A Tudor & Stuart Christmas

Have you ever wanted Christmas to last for several months? For King Charles I it did!

Celebrate like the Stuart kings and queens by making your own festive food and presents.

Although the customs and activities described focus on a Stuart Christmas, they were not unique to the Stuart era. In fact, most of the Yuletide customs have their origins in pagan times and have Celtic, Roman and Anglo-Saxon roots. Tudor monarchs such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I would have been familiar with halls decked with greenery, the sumptuous sugary and spicy fare, gift-giving, and the amusements and entertainments of Twelfth Night.

Christmas in Stuart times

Christmas in Stuart times lasted a full 12 days and was enjoyed by rich and poor alike. At the royal court it lasted even longer. It began officially on 1 November and ended on 2 February!

There were three main festivals:

Christmas Day, 25 December
This celebrated the birth of Jesus.

New Year's Day, 1 January
This celebrated the New Year and a new beginning. It was the time for everyone to give gifts.

The day of 6 January was called Twelfth Day
The evening and the night of 6 January, when everyone celebrated was called Twelfth Night. This marked the end of Christmas. It was seen out in the most outrageous manner with games, feasting and merry making.

The Lord of Misrule oversaw the entire holiday. He was the master of ceremonies and made sure everyone had lots of fun!

We would like to thank the History Re-enactment Workshop, Registered Charity No. 1040799, for permission to use the 'Decorations' photograph.
www.historyreenactment.org.uk