Every year at this time I can't help but wonder how my ancestors in England celebrated Christmas and what traditions would have been handed down to me if they had not immigrated once to Canada and again to the US. My father married my sicilian mother and we always celebrated Christmas with mother's family, Daddy's was far away and he wasn't all that religious,  so I did not learn too much about how things were done by his ancestors or if anything was passed down in his family. So most every year I try to post a thread asking about family tradidtion, I do feel it is also part of our genealogy. My father's g-grandmother family came from the Shepton Mallet and Gurney Slade areas of Somerset. What foods did they eat, what did they do in their churches, did Father Christmas come to visit, do they do the nativity scenes, do they go caroling?  Did they take care of their poor, were they poor themselves, so many questions... Since my ancestors did not pass on traditions to me, maybe I can borrow some from your ancestors... Jo SaundersJS http://joni.tribalpages.com/

We have been watching Victorian Christmas on TVO (TV Ontario) which is excellent to view farm life in those times. http://www.tvo.org/TVO/WebObjects/TVO.woa?videoid?702345467001 Looking through parish registers we often find money donated for the poor, widows of soldiers and during Christmas and holidays. (;-)) Edna - sunny and white Ottawa Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year

On Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:53:49 -0800 (PST), Joni Saunders wrote: >Every year at this time I can't help but wonder how my ancestors in England >celebrated Christmas Joni, What era are you interested in, like when did they leave England? Cheers, Tom <tomp@st.net.au> Tom Perrett

On 16 Dec 2010 at 10:20, Tom Perrett wrote: > On Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:53:49 -0800 (PST), Joni Saunders wrote: > > >Every year at this time I can't help but wonder how my ancestors in > >England celebrated Christmas > > Joni, > > What era are you interested in, like when did > they leave England? > > > Cheers, > > Tom <tomp@st.net.au> Tom Perrett > The original question is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string ! It's not just the historical period that is important but knowing the circumstances and lifestyle of Joni's ancestors and who they were. If, for instance, they were from the aristocracy or wealthy landowning classes, then they would probably have celebrated Christmas in grand style. Middle class people would have celebrated it somewhat more modestly, while if they were ordinary working class families they would quite possibly barely have noticed that it was Christmas at all, since just surving from day to day was a struggle against adversity. Many would have celebrated Christmas in the workhouse - indeed, they were probably better off there than many working families who spent Christmas at home, since in the workhouse they would at least be assured of a decent meal! One thing family historians may have noticed is that some of their ancestors got married on Christmas Day - I have several examples - since it was the only day of the year they had off. A little imaginative Googling should turn up some facts. For instance, what is believed to have been the world's first Christmas card was sent by one Henry Cole in 1843 and now resides in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Christmas tree tradition began in Germany in the 18th century and was introduced into Britain by Queen Charlotte, wife of George III and continued by Prince Albert during his marriage to Queen Victoria. Many of the Christmas traditions popular today are not actually all that old but, of course, many would argue that they were originally symbols of a much older, pagan and secular tradition than Christianity and that Christmas was "hijacked" by Christians! There is no real evidence, for example, that the central theme of Christmas, Christmas Day, was actually the birthday of Jesus Christ (see Wikipedia on the subject). -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE