Tuesday, December 9, 2014

19th Century Christmas Books

Hi all,
As you begin or finish up your Christmas shopping for this year, I'm certain you've looked at some possible books to give as gifts. (hint, hint) Seriously though, books are a great gift idea that has been around for well over a hundred years. And the 19th Century it was quite a gift to give and receive. Here is how Christmas books were described back then "For instance, suppose you and I had to announce the important news that some writers published what are called Christmas books; that Christmas books are so called because they are published at Christmas: and that the purpose of the authors is to try and amuse people"

So, for today's tidbit I thought I'd post are some links to Christmas books that were available.

The first is a book that was published in 1866 by Charles Dickens title Christmas Books He not only wrote A Christmas Carol but several other stories as well.

The Christmas Books of Mr. M.A. Titmarsh" by William Makepeace Thackeray.

The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke is another Christmas Classic.

Then like today there were books, or in this case more like a pamphlet about Keeping Christmas for the real purpose of the reason for the celebration of the birth of Christ.

Blow is a copy of an advertisement for 1870 Beeton's Christmas Annual which means they put together a book each year for Christmas.

Pocket Books were also quite popular here's another advertisement to point this out.

Other books that were quite popular were dictionaries, almanacs, and travel books.

I hope you have fun with your historical characters going Christmas shopping this year.

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