Christmas Traditions and the Victorian Period

Humanities Viewpoints

Happy Holidays, listeners!
Today on the podcast, we’re taking a look at Christmas traditions. Decorating the Christmas tree, sending cards, and buying presents. Some of you may be planning (or fretting over) some of these activities at the moment, but where do these traditions come from? My guest, Dr. Melissa Shields Jenkins, explains that many of the traditions we take for granted during the Christmas season are rooted in the Victorian period. During the 19th Century, a kind of re-creation of Christmas took place, and the texts and images created during this period helped to not only shape the seasonal customs but also to inspire reflection upon the meanings of this holiday.
Melissa Shields Jenkins is an assistant professor in the English department at Wake Forest University. She is also a Wake Forest University alum, receiving her BA in 2001 before receiving her PhD from Harvard University. She specializes in 19th century British literature and culture, the history of the novel, and gender studies. In 2014, she published a book called Fatherhood, Authority, and British Reading Culture, and is currently working on a book-length project called Habits of Sympathy in Victorian Britain. Originally from Charlotte, NC, she now lives in Winston-Salem with her husband Jaime, daughter Jaclyn, and two rescue dogs.
I hope you enjoy our conversation and her readings of some great Victorian literature.