12.12.12 (For superstitious folks: this is apparently the last triple date for almost a century! January 1, 2101) For couples: it is an easy anniversary date to remember.
"It is a woman's business to get married as soon as possible, and a man's to keep unmarried as long as he can."
~ George B.Shaw (1856 - 1950) Man and Superman, Irish playwright.
"The best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men."
~ Francis Bacon (1561 -1626) Of Marriage and Single Life. English philosopher, statesman.
"When you're a married man, Samivel, you'll understand a good many things as you don't understand now; but vether it's worth while goin' through so much to learn so little, as the charity boy said ven he got to the end of the alphabet, is a matter o' taste."
~ Charles Dickens, Pickwick Papers XXVII
"Marriage is popular because it combines the maximum of temptation with the maximum of opportunity."
~ George B. Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionists.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
The writings of Charles Dickens had a profound effect on the public attitude to Christmas. In his book, The Pickwick Papers (1836-7) he created an optimistic atmosphere of festivity that industrial England welcomed. Games such as blind-man's buff, snap-dragon were played. Logs burned in the fireplace. Small gifts ~ bibles, handkerchiefs, pincushions, writing cases, glove boxes, photographic frames and coins were exchanged. Gifts were often homemade. Meals of wassail, hot apples and turkey.
The Victorians established Christmas as a time for children. "It was the one event of the year when families could spend time together in a spirit of pure fun and merry-making. Apart from all the excitement of decorating the Christmas tree and house, of giving and receiving presents, of attending parties, there were also the simple pleasures, such as reading a picture book together or walking in the country."
~ The Spirit of Christmas Past, Linda Clements, Todri Productions Ltd., 1996.
~ Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870) English author. The Pickwick Papers, Serial Publication 1836.
The Victorians established Christmas as a time for children. "It was the one event of the year when families could spend time together in a spirit of pure fun and merry-making. Apart from all the excitement of decorating the Christmas tree and house, of giving and receiving presents, of attending parties, there were also the simple pleasures, such as reading a picture book together or walking in the country."
~ The Spirit of Christmas Past, Linda Clements, Todri Productions Ltd., 1996.
~ Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870) English author. The Pickwick Papers, Serial Publication 1836.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Spirit of Christmas Past~
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| John Passfield, Lorna Walker, Neil Paul Cottonwood Mansion Christmas Past |
Christmas as we know it today would probably be a very different occasion but for the Victorians. The Puritan rejection of the festival, although short-lived, was successful in that it changed forever the medieval idea of Christmas. Hugely sumptuous feasts, exciting tournaments, good fellowship, playing the fool and gambling were never fully revived. When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, Christmas, at best a social event where neighbours and communities came together, had deteriorated to a little-remembered occasion.
Yet Christmas offered everything that the socially and family-conscious Victorians could desire. All the ingredients were there ~ strong family feeling, piety, sentimentality, alms-giving, fun and games, feasting and drinking ~ they just needed to be revived and mixed in the right way, with a few things added. The German custom of decorating a fir tree was imported to Britain and popularized by Victoria and, especially, her husband, Prince Albert. Father Christmas, metamorphosed from St. Nicholas, arrived, laden with gifts, and was then transformed into Santa Claus by the Americans. The Christmas card was invented. Singing carols regained popularity. Turkey took over from beef and goose as the centrepiece of the Christmas feast.
~ The Spirit of Christmas Past, Linda Clements, Todtri Productions Ltd., 1996.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
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| No "wild" turkey here! Deanna Schaus & Jill Walters-Klamer, Cottonwood Mansion |
England loves our "wild" turkeys ~ Caroline Carver writes in her Canadian Christmas Book. A handsel from our Victorian past.*
A poultry dealer, Joseph Tomalin, claimed to be the first merchant to set up a stall in Toronto's St. Lawrence Market. He had three stalls at the market and his specialty was turkeys, which he bought from the farmer for about eight cents a pound, and sold for anything from thirteen to eighteen cents.
He even made six Christmas trips to England to sell his turkeys in Leadenhall Market in London. The train to Halifax, the ship to London cost him $29.00 return, and the ship took about sixteen days on the crossing. "He advertised the birds as Canadian "wild turkeys," which they were not, but they were immensely popular as such, and once he sold his fifty birds within fifteen minutes of arrival!"
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