Question

How did the Victorians transform the idea of Christmas?

Answer 1

Ответ:

The Christmas holiday has deep roots. Even in pre-Christian times, people celebrated holidays timed to the day of the winter solstice, dressed trees and sacrificed To The Gods decorations. With the spread of Christianity, winter festivals acquired a religious coloring.

However, the greatest influence on the traditions of the celebration of Christmas was the era of the reign of Queen Victoria. Although Christmas is primarily a religious holiday, during the Victorian era it becomes first of all a day of family unity

The Christmas season in the Victorian era began at the end of November, the last Sunday in front of the courtyard, called stir-up Sunday, according to the first words of prayer in the book of universal worship. In addition, the expression stir up served as an appeal to the hosts who should be rushing to prepare a plam-pudding - the main decoration of the festive table, which was to mature for several weeks. Although it is enough for three weeks for the "ripening" of pudding, many believed that the plam-pudding, prepared exactly on the Funny Sunday, would be especially successful. This dish starts from a medieval porridge with plums cooked in a meat broth (plum-porridge). By the XIX century. Pam-pudding acquired its modern appearance and began to resemble a certain pie, the mandatory components of which were noodle fat, white bread crumbs, raisins or kishmish and spices. This dish was originally everyday, and Christmas began to be considered due to the colorful description in Charles Dickens's "Christmas Song": "Attention! The couple hung in the room! This pudding was taken out of the boiler. ...> AND here comes Mrs. Kretchit - painted, dusty, but with a proud smile on his face and with a pudding on the dish - so extraordinarily firm and strong that he looks most like a straight cannon core. Pudding is covered from all sides with a flame from the burning Roma and is decorated with a Christmas branch of a pointed leaf, pushed into its very top. "

Plam-pudding very soon began to be regarded as the peak of the mastery of the hostess of the house, which was supposed to transfer her skills to her daughters, and those to their grandchildren. In each family there was a special recipe for plam-pudding, but the classic in the Victorian era was a pudding containing 13 ingredients symbolizing Christ and the apostles.

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Answer 2

The Victorians played a significant role in transforming the idea of Christmas into the holiday we recognize today. Prior to the Victorian era, Christmas in England was not widely celebrated, and it was more of a religious observance than a festive occasion. However, several key factors contributed to the Victorians shaping Christmas into a more elaborate and joyous event:

1. Revival of Traditions: The Victorians sought to revive old Christmas traditions that had faded over the years. Influenced by the romanticism of the era, they looked back to the medieval and Tudor periods, where Christmas was celebrated with feasting, merriment, and community gatherings.

2. Charles Dickens and "A Christmas Carol": Charles Dickens' famous novella, "A Christmas Carol," published in 1843, had a profound impact on popularizing the spirit of Christmas. The story emphasized themes of charity, goodwill, and family, portraying Christmas as a time for generosity and love. It resonated deeply with the Victorian society and helped shape their perception of Christmas.

3. Decorations and Christmas Trees: The Victorians embraced the idea of decorating homes for Christmas. They introduced elaborate decorations such as evergreen garlands, holly, mistletoe, and wreaths to bring a festive atmosphere indoors. The tradition of bringing Christmas trees into homes became popular during this time, influenced by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's German husband, who introduced the practice from his homeland.

4. Christmas Cards: The Victorians popularized the exchange of Christmas cards. The introduction of the Penny Post in 1840 made sending mail more accessible and affordable. Christmas cards became a way to send greetings and well wishes during the holiday season, contributing to the spirit of Christmas as a time for connecting with loved ones.

5. Gift-Giving: The Victorians elevated the practice of gift-giving during Christmas. Inspired by the story of the Three Wise Men presenting gifts to baby Jesus, they emphasized the importance of exchanging gifts as a symbol of love and generosity. The commercialization of Christmas started to take shape during this era, with the emergence of stores selling Christmas-related merchandise.

6. Christmas Carols: The Victorians embraced and popularized the singing of Christmas carols. They collected and repopularized traditional carols while also composing new ones. The tradition of carol singing, often performed by groups of carolers going door-to-door, added a sense of community and joy to the season.

Overall, the Victorians transformed Christmas from a relatively subdued religious observance to a festive occasion centered around family, gift-giving, decorations, and goodwill. Their emphasis on traditions, decorations, storytelling, and community spirit greatly influenced the modern celebration of Christmas that we know today.