Join the Brighton History Detective on a journey to Christmas Past, the origin of our Christmas present. Step back in time to each of the 12 days of Christmas Past for a special Victoriana Investigation by the Brighton History Detective, one new tradition posted each day.
Trip Itinerary ― The 12 Days of Christmas Past
We will travel back to twelve stops of the journey, recently presented by Museum Specialist, Bill Armstong, and local historian and author, Robin Kring, as passengers gathered in the historic Brighton Depot to take a trip to explore the “Weird and Wonderful Victorian Christmas Customs of the Past,” Hosted by The Brighton Chamber of Commerce and City of Brighton Museum, those holding tickets to the festive trip were treated to a special tasting of Bob Cratchit’s Christmas Day menu, prepared by the award-winning Brighton High School (BHS) Culinary arts program.
Read the Day 1 now, and then visit the Victoriana tab of the Brighton History Detective Blog, each day, to see a new posting featuring each day of the 12 Days of Christmas Past:
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦) Prince Albert and the Christmas Tree, Inspiring a Lasting Christmas Tradition.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘠𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘨) From ancient 12-day log burnings to the Bûche de Noël—or yule log cake.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟑 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨) From wassailing door-to-door and soaked “toasting” bread to Scrooge’s Smoking Bishop.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟒 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥 and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳) Queen Victoria helps popularize the Christmas Card and the snapping fun time of paper crowns, jokes, and a prize.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟓 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘬𝘦) What about its hidden charms and the King of Misrule unruliness that prompted Queen Victoria’s ban?
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟔 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦) A inspiration from the stars and sitting by with a just-in-case water bucket.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟕 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨) The ancient custom of decorating the forest’s trees to sugar plums and tinseling angel’s hair.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟖 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴) From Blind-Man’s Bluff to Snap Dragon (Capturing and eating flaming raisins).
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟗 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥) The Ghost of Christmas Present’s food throne (turkey, mince-pies, plum-puddings, immense twelfth-cakes, seething bowls of punch, and more).
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟎 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘗𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 and 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘪𝘦𝘴) Stir-up Sunday, boiling the pudding in a washing copper, and the story of their out-lawed status.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘴 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦 “𝘕𝘦𝘸” 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘺) The first Christmas club for the poor and why Scrooge’s gift of the prize turkey was such a big deal.
𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ― (𝘉𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘢𝘺 and 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴) If not a boxing match, just what is this Victorian tradition; Why did Father Christmas first wear green and more stories of his morphing.