Birmingham: The Victorians and the Christmas Season

This illustrated talk looks at the influence of the Victorians on Christmas as we know it today. The Victorians repackaged older traditions and customs that suited their new sensibilities, ideas and concerns. It is said the Victorians:‘mixed the ingredients of the English Christmas to create an extremely rich plum pudding’. Many of these changes took place early in Victoria’s reign, including the arrival of the Christmas Card, the Christmas Cracker and new-found popularity of the Christmas Tree. We will explore why and how the Victorians re-energised and transformed the festive season.

Speaker: Danny Wells