Navigating the Heartache WWI Brings
Many traditional needlecrafts such as needlepoint, embroidery, knitting, sewing and crocheting are making a comeback. Today, these needlecrafts are pursued as hobbies, but a century ago women learned these skills as part of their education. This was especially true before the advent of mass-produced, ready-to-wear fashions. Even after clothing could be purchased in stores, these…
Today, we live in a society where schools are cutting arts and music education programs. A century ago, however, music education was considered important, and every family that could afford a piano owned one. Some homes even had dedicated music rooms. Before the advent of radio and television, playing music and singing was one way…
Spending time swimming is something most of us expect to do when we go on vacation. Many wealthy and upper-middle-class households even have pools that can be used on a daily basis. That wasn’t the case 100 years ago. People could only swim at public pools and in natural bodies of water. Victorian Swimming Lessons…
Summer vacation is something most of us look forward to every year. It’s a time to get away, relax, see new places and do new things. But have you ever stopped to think what vacations were like in past centuries? Did you realize that there was a time when people did not vacation? Leisure Time…
When was the last time you read a catalogue cover to cover? Well, that’s exactly what I have been doing over the past several days. The catalogue I am reading is the Sears, Roebuck Home Builder’s Catalogue from 1910. I purchased the catalogue from Dover Publications as a research book. What better way to picture…
Today, Valentine’s Day is a holiday to give cards and small gifts to the people you care about the most. What was once the day for lovers now includes parents, children, close friends and extended family. When was the start of our modern Valentine traditions? Like with most holidays, it started with the Victorians. Giving…
Today, giving flowers is a popular Valentine’s Day gift. A little more than a century ago, however, flowers were more than simply beautiful gifts. The type of flower given, even how the flowers were arranged, sent messages in a secret code. This is known as florigraphy, the language of flowers. The purpose of these secret…
Hettie Steward, in my novel Angel of Mercy, is not the only woman in her family to have a profession. Her mother blazed the trail, becoming a professional teacher after attending the Toronto Normal School in the 1880s. What is a “normal school”? It is what today we call a teaching college. The purpose of…
Think throwing a New Year’s bash is a recent tradition? Think again. In the Edwardian era, just like today, people celebrated the coming year with a party. Let’s take a look at the origin of New Year’s traditions. Foods Cultures around the world eat foods thought to bring good luck in the new year or…
Boxing Day, Dec. 26, is no longer celebrated in most of the United States, although it continues in other English-speaking countries. The holiday originated as the day when churches distributed alms to the poor. Its name comes from the tradition of giving Christmas boxes, Christmas gifts or gratuities paid during the holiday season. The name…