A Victorian Christmas

Christmas in the nineteenth century was a joyous festival of light, colour, sounds and smells. Traditions such as the giving of gifts, the Christmas tree, decorations and seasonal foods had existed for some time, but much of what is regarded today as ancient Christmas custom was popularized by the Victorians.

Christmas in a Victorian British Army garrison

Christmas was an important day in the British Army, one of the few times during the year that the troops and their families were spared the usual garrison routine. Key to the day’s celebrations was a Church Parade followed by feasting in the barracks.

Every barrack room was decorated with evergreens, garlands, paper chains, arrangements of bayonets to form stars and other fanciful designs. Often there was a prize for the best effort, awarded by the commanding officer. The prize was usually a keg of beer or something similar.

The Christmas feast for the enlisted men was at noon, followed by music, stories, the presentation of gifts between friends, and sometimes a dance. It was tradition that the officers of the regiment would visit every barrack room and share a drink with the men. By the time they were finished, they were likely quite merry indeed, and ready for their own feast, which was held in the officer’s mess in the evening.

Amateur theatrical presentations were another favourite seasonal tradition for the soldiers of Victoria’s army, whether at home or abroad. One soldier of the Halifax garrison, writing in 1868, remarked that it just wasn’t Christmas without the traditional production of A Christmas Carol.

The end of an era

It is often said that the Victorian era did not truly end until the First World War. During this period of global upheaval, Christmas could be a difficult time, but the many Canadian soldiers serving overseas made the most of it. Parties and gatherings in camp helped to boost morale, while gift packages from home were eagerly received by those serving in the frozen trenches.

On Christmas Day, often the guns would fall silent, if only for a few hours, in an impromptu truce that perhaps anticipated the coming of “peace on earth.”