Victorian Christmas Ideas

Capture the magic and elegance of a Victorian Christmas this holiday season! Including some Victorian Christmas traditions into your own personal celebration can be a charming way to do something new this holiday season. Learn how to add a vintage flavor to your Christmas decorations, menu, and more.

Get inspired by these ideas for a Victorian Christmas.

• Decorating:Here are some Victorian Christmas ideas for decorations that will help you add a touch of Victorian elegance to your home. Cover the top of a mantle or create a table centerpiece with boughs of green embellished with colorful artificial fruit, silk roses, pearly beads, tassels, and ribbon. Pillar candles arranged in front of an antique mirror also make an attractive accent. Burgundy, pink, and cream should be the dominant colors of your Victorian Christmas decorations.

• Christmas Tree:Traditionally, most ornaments on a Victorian Christmas tree were homemade. Trim your tree with gingerbread, popcorn, cranberry garlands, paper doilies, bright ribbons, small toys, or small baskets  filled with candy. The most prized ornament, however, must be the angel atop the tree. Choose one with glass wings, a gold skirt, and delicately painted face. It was also a Victorian Christmas tradition to light the tree with small clip-on candles. To avoid the fire hazard, find an electric alternative.

• Recipes:The featured event of a Victorian Christmas was the magnificent dinner. For your Victorian Christmas theme, the main course should feature a beautifully roasted goose or roast beef. Add sides of mincemeat pie, potatoes, teacakes, and of course, plum pudding topped with punch sauce and a sprig of holly. Follow dinner with singing and games. One Victorian Christmas tradition was to bake a ring, coin, or thimble into the plum pudding. Whichever lucky person finds the object in their slice will have a year of wealth and happiness. You can also try “shrub”, a Victorian beverage made from oranges, sugar, and rum or brandy.

• Traditions:Christmas crackers are a fun and exciting Victorian tradition that you can share with your family after dinner. Each person pulls on an end of the Christmas cracker (available at your local party shop) until it pops open. Inside you’ll find a party hat and a toy or sweet treat. In the weeks leading up to Christmas you can also place an Advent wreath in your home. The evergreen wreath holds four candles symbolizing faith, hope, love, and peace and one is lit on each Sunday of Advent. Finally, the Kissing Bough originated during the Victorian era and is a decoration made of holly, ivy, apples, pears, ribbons, and other ornaments. It traditionally hangs from the ceiling. The modern day version of the Kissing Bough is typically a sprig of mistletoe, obliging anyone who accidentally wanders under it to kiss the person who catches them.

Use these ideas for a Victorian Christmas to plan your celebration this year. Delight your guests as you recreate the past and learn a little history in the process! Here's one of our fantastic free Christmas party invitations to help get your celebration started!