December 1, 1885: The soft drink Dr. Pepper first introduced.
December 1, 1890: A baby hippopotamus is born at the Central Park Zoo in New York city.
December 6, 1865: The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (abolishing slavery) is ratified. It had already passed the Senate on April 8, 1864, passed the House on January 31, 1865, and been approved by President Lincoln on February 1, 1865. People interested in human rights history will enjoy this piece by the BBC, comparing modern slavery with the historic variety:
"Slave Labor and Consumer Power: The Long View" http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06sgxg5
December 8, 1826: Happy birthday John Brown, faithful servant of Queen Victoria! After his death in 1883 the queen had a monument to him erected near Balmoral bearing the following description:
"This stone is erected in affectionate and grateful remembrance of John Brown, the devoted and faithful personal friend of Queen Victoria, in whose service he had been for thirty-four years. Born at Crathienard, 8th December, 1826. Died at Windsor Castle, 27th March, 1883. That friend on whose fidelity you can count, that friend given you by circumstances over which you have no control, was God's own gift. 'Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!'"
December 14, 1861: Death of Prince Albert. Sir Charles Lyell wrote of the event: "It was many days before I could fully realise it. I went down the day of the evening he died, and at four o'clock, just as the illness took its fatal turn, I found a bulletin at the Palace which led us to hope that the danger was nearly over. I hardly think I ever saw a family where there was more domestic hapiness and good understanding between husband adn wife, and father and children. As to the reserve with which he was charged, I can only say that to me, and I am sure to a multitude of others, he was remarkably open, and talked of all subjects, even the most serious, without the fear of committing himself. The last time I had a full hour's talk tête-à-tête, he went into Educational, Exhibitional, British Museum, and other subjects, and did not mind speaking of his disapointment when he had been overruled, and listened when I did not quite agree with him as to the British Museum with patience, and like one who wished to look at the matter on all sides. I know of no public man in England who was so serious on religious matters, and so unfettered by that formalism and political churchism and conventionalism which rules in our upper classes." --The Leisure Hour, 1882, p. 87.
December 14th—21st, 1887: Madison Square Garden in New York holds a show for poultry and household pets.
December 18, 1892: The original "Nutcracker" ballet premiers in Russia.
December 21st: Happy birthday, Benjamin Disraeli! Born 1804. An Encyclopedia Britannica article about one of Victorian Britain's most important prime ministers:
December 22, 1852: King County founded in what was then Oregon Territory. (This is the county where Seattle is located.)
December 22, 1859: William Watts Folwell inaugurated as the first president of the University of Minnesota.
December 23, 1897: Confectioner John C. Wharton and dentist William Morrison patent a machine for making cotton candy. See their patent here: <https://tinyurl.com/y9eqkacs>.
December 25th: Happy birthday, Clara Barton! The nurse who would found the American Red Cross and earn international praise for her tireless efforts to help the suffering was born on Christmas day, 1821.
December 27, 1841: P.T. Barnum purchases the American Museum in New York city. "Having no capital, he bought it on credit. "What will you pay for it with?" asked a friend. "Brass," he replied, "for gold and silver I have none." "
December 28, 1846: Iowa becomes a state.
December 29, 1845: Texas becomes a state.
December 28, 1862: Happy birthday, Edmond Meany, distinguished UW history professor and mountaineer!
December 29, 1843: Happy birthday, Elizabeth of Wied, who later became Queen of Romania! When she was a child, her parents declared, "Let her go, she will show the world that a princess is not necessarily a doll." She proved them absolutely right: when she grew up, in addition to her royal duties not only did she work as a nurse but she also became a famous writer under the pen name "Carmen Sylva."
Special Days in December:
December 2—10th, 2018: Hannukah
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/happy-hanukkah
http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/miss-ray-frank-1897.html
December 13: St. Lucia Day
December 21st, 2018: Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice—"Christmas and Ancestor Worship" Origins of ancient rituals (1881, external link)
Some reflections on light as we near the solstice:
www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/some-reflections-on-winter-light-as-we-near-solstice
Light and Heat, including some tips on getting the best light from an oil lamp
December 25th: Christmas
"Among all the days we celebrate Christmas stands first and foremost in our thoughts, the holiday of holidays. Coming in the season of frost and snow it brings a cheering warmth to our hearts that defies the icy atmosphere, and the feeling of kindliness and good will toward everyone, which it awakens, seems in response to the words the angels sang on our first Christmas, "On earth peace, good will toward man."... Though we are Americans, our ancestors came from many lands, and we therefore have a right and claim to any custom we may admire in other countries. We may take our Christmas celebrations from any people who observe the day and combining many, evolve a celebration which in its variety will be truly American." —Lina Beard and Adelia Beard. "The American Girls' Handy Book" 1895. pp. 317-318.
Some Christmas trees at our house: http://www.thisvictorianlife.com/blog/our-christmas-tree
Christmas stories:
A Pine-Cone Christmas (1890)
A Midwinter-Night's Dream (1883)
Santa Claus in Our Village (1889)
A Christmas Wish (Poem—1883)
A Christmas Glee (Poem—1890)
Christmas Pensees (Poem—1890)
December 26: Wren Day, St. Stephen's Day, and Boxing day
December 31st: New Year's Eve
The Old and the New
"Ah, my life is sweet," moaned the gray Old Year,
"And fleeting as the sere and yellow leaf."
"Hail! I come to reign," cried the bright New Year,
"And all the years do find dominion brief."
"Who art thou?" Coldly queried the Old Year,
"Usurper! Upstart! Dressed in vestments fine?"
"Keep thy temper, brother!" Laughed the New Year,
"For ancient styles are somewhat past their prime."
"You've dethroned me!" Crossly said the Old Year.
"My broken sceptre in the dust may stay."
"We'll put it by," slyly laughed the New Year,
"To rest (and rust), momento of thy day!"
"My heart is broken!" Sighed the Old Year,
"Memories rise to taunt me, bitter, sad."
"Nay! They offer dole," whispered the New Year,
"While I with joys arise full-sized and glad."
Toll the bells, mournfully, for the Old Year;
Snows, gently bequeath him a pall!
Glad chimes ring merrily for the New Year,
Which smiles a fresh hope for us all!
—Lydia Wood Baldwin
Good Housekeeping, December 6, 1890. p. 370.
This poem and others like it appear in my anthology,
A Christmas Wish
Victorian Winter Poetry for Christmas and New Year's
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PROVISIONS IN SEASON IN DECEMBER
Vegetables. - Jerusalem artichokes, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, celery, leeks, onions, potatoes, parsnips, Scotch kale, turnips, winter spinach, forced sea-kale
Fruit. - Apples, chestnuts, filberts, grapes, medlars, oranges, pears, walnuts, dried fruits as raisins, figs, dates, &c., crystallized preserves, almonds, and all kinds of nuts. —From Isabella Beeton's The Book of Household Management, pages 123-126, 1891 edition.
***
In a seaport town in the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest, a group of friends find themselves drawn together —by chance, by love, and by the marvelous changes their world is undergoing. In the process, they learn that the family we choose can be just as important as the ones we're born into. Join their adventures in
The Tales of Chetzemoka
Click here to buy Tales of Chetzemoka books.
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