mercoledì 13 dicembre 2017

For a Victorian Christmas ~ Dress Your Own Victorian Christmas Tree.




The Christmas Tree by Albert Chevallier Tayler (1862 - 1925)



In the last post of ~ My little old world ~ we watched together, in the video that accompanies us from the beginning of the month teaching us how to create our Victorian Christmas, how to make cornucopias, traditionally dating back to the Victorian culture, filled with sweets of every kind or little gifts, and I have suggested you how to dry slices of orange and how to use them with creativity in your ornaments.

Today we just have to decorate our Christmas Tree, for which also we have to thank our Victorians ... indeed, Prince Consort Albert, as first ... 

Victorian Christmas Trees, brought from the mountain and hillsides, were of all sizes, from two feet high to a majestic height that could graze the lofty ceilings in the decorated homes of the wealthy. Most families bought and carried home their tree many days before Christmas eve, when, according to the tradition, it had to be decorated.

Very large trees were difficult to hold in a firm position, but if securely fastened were much more impressive after they were trimmed. Height, with branches compact to the trunk, was an important matter to be considered in the selection of a Christmas tree, because the weight of the articles ornamenting it always made the branches droop.

A Christmas tree of moderate size could be conveniently placed in a small tub and filled in with stones, coal or anything to keep it secure and steady. At times colored paper was pasted over the tub, so as to hide unsightly crevices, and then some moss laid over all. Sometimes the tree was propped up in a freshly painted tub where were set pots of blooming plants and bright foliage.

The smaller Christmas trees were generally fastened onto a support made of wood, 





surrounded with crude fence-rails and carpeted with moss for grass. Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine provided an engraving in 1876 for decorating the Christmas tree. The illustration showed a quantity of moss placed around the Christmas tree to form a border for the apples, oranges, gilded nuts, and bags of muslin and tarlatan containing sweetmeats. The books and larger toys which could not be conveniently suspended from the branches of the tree were laid at the base of the tree.
Hard candy tied in squares of colored tissue paper were also hung from the branches of the Christmas tree.

Tiny cakes in fanciful and animal shapes were suspended from every branch. Sometimes a narrow strip of the finest cotton-wool was spread along each branch and twig to the farthest needle-tips, to represent snow, and children were always excited with this addition. Shreds of glittering gilt and silver foil, which would not catch fire, was thrown over the entire tree for a charming effect.
At the top of the Christmas tree paper flowers were arranged as their bright colors contrasted favorably with the green branches. At times, roses were placed here and there, in and out.

In addition stars, hearts and other shapes made of gay colored paper were threaded on long strands and draped upon the Christmas tree. 
Often gilded walnut shells suspended from colored ribbons looked pretty. The walnuts were covered with gilt paper, or dropped in liquid gold and placed on a board to dry. The two shells were glued together before they were gilded, with the ribbon glued on upon one end.
Pine cones were hung from the branches.  

Then came the tree candleholders - the most worthy decoration. One magazine recommended that a "dignified tree" be decorated with candles only, except for a few gaily wrapped gifts among the branches. The more candles there were, the more beautiful the effect, especially if all the candles were red. Variations were all green candles or a tree of assorted colors. If white candles were used, the tree was sprinkled with artificial snow.

Only little gifts were placed on the tree and when it tree was fully decorated, the children went round and round it, pointing to each fruit by name, to the tri-colored paper chains, cornucopias and tissue wrapped candy, to the gilded nuts and pine cones, to the flickering candles in their polished holders and laughed delighted if a twig was scorched by a flame and sent out its well-loved pine odor.

The Christmas tree decorations were kept from year to year, from generation to generation and each year some new and special ornaments being added.

But let's watch the next video which show us how to decorate a simple but traditional Victorian Christmas Tree.




Surely, our Victorians didn't lack both imagination and simplicity, and the result was always great!

I hope to have today too rejoiced you and suggested you how to dress your houses with the atmosphere apt to welcome the most traditional Christmas that you have ever known.

And before than taking my leave of you, I'm posting a nice poem by Mary M.Parks about how birds do celebrate their Christmas with their Christmas Tree !



And with this I'm waiting for you next time, for the last decoration that the Victorian tradition suggests us to realize.



From my heart to yours 💕












~ PER UN NATALE VITTORIANO ~ 
COME ADDOBBARE IL NOSTRO ALBERO DI NATALE. 





- immagine 1 - The Christmas Tree by Albert Chevallier Tayler (1862 - 1925)




Nell'ultimo post di ~ My little old world ~ abbiamo visto insieme, nel video che dall'inizio del mese ci accompagna insegnandoci come creare il nostro Natale vittoriano, come realizzare le cornucopie, tradizionalmente risalenti alla cultura vittoriana, da appendere al nostro albero, ricolme di piccoli dolciumi di ogni tipo o doni, ed io vi ho suggerito come far essiccare le fettine di arancia per candirle e per poterle utilizzare con fantasia nei vostri addobbi.

Oggi non ci resta che decorare il nostro albero, per la tradizione del quale dobbiamo essere grati ai nostri Victorians ... ovvero, al Principe Consorte Albert, in primis !

Gli alberi di Natale vittoriani, ossia gli abeti, portati dalle montagne e fatti scendere dai pendii, potevano essere di tutte le dimensioni, da un'altezza di poco più di sessanta cm. a un'altezza maestosa che poteva sfiorare i soffitti alti nelle case imponenti delle famiglie benestanti. La maggior parte delle famiglie comprava e portava a casa il proprio albero molti giorni prima della vigilia di Natale, quando, secondo la tradizione, doveva essere decorato.

Gli alberi molto grandi erano difficili da mantenere in una posizione stabile, ma se fissati saldamente erano molto più imponenti di quando erano nel loro bosco. L'altezza, con i rami compatti intorno al tronco, era  importante da tenere in considerazione nella scelta di un albero di Natale, perché il peso degli addobbi che lo avrebbero ornato rendeva sempre i rami cadenti.

Un albero di Natale di dimensioni moderate poteva essere comodamente posto in una piccola vasca riempita con pietre, pezzi di carbone o altro per tenerlo sicuro e fermo. A volte della carta colorata veniva incollata sopra la vasca, in modo da nascondere eventuali brutte crepe, e poi del muschio veniva posato su tutto, oppure veniva dipinta di fresco ed in essa erano piantati vasi di piante in fiore e foglie sgargianti. 

Gli alberi di Natale più piccoli erano generalmente fissati su di un sostegno fatto in legno,



- immagine 2 - ALBERO DI NATALE PUBBLICIZZATO NEL 1894



magari circondati da grezzi recinti e tappezzati di muschio per simulare l'erba. Il Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine pubblicò un'incisione nel 1876 per fornire un suggerimento su come decorare l'albero di Natale. L'illustrazione mostrava una quantità di muschio posta attorno all'albero per formare un bordo per le mele, le arance, le noci dorate e sacchetti di mussola e tarlatana contenenti dolciumi. I libri e i giocattoli più grandi che non potevano essere collocati direttamente tra i rami erano stati posti alla base dell'albero.
Dai rami dell'albero di Natale pendevano anche caramelle legate dentro a quadrati di carta velina colorata.
Piccoli dolciumi in forme fantasiose e animaletti erano sospesi ad ogni ramo. Talvolta una sottile striscia di lana finissima veniva stesa lungo ogni ramo e ramoscello fino alle punte degli aghi più lontane, per rappresentare la neve, ed i bambini erano sempre entusiasmati da questa aggiunta. Frammenti di lamina argentate e dorate, che non avrebbero preso fuoco, venivano lanciati sull'intero albero per ottenere un effetto affascinante.
In cima all'albero di Natale, fiori quali poinsettie o rose erano disposti in modo che i loro colori vivaci contrastassero con il verde dei rami, ma occasionalmente alcune rose venivano collocate qua e là, dentro e fuori la chioma dell'abete.
Inoltre stelle e cuori fatti di carta colorata venivano infilati su lunghi fili e appesi all'albero.
Gusci di noce dorati sospesi su nastri colorati facevano bella mostra di sé. Le noci o venivano coperte con carta dorata, o aperte e immerse e in una vernice tinta oro e quindi poste su una tavola ad asciugare. Il guscio veniva quindi ricomposto con della colla e veniva aggiunto del nastro su di un'estremità; anche le pigne erano spesso appese ai rami.

Poi venivano aggiunti i candelabri - il tocco finale. Una rivista raccomandava che un "albero sobrio" dovesse essere decorato solo con delle candele, tranne qualche vivace dono tra i rami, però più candele c'erano, più bello era l'effetto, specialmente se tutte le candele erano rosse, anche se non era inusuale trovare candele verdi o di colori assortiti. Se venivano usate candele bianche, l'albero veniva infine cosparso di neve artificiale.

Solo i dono più piccoli erano posti sull'albero e quando l'albero era completamente decorato, i bambini giravano attorno ad esso, indicando ogni frutto per nome incantandosi guardando i festoni di carta tricolore, le cornucopie colme di dolciumi e le caramelle appese, le noci dorate e le pigne, le candele tremolanti nei loro lucenti sostegni e ridevano deliziati se un ramoscello veniva occasionalmente bruciato da una fiamma ed emanava così il suo amato odore di pino.

Le decorazioni dell'albero di Natale venivano conservate di anno in anno, di generazione in generazione, e ogni anno venivano aggiunti nuovi e speciali ornamenti.

Ma vediamo insieme come procedere nel prossimo video!






Certo che ai nostri Victorians non facevano difetto fantasia e semplicità, ed il risultato era sempre grandioso !

Spero di averi anche oggi rallegrato e suggerito come vestire di atmosfera le vostre case per accogliere il Natale più tradizionale che mai abbiate conosciuto.

Ma prima di congedarmi da voi, mi piace pubblicare una graziosa poesia di Mary M.Parks su come un giorno anche gli uccelli celebrarono il loro Natale con il loro Albero di Natale!

Il macellaio ci diede del grasso, 
ed il buon Brown del frumento; 
lo zio John un fascio di avena
perchè gli uccellini potessero mangiare.

E noi infilammo mirtilli rossi
e popo corn, in ghirlande, 
e cospargemmo l'albero di polvere di diamante, 
che sembrava ghiaccio, sapete?

La notte della Vigilia lo decorammo,
e ci fece ridere il vedere
come l'indomani mattina
il nostro Albero di Natale brulicava di uccellini.

Mangiarono il frumento,
e quanto piacque loro, non vi dico!
Ma tornarono al lavoro e mangiarono infine, 
anche tutte le decorazioni che avevamo messo!


E con ciò vi do appuntamento alla prossima volta, per l'ultima decorazione che la tradizione vittoriana ci suggerisce di realizzare.


Con tutto il cuore 💕






43 commenti:

  1. I loved reading Mary Paks poem of the birds and their very own Christmas tree!!
    I enjoyed reading of the Victorian Christmas trees. I fondly remember making paper chains as a child, lots of them!!
    Have a truly magical Christmas Daniela with your family and friends and I look forward to joining you again in 2018. I wish you good cheer, happiness and good health, with hugs from across the miles :)

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Prunella Pepperpot
      I heartily reciprocate your so beautiful good wish,
      sending blessings on your way,
      thank you for being so supportive, Dearie,
      I so love you, you're such a bright light ♥♡♥

      Elimina
  2. Risposte
    1. @ Bernideen
      lovely lady, I'm sure you won't believe it, but I've just found this comment of yours into the spam folder, I wonder why, and that's the reason why I'm answering you with this so terrible delay of mine, forgive me!

      Trusting you had unforgettable Holidays together with your family,
      I'm sending all my love to you ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  3. Oh friend, what a sweet and charming post! I so enjoyed the video and couldn't help but smile at all the goodies that were placed on the tree :)

    Thank you for sharing, sweet Dany. Much love to you!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Stephanie
      cherished lady of mine, what a blessing you are to my heart !
      Whenever I read a comment of yours, a smile appears on my face, and you always fill my day with love !
      I feel so fortunate and grateful for having you in a special place of my heart !

      May your Christmas be filled with all the blessings you deserve, Sweetie,
      always thinking of you with all my love ❥

      Elimina
  4. What a wonderful way to bring the family together to celebrate the holiday. I love it when the family does this together. Doesn't happen so much today.

    Have a fabulous day, Dany. ♥

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Sandee
      dearest friend, you're so right, all the days before Christmas and the preparation of the decorations for the home and the tree were the most beautiful way to join all the members of a family together and to strenghten their link of love !

      Wishing you the Merriest Christmas ever,
      with sincere thankfulness for always gracing my blog ☆:*•♥♥•*:☆

      Elimina
  5. Hi Dany. I love anything Victorian. I was born in the wrong era. LOL. Thanks for sharing these nice videos on decorations, and the bird poem is so appropriate to feed our birds in the winter. I made some Victorian decorations in the 1980s-90s and decorated a Victorian Christmas Tree. I'm hoping next year to get them out of my attic and display them on my tree again. They are more modern than the decorations shown in your videos, but they do have a Victorian style.
    Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thelma xo

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Thelma
      Dearest one, we both, ther, were born in the wrong century, alas, but we're so fortunate to have books and videos helping us bringing this age still alive !

      Wishing you and you dear ones too the Merriest Christmas ever,
      with utmost gratitude,
      I so love having you here and reading your lovely comments ✿*✿

      Elimina
  6. cara Daniela è sempre un piacere dolce leggere i tuoi dettagliatissimi post , grazie per la condivisione, un abbraccio forte forte Lory

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Lory
      carissima, contraccambio con tutto il cuore il tuo abbraccio, in questi giorni così concitati,
      e ti auguro un Natale colmo di Gioia, Pace, Serenità,
      grazie per questa bellissima amicizia che ci unisce ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  7. They were quite clever at using what they had around, i like that.

    A tree for the birds would be nice to make!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ messymimi
      you're right, and next year I'm going to make a tree for my little birdies too, they deserve it :) !

      Sending blessings of joy on your Christmas, Dearie,
      thank you for your so lovely presence,
      *♥* you mean so much to me *♥*

      Elimina
  8. These have been fun posts Dany, Our decorations are all either handmade or bought while on vacation so when we decorate our tree we have so many wonderful memories to talk about and remember :) I place one of our Nativity under the tree.

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Conniecrafter
      I wonder the gladness you feel when you dress your own Christams Tree, living all those memories your decorations bring back to your mind !

      Sending all my love to you to wish you and your family a great, joy-filled Christmas,
      Dearest One •♥✿ڿڰۣ✿♥•

      Elimina
  9. E' così piacevole leggere questi scritti sui preparativi per la festa più sentita dell'anno, cara Daniela.
    Un grande abbraccio Susanna

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Susanna
      che gioia sempre mi donano le tue parole, grazie, grazie dal profondo del cuore, carissima !

      Ti abbraccio forte come non mai
      per augurare a te e ai tuoi cari un Natale colmo di Armonia e di Serenità ಌ•❤•ಌ

      Elimina
  10. Risposte
    1. @ Krishna
      and I love having you here, darling frend !

      Sending hugs and ever much love to you ♡ஐ♡

      Elimina
  11. Ciò che scrivi e ciò che racconti mi porta sempre a fare viaggi nel tempo. Anche questa volta mi hai romanticamente condotta ai piedi di maestosi e splendidi alberi di Natale
    Bacioni

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Alessandra
      ma quanto entusiasmo mi comunichi sempre con le tue bellissime parole colme di gioia e romanticismo !

      E che il tuo Natale sia prodigo di Serenità e di Gioia,
      te lo auguro stringendomi forte a te in un dolcissimo abbraccio ♥∗✿∗♥

      Elimina
  12. Little cakes on the tree sounds wonderful! Love the sweet poem and lovely painting. My children made ornaments from walnuts when they were small and I still have them. Wishing you a lovely Christmas season. x Karen

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Karen
      I seem to see your precious walnut ornaments on your Christmas Tree, making it so lovely and unique !

      Wishing you and your dears too a beautiful Christmas, filled with Love, Peace and Health,
      thank you for being not only a faithful blog-friend,
      but truly an adorable lady ღ❀ღ

      Elimina
  13. This is lovely, Dany! I love all the little touches, the candles, cakes and pine cones. Thank you, Prince Albert! One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the tree. (Thanks for the video too, Dany! I am catching up, so you'll see lots of comments from me, my friend!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Jeanie
      you're always so heartily welcome since always seem to make my days a bit brighter, thank you Dearie !

      Wishing you a Merry Christmas,
      sparkling with Love and Gladness ♫♪☆❄☃❄☆♪♫

      Elimina
  14. Hello Daniela, what a lovely blog you have.
    I am so fascinated by this decade, and I love to watch fils from this time. It was interesting to read about the decorrations of the Christmas tree. I remeber when I was a little girl decorating the tree with my grandparents. They also decorated with cotton as snow..
    Wishing you a lovely Advent,
    Ida✨

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Ida
      I welcome you with a big hug, thank you for your so beautiful words both of appreciation and interest,
      I'm coming and visit you at once !

      Sending blessings of Joy on your Christmas Holidays ۩۞۩

      Elimina
  15. Thank you so much! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Kelleyn Rothaermel
      I reciprocate your good wishes with all my heart, thank you !

      Sending much love ⊰✽*✽⊱

      Elimina
  16. ...Dany, a festive post to get me into the Christmas spirit. Thank you so much!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Tom
      your words fill my heart with joy, thank you sweet friend of mine !

      ☆:* Merry Christmas to you *:☆

      Elimina
  17. Hello Daniela,

    The Victorian Christmas tree video was interesting to watch. I love this era, and all the decorations were so charming. And most of them were homemade, how wonderful. I loved that they put fruits, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, and small gifts on their tree as well.

    Wishing you a Merry Christmas, my dear. Peace be with you this Christmas season and always.

    ~Sheri

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Sheri
      My Dearest, I'm so, so glad to have you here today, you truly make my day !

      Sending blessings on your Christmas Time too,
      may you spend days of Love, Peace and Wonder
      together with those you love most ❥

      Elimina
  18. Wow, I really like the Christmas tree ideas! I am very inspired by the Victorians and just love decorating or dressing up like them, even though I'm a teenager now. I had lots of fun reading your post. :-)

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Fearless Daughter for Him
      you're heartily welcome, and I'm sincerely glad you enjoyed this article of mine, thank you !
      I wanted to thank you on your blog too, but I visited you and I saw that's not possible to comment and to follow you with the Google+ gadget, alas, I'd love to !

      Wishing you a very Merry Victorian Christmas •♥•♥•♥•

      Elimina
  19. I don't mind watching other people decorate for Christmas! Have a blessed holiday!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Magical Mystical Teacher
      may your Holidays too be filled with many blessings,
      sending my dearest love to you ♥¸.•*´¨`*•.♥

      Elimina
  20. Merry CHRISTmas! You do such beautiful and informative posts. Wow! This was interesting. What a terrific time in our world. Enjoy your week. HUGS

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Annesphamily
      I'm sending blessings on your Christmas too, dearest, faithful and enthusiastic friend of mine, thank you for your so lovely support !

      GRATITUDE HUGS ARE SENT ON YOUR WAY ❀≼♥≽❀

      Elimina
  21. Such beautiful and elegant posts and photos. Came over to wish you a very Merry CHRISTmas! ENjoy the day with those you love best. HUGS

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. @ Annesphamily
      please, forgive me, Dear One, but I forgot this comment of yours amongst all the others I hade to mediate!!!

      Trusting you had a wonderful Christmas,
      I hope I'm still in time to wish you a blessed New Year,
      and forgive my delay once again ♡❤♡

      Elimina
  22. "Excellent article. Very interesting to read. I really love to read such a nice article. Thanks! keep rocking. Also read my review ,
    Christmas
    "

    RispondiElimina

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