Siobhán Clarke

Up to some years ago, I used to keep to an annual Christmas ritual. Come end September, or at the latest, early October, as soon as the first rains announced the end of a gloriously long Mediterranean summer, I would uncover my collection of festive CDs and start giving them an airing. Growing older, I’ve lost some of my enthusiasm, but I still love Christmas. And so it didn’t seem strange at all for me to be reading “A Tudor Christmas” three months before December.

This book would certainly make for a great stocking filler. I read it electronically, but even without its physical feel, it looked beautifully presented, with vintage-style line drawings to set the mood. It is divided into chapters based on each of the “Twelve days of Christmas”, each of which serves as the departure point for an article addressing some particular aspect of the Christmas in Tudor times – whether it be festive recipes, carol-singing, present-giving as well as the changes brought about by the various religious upheavals of the time – be it the Reformation with its banning of “popish” traditions or the more extreme Puritanical banning of Christmas. In actual fact, in order to give context to the central theme of the book (celebrations at the time of the Tudors, chiefly Henry VIII and Elizabeth I), Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke also include information about earlier periods (such as Medieval traditions which were retained by the Tudors) and later ones (particularly Christmas under the Stuarts). The text is complemented by festive poetry by the likes of Robert Herrick (he of "What Sweeter Music Fame", memorably set to music by John Rutter)

I read the book in a couple of sittings, but its style invites dipping into, perhaps in front of a crackling fire (though there’s little chance of that in my place of the world).… (más)

I wasn't sure what I was going to make of this little book, I'm generally not a fan of Alison Weir so it was with some trepidation that I approached it. Tudor history is probably one of my favourite periods but it is one that many authors trot out the same worn assumptions and incorrect "facts".

It was however a really lovely little trip through how the twelve days of Christmas was celebrated during the reigns of Henry VII through to Elizabeth I (1475 to 1603). Contemporary accounts and sources were drawn on but without turning this into an academic treatise. Overall it gives a really good picture of how the preparation, feasting, games and so forth were celebrated over 400 years ago. The result is a Christmas which is familiar and foreign in equal measure.

The only reason that I am not giving this 5 stars is because there was a few areas where some old, and largly disproven, ideas about the continuation of pagan traditions was once again trotted out. It's unfortunate as although Christmas is certainly celebrated in December due to the need of the early church to replace Saturnalia, it's unlikely that many of the traditions associated with a pre-christian midwinter festival survived for over 1,000 years. I would recommend that Ms Weir reads Ronald Hutton (Stations of the Sun, Triumph of the Moon, Rise and Fall of Merry England) or David Cressy (Bonfires and Bells) for explanations of how folk traditions have evolved, changes and eventually be superseded.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (más)

Up to some years ago, I used to keep to an annual Christmas ritual. Come end September, or at the latest, early October, as soon as the first rains announced the end of a gloriously long Mediterranean summer, I would uncover my collection of festive CDs and start giving them an airing. Growing older, I’ve lost some of my enthusiasm, but I still love Christmas. And so it didn’t seem strange at all for me to be reading “A Tudor Christmas” three months before December.

This book would certainly make for a great stocking filler. I read it electronically, but even without its physical feel, it looked beautifully presented, with vintage-style line drawings to set the mood. It is divided into chapters based on each of the “Twelve days of Christmas”, each of which serves as the departure point for an article addressing some particular aspect of the Christmas in Tudor times – whether it be festive recipes, carol-singing, present-giving as well as the changes brought about by the various religious upheavals of the time – be it the Reformation with its banning of “popish” traditions or the more extreme Puritanical banning of Christmas. In actual fact, in order to give context to the central theme of the book (celebrations at the time of the Tudors, chiefly Henry VIII and Elizabeth I), Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke also include information about earlier periods (such as Medieval traditions which were retained by the Tudors) and later ones (particularly Christmas under the Stuarts). The text is complemented by festive poetry by the likes of Robert Herrick (he of "What Sweeter Music Fame", memorably set to music by John Rutter)

I read the book in a couple of sittings, but its style invites dipping into, perhaps in front of a crackling fire (though there’s little chance of that in my place of the world).… (más)