Context of A Christmas Carol - Victorian Christmas

Victorian Christmas
In the 1840s, most businesses remained open on Christmas Day, and employees rarely got the day off. Due to the extreme poverty at this time, people were unable to afford having the day off anyway.
At the beginning of the Victorian Era, Christmas was hardly celebrated at all. However, by the end of Queen Victoria's reign, it was considered to be one of the most important celebrations of each year!
Prince Albert is renowned for 'bringing Christmas to Britain'. In Germany, where he was born, evergreen trees were decorated with candles, sweets and fruit at Christmastime.
When the Royal Family were photographed around a decorated evergreen tree in 1848, Christmas Trees became very fashionable throughout the country.
When A Christmas Carol was published in 1843, Dickens celebrated Christmas lavishly, and told ghost stories on Christmas Eve.
Most Christmas traditions that are used in the 21st Century originated in the Victorian Era.

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