2021

Christmas Bells.

“Bells are musics laughter.” By Thomas Hood (1799-1845), British poet and humorist.

Bells hold a long time association with Christmas. In Victorian times, carol singers used small handbells to play the tune of the carol. Some times there were bells without singing – Church bells are rung after sunset to signal the start of the Christmas Eve service, the first of Christmas.

In England, the bellman goes round at midnight ringing his bell, and rattling off a stanza or two, for the gratuity which he confidently anticipates; while watchmen, firemen, rate-collectors, postmen, chimney-sweeps, street scavengers, the errand-boys of your baker, butcher, poultry merchant, and green-grocer, even to the hired singers in the churches all expect their Christmas-box.

In Victorian times, carol singers used small hand bells to play the tune of the carol and sometimes there were bells without singing. Church bells are rung after sunset to signal the start of the Christmas Eve service, the first of Christmas.

1803 December The Bellman Holding a Verse About Napoleon. The Bellman rings his hand-bell. In his left hand he holds out his verses headed by a figure of Napoleon wearing a huge tricorne and holding a gigantic sword: ‘This little Boney-says he’ll come At merry Christmas time, But that I say is all a hum…Via British Museum.

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Regency Era Christmas Games and Snap Dragon. #Christmas #Holidays #Customs #RegencyEra

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 21, 2021

Games

At Christmas time, households had guests to stay and games were played to either fill in the time inside when the weather was too bad to venture out with sleds or skates, or to keep tradition. Blind man’s bluff, forfeits, and snap dragon were all played.

A list of some entertainments for Christmas…From The book Of Christmas by Thomas kibble Hervey. “jugglers, and jack-puddings, scrambling for nuts and apples, dancing the hobby-horse, hunting owls and squirrels, the fool-plough, hot-cockles, a stick moving on a pivot, with an apple at one end and a candle at the other, so that he who missed his bite burned his nose, blindman’s buffs, forfeits, interludes and mock plays :” — also of ” thread my needle, Nan,” ” he can do little that can’t do this,” feed the dove, hunt the slipper, shoeing the wild mare, post and pair, snap dragon, the gathering of omens….

Snap Dragon A favorite game was Snap Dragon, often played on Christmas Eve. Raisins were put into a large, shallow bowl and brandy was poured over them and then ignited. Lights were extinguished to increase the eerie effect of the blue flames playing across the liquor. The object of the game was to reach through the blue flames and grab as many raisins as possible from the flaming brandy and pop them into your mouth. The risk of burning yourself increased the excitement.

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language in 1755 describes the. game as “a play in which they catch raisins out of burning brandy and, extinguishing them by closing the mouth, eat them”. According to an eighteenth-century article in Richard Steele’s Tatler magazine, “the wantonness of the thing was to see each other look like a demon, as we burnt ourselves, and snatched out the fruit.”

Snap-dragon was played in England, Canada, U/S.A, and probably other countries with British backgrounds. The words snap-dragon and flap-dragon can refer to the game, the raisins used in the game, or the bowl with brandy and raisins.

The first reference to Snap-dragon as a game is in Francis Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue in 1811. “Christmas gambol: raisins and almonds being put into a bowl of brandy, and the candles extinguished, the spirit is set on fire, and the company scramble for the raisins.” Snap-dragon as a Christmas parlour game was mentioned in 1836 in Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers and in 1861, in Anthony Trollope’s novel Orley Farm. Lewis Carroll, in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There in 1871 describes “A snap-dragon-fly. Its body is made of plum pudding, its wings of holly-leaves, and its head is a raisin burning in brandy.”

Agatha Christie’s book Hallowe’en Party describes a children’s party during which a child’s murder causes Hercule Poirot to be brought in to solve the case and at which Snap-dragon is played at the end of the evening.

Xmas_Snap DragonIllustration From 16th Century Christmas Parlor Game. Grab the raisins from a flaming bowl of brandy and pop them into your mouth without burning yourself. From 1879 Book Of Days By Robert Chambers. — Snap Dragon Illustration From 16th Century Christmas Parlor Game. Grab the raisins from a flaming bowl of brandy and pop them into your mouth without burning yourself. From 1879 Book Of Days By Robert Chambers.

A song went with the game….
“Here he comes with flaming bowl,
Don’t be mean to take his toll.
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
Take care you don’t take too much
Be not greedy in your clutch.
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
With his blue and lapping tongue
Many of you will be stung.
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
For he snaps at all that comes
Snatching at his feast of plums.
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
But Old Christmas makes him come
Though he looks so fee! Fa! Fum!
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
Don’t `ee fear him, be but bold.
Out he goes, his flames are cold.
Snip! Snap! Dragon!

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Christmas Greenery: Holly and Ivy #Christmas #Holidays #Customs #traditions

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 21, 2021

Christmas Greenery: Holly and Ivy.
Heigh ho! sing heigh ho! unto the green holly,
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly.
Then heigh ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly!
Song of the Holly by William Shakespeare

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Christmas Lord Of Misrule #Christmas #holidays #Traditions #Customs

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Suzi LoveDecember 20, 2021

Lord Of Misrule

The Lord of Misrule was generally a peasant, or sub-deacon, and the revelries followed the Pagan tradition of Saturnalia and was a time of drunkenness and wild partying. The Church’s festival with a Boy Bishop, the leader of children’s festivities in choir schools, was similar, but was abolished by Henry VIII in 1541, restored by the Catholic Queen Mary, but again abolished by Protestant Elizabeth I. On the Continent, the Council of Basle suppressed it in 1431 but the custom was revived in some places from time to time, even as late as the eighteenth century. After the death of Edward VI in 1553, the English court stopped appointing a Lord of Misrule.

From A Survey of London by John Stow: Reprinted from the text of 1603.

‘…in the feaste of Christmas, there was in the kings house, wheresoeuer he was lodged, a Lord of Misrule, or Maister of merry disports, and the like had yee in the house of euery noble man, of honor, or good worshippe, were he spirituall or temporall.’

During the late medieval and early Tudor periods in England, Lord of Misrule, also called Abbot Of Misrule, or King Of Misrule, was appointed to manage the Christmas festivities held at court, in the houses of great noblemen, in the law schools of the Inns of Court, and in many of the colleges at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.

His reign lasted anywhere from 12 days to 3 months and his role was to direct the masques, processions, plays, and feasts. Although this was mostly a British custom, in ancient Rome from the 17th to 23rd of December, a Lord of Misrule took on the guise of Saturn for the feast of Saturnalia and the ordinary rules were changed so that masters became slaves and the offices of state were held by slaves. The Lord of Misrule presided and could command anyone to do anything. Our contemporary Christmas holidays seem to have originated from this idea of festive holidays.

The custom began in December 1551 when the Duke of Somerset, Edward VI’s uncle Edward Seymour, was in the Tower of London awaiting execution. He sent a note to the Master of Revels to appoint George Ferrers as Lord of Misrule. Ferrers was a courtier and poet who later contributed to A Mirror for Magistrates, described by Scott Lucas as a “compendium of tragic monologues” by a series of historical personages.

Scotland had the Abbot of Unreason (suppressed in 1555) as their equivalent to the Lord of Misrule and scholars believe both ideas came from the “king” or “bishop” who presided over the earlier Feast of Fools.

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