Daily Life: Although the Victorian Era was a period of extreme social inequality, industrialization brought about rapid changes in everyday life that affected all classes. Family life, epitomized by the young Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their nine children, was enthusiastically idealized.
Celebrations: For thousand of years people around the world have enjoyed midwinter festivals. With the arrival of Christianity, pagan festivals became mixed with Christmas celebrations. One of the leftovers from these pagan days is the custom of bedecking houses and churches with evergreen plants like mistletoe, holly and ivy. Apparently, as well as their magical connection in protecting us from evil spirits, they also encourage the return of spring. Nobody in Britain had heard of Santa Claus or Christmas Crackers. No Christmas cards were sent and most people did not have holidays from work. The wealth and technologies generated by the Industrial Revolution of the Victorian era changed the face of Christmas forever. Sentimental do-gooders like Charles Dickens wrote " Christmas Carol", published in 1843, which actually encouraged rich Victorians to redistribute their wealth by giving money and gifts to the poor. The wealth generated by the new factories and industries of the Victorian age allowed middle class families in England and Wales to take time off work and celebrate over two days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. December 26th, earned its name as the day servants and working people opened the boxes in which they had collected gifts of money into the "rich folk". Those new fangled inventions, the railways allowed the country folk who had moved into the towns and cities in search of work to return home for home for a family Christmas.
