Christmas in 1812 was much different than today.
Christmas was treated as a significant day to those living in British North
America, but it did not have much pomp and ceremony as today.
Kissing under the mistletoe |
Most British subjects would celebrate the Christmas
holiday with simple decorations along with dinner and a church service.
However, it appears that most Upper Canadians did not treat Christmas as a
major event. One English immigrant to Upper Canada in the 1820s observed: “I
was much surprised at the cold indifference which most people showed in their
observance of Christmas day - with the exception of the then few residing
English families, the church was scantily attended.”
In the United States similar attitudes prevailed in
certain areas. In the nation’s capital, it was not uncommon for politicians to
be working throughout the holidays and even sessions of Congress were held on
Christmas Day. It wasn’t until much later that the U.S. government recognized
Christmas as a national holiday.
In many ways Christmas during the early 1800s was similar
to today in that most families choose to celebrate with their families.
For anyone looking to
add some 1812 themed activities to their Christmas holidays, you can visit OldFort Erie and McFarland House, to name a few, for their annual Christmas event
this weekend.