How the Victorians made Christmas big
At the start of the 1800s, Christmas was hardly noticed. By the end it was the biggest day of the year.
Small to big
At the start of the 19th century, Christmas was hardly celebrated in Britain, at least not in a way we would recognise. By the end of the century it was the biggest yearly celebration in the British calendar. V&A: Victorian Christmas traditions
Gift-giving used to be a New Year activity, but it moved to Christmas as Christmas became more important to the Victorians. V&A: Victorian Christmas traditions
New railways meant people who had moved to cities for work could go home for Christmas. V&A: Victorian Christmas traditions
A royal tree
In 1848 the Illustrated London News printed a picture of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their family around a decorated tree. V&A: Victorian Christmas traditions Victoria and Albert did not bring the first tree, but they made the Christmas tree popular in Britain. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas
Cards in the post
Henry Cole, later the first director of the V&A, sent the first Christmas card in 1843. V&A: The first Christmas card A thousand copies were printed. Spare cards were sold at a shilling each, which was expensive then, and the venture was judged a commercial flop. V&A: The first Christmas card
The Halfpenny Post, introduced in 1894, boosted Christmas card sales even more. V&A: The first Christmas card
Crackers
The Christmas cracker was invented by Tom Smith (1823–1869), a London confectioner and baker who set up shop in Clerkenwell in the 1840s. V&A: The Christmas cracker Smith patented his first cracker device in 1847 and perfected it in the 1860s. V&A: The Christmas cracker
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol was published on 19 December 1843. Its first 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Christmas Carol
Within a year A Christmas Carol had been reprinted 12 more times. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Christmas Carol At least eight stage versions had appeared by February 1844. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Christmas Carol
In the story, Ebenezer Scrooge changes from a mean, lonely old man into a generous one after visits from a series of ghosts. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Christmas Carol
Mrs Beeton’s mincemeat
Early mince pies had real meat in them. Mrs Beeton’s Household Management (1861) gave two mincemeat recipes, one with meat and one without. English Heritage: Meat to sweet, a history of the mince pie
What came after
The first Christmas Day message by a British monarch was broadcast live by King George V from Sandringham in 1932. BBC: First Empire Address by King George V The idea came from the BBC’s Director General, Sir John Reith. BBC: First Empire Address by King George V The speech was written by Rudyard Kipling. BBC: First Empire Address by King George V
In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II made her first live televised Christmas broadcast, from Sandringham House. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas