The tradition of bringing live greenery and light into the house during the darkest time of the year is ancient, predating Christianity by thousands of years. The tradition was largely lost in northern Europe by the 19th century, except in some Germanic communities.
Following her marriage to German Prince Albert, England’s Queen Victoria reintroduced the Christmas tree to Britain when an engraving was published in 1848 featuring the Queen, the Prince, and their children decorating a tree.
This was just five years after Charles Dickens had published “A Christmas Carol,” introducing the world to Mr. Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, and the ghostly Christmas Eve visitors to Scrooge’s chamber.
Between Dickens and Prince Albert, Christmas as we know it was born. The Victorian tradition lives on at our old house.
“Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” is the perfect gift for the old house lover on your holiday list!
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Select preservation titles by other authors, including “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia McAlester, are also available in our shop!
© Scott T. Hanson 2023.
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