Two Songs/Dances/Games Played During a Regency Christmas Season

Christmas fun during a regency Christmas day.

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Regency Era Christmas Evergreen Decorations

On Christmas Eve the children laid out the traditional holly branches on the window ledges…” Jane Austen: A Life, Claire Tomalin, p. 4. Christmas decorations during the Regency era were relatively simple compared to today’s standards, or even Victorian standards, when Christmas trees and wrapped packages made major appearances in common households. Evergreen plants that […]

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Christmas Carols of Yore

Faithful readers, Once again December has caught me flat footed. It is almost 10 days into the month and I am still researching interesting historical information about Christmas holiday celebrations as Jane Austen would have known them. While many books, articles, bloggers and internet sites cover this topic in detail, I hope to add a […]

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Jane Austen Christmas by Rachel Dodge

Christmas with Jane Austen Many Austen fans enjoy thinking about how Jane and her family celebrated Christmas. They wonder, did she give gifts, “deck” the halls, or have a Christmas tree? As most Austen fans know, many of the Christmas traditions we might picture actually became popular during the Victorian Era. However, there are plenty […]

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Downton Abbey, Season 6, Christmas Special – Everything’s Neatly Tied Into a Sugar Spun Bow

DA Season 6 has come to an end. Tonight we watched the opening sequence live for the last time. Isis’s tail, the approach to the Abbey, the tingling of the bells will soon fade into memory, unless we watch the repeats. Viewers hope that sequels are in the works. What will happen to Tom? What […]

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Viewers of Downton Abbey Season 2: How Did You Like the Christmas Ending?

Last night PBS showcased the Christmas special of Downton Abbey. Did you find the finale of Season 2 satisfying? Too cliched? Did you encounter unexpected twists? Or did you guess just about every plot point as my neighbor did? Warning to those who have not seen the Christmas special: This post contains nothing but plot […]

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Merry Christmas!

Christmas is for taking time with family and chats by the fireside, for love and devotion, for celebrating the birth of the Christ child. May all who believe in this holiday have a most special, wonderful day.  

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A Victorian Christmas Feast

Gentle Readers, Frequent contributor Patty from Brandy Parfums recently attended a cooking class that featured classic recipes. She says of her experience: “When we think about our wonderful holiday dinners coming up, it is good to remember the origins of mid-winter celebrations, so ingrained in our DNA.” I can’t think of two more interesting recipes […]

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The Christmas Plum Pudding: An Old English Foodie Tradition

Happy Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas, everyone! I leave you with this post about Plum Pudding as I celebrate the occasion with my favorite people in all the world – my family. May this season be a truly special one for you. And thank you for visiting Jane Austen’s World. In half a minute Mrs. […]

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A Regency Christmas: Decorating 19th Century London With Holly

“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.” – William Shakespeare, As You Like It Decorating one’s house with natural boughs has been a Christmas tradition since Celtic times. Boughs of holly with their bright red […]

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Review: A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, Carolyn Eberhart

From the desk of Shelley DeWees… Gentle reader, guest writer Shelley DeWees, blog author of Uprising, writes book reviews for me. A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart is her first review for this blog. Welcome on board, Shelley. A collection of stories designed to […]

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Christmas in the Olden Time

Happy Christmas from Jane Austen’s World Heap on more wood! — the wind is chill; But let it whistle as it will, We’ll keep our Christmas merry still. Each age has deemed the new born year The fittest time for festal cheer. And well our Christian sires of old. Loved when the year its course […]

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