I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Feeling Christmassy? This is a great book to get you into the spirit of the season, while taking you on a journey through the Tudor period and all the festivities involved. It’s well structured, divided into chapters based on the 12 days of Christmas, and the various activities the rich and poor participated in. There’s plenty of little facts scattered throughout which highlight many aspects of Tudor and Christmas life I never knew about, and also brings to life this concept that through the ages, will always knew how to throw a party.
In the chapters there are various carols, pictures, recipes and poems to bring to life the stories told of Christmas time. I thought this was a nice touch, as it lent itself an air of authenticity and really added to the Christmas feeling. I felt more immersed in the stories, and at times I could almost imagine myself in a great hall alongside Henry VIII eating my roasted goose. I did find a few of the poems a little long, which distracted from the text itself, however this was few and far between.
This was a lovely little read about one of my favourite times of year, and I love that I can now see the history behind a lot of the traditions which I originally thought were Victorian. In particular I enjoyed the chapter on Boxing (or St. Stephen’s) day and it’s links to the rich giving alms to the poor, as well an annual hunt for a Wren. It was these little touches that are only going to enhance my enjoyment of the season. Some chapters I wasn’t as interested in as others, which does tend to happen for me in this style of book, as I found I was less taken with the chapter on games etc. enjoyed during the festive period. However, the chapters I did enjoy balanced these lulls out well.
Recommend to the Tudor history buffs and lovers of Christmas. I just wish it had been longer.
- 3 stars
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