Dear Subscriber,

The November 3 installment of the comic "The Middletons" says it all.  For kids, the long, long wait for Christmas begins.  For the rest of us... Christmas will be upon us in the blink of an eye!  Personally, I yearn for those days when it seemed like a long, long wait.  Because once again I am wondering... where, exactly, did 2019 go? 

As for November, it has barely begun, but I'm already watching the market for a capon (my answer to a huge, dry turkey), and my cranberry relish is canned and sparkling on the shelf.  But now that it's easy to get chestnuts already peeled and cooked, I'm happy to give up the dreadful chore of "blanching" chestnuts (which means boiling them until their inner skins are ready to come off, and then scorching your hands trying to get them properly peeled before they cool).  And... this is the sort of weird person I am... most of my Christmas packages are already wrapped!

On the bright side, that means that not only is the November issue of Victorian Times ready, the December issue is not far behind.  I apologize for being a bit late on this newsletter; the next one will come out well before the end of the month.  In the meantime, I hope that everyone on this list finds many things to be thankful for as the holidays roll around again.  I know I'm thankful for the wonderful support I've received from all of you!

Now here's what we have for you in November:

• Some Royal Pets (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1895) Pets of the royal household include, of course, many dogs - but also donkeys, horses, and even a bison!
• Breakfast and Tea (Ingalls' Home Magazine, 1888) On the importance of having something hot and nourishing for the all-important first and last meals of the day (along with tips on how to black a stove).
• Our Silkworms and How We Tended Them (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1881) It might not occur to everyone to raise silkworms, but this family managed to do it fairly successfully!
• Kitchen: Beauty and Use (Demorest, 1885) "I think most people will agree with me that in table arrangement, the balance which we would all desire is seldom found, and this is because I think most women are not brave enough to do the best they can from their own ideas within, regardless about what other people say."
• The Origin of "O.K." (Century, 1894) Exploding the myth that "OK" was the result of Andrew Jackson's illiteracy!
• The Old Coaching-Days (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1874) "Dr. Johnson used to think that of all pleasures there was none greater than a journey on the top of a stagecoach." And as one old-timer points out, "You got upset in a coach and there you were. You get upset in a train and where are you?"
• Jerry: A Personality (Atlantic Monthly, 1894) "Doubtless a better horse never was made than the strawberry roan Jerry. At least that is my own belief concerning the intelligent, affectionate animal, whose head is the head of a sage, and whose heart is... like a mountain."
• Our Clocks (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1887) On the "various means employed" throughout history to keep a record of the divisions of night and day and the passage of time.
• A Simple Way of Making Deep-Lid Boxes (Girl's Own Paper, 1896) An excellent craft project for the holiday season - tips on making your own boxes of light cardboard (including unusually shaped boxes), which you could then decorate in any way you desire.
• Only One Penny! (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1882) Animated beetles, dolls, tiny parasols, squeaking birds, and a host of other marvelous items -- all to be had on the streets of London for "only one penny"!
• Notes by an Artist Naturalist (Girl's Own Paper, 1892-94) Beautifully illustrated monthly series by artist Fred Miller on the flora, fauna and lore of the season.
• Fashions of the Nineteenth Century (English Illustrated Magazine, 1892) A fascinating look at the evolution of ladies' fashions from the beginning of the 1800's to the "present day" of the writer - including a lot of insight into how politics (especially French politics) influenced what British women wore!
• Fiction: "The Mystery of the Expert" (The Strand, 1901) Who was the mysterious author who knew so much about British game - and why would he not come forward?
  

Visit https://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1911.shtml to download  this issue!

Or download it directly from DropBox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r65zfdapz227yfa/VT-1911.pdf?dl=0

It's Time to Order Holiday Greeting Cards!

At VictorianVoices.net, we have a lovely selection of Victorian and vintage-themed holiday cards, all available directly through Zazzle.com (which does a gorgeous printing job).  Check out our full collection at https://www.victorianvoices.net/bookstore/xmascards.shtml.

Victorian Times Quarterly #21 is Now Available

The latest volume of Victorian Times Quarterly is now available on Amazon, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca.

Victorian Times Quarterly #21 includes the contents of the July, August and September 2019 issues of Victorian Times.  This volume continues our gorgeous twelve-part series, "Notes by an Artist-Naturalist," with the incomparable artwork of Fred Miller.  Plus, it brings you articles on remarkable animal friendships, President Garfield's visit to London, notes on Victorian law, a look at British vs. American homes, some amazing figure-heads, the fate of the Bounty mutineers, and more.  Add it to your Victorian library today!

Find out more at https://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/VTQ/VTQ21.shtml

A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS TREASURY
 
Celebrate the Holidays in True Victorian Style with our Victorian Christmas Treasuries 1 & 2!

We love Christmas - and we love Victorian Christmas. So we've pulled together a host of never-before-anthologized Victorian articles on every aspect of the holidays.  In A Victorian Christmas Treasury you'll find tips on how to decorate your home Victorian-style, how to set up a Christmas tree, and how to make delightful gifts for family and friends.  You'll explore how Christmas was celebrated throughout history - and how it was still being celebrated throughout the 19th-century world.  You'll be tempted by a host of delicious holiday recipes, from full-scale holiday dinners to entertain a host of family and friends, to a remarkable selection of recipes for plum puddings and other delectable desserts.  Finally, enjoy some delightful Victorian Christmas fiction, poetry, and of course a marvelous collection of Victorian images of their favorite holiday.  And don't miss our second Victorian Christmas Treasury (aptly titled A Victorian Christmas Treasury II).  Every page of this beautiful volume is a holiday treat, with an amazing collection of holiday articles and artwork never before anthologized.  Our new treasury takes you on a guided tour of Victorian holiday celebrations, from the poverty of the New York tenements to the children's costume balls in the British country home, from the blizzards of the American prairie to the blistering sun of the Australian colony.  Enjoy the Victorians' own visions of Christmas with holiday artwork by the top artists of the day (including some of Louis Wain's famous Christmas cats).  And of course, you'll find even more tips on decorating your home Victorian-style, tips on entertaining, and lots of mouthwatering recipes for Victorian holiday treats and suppers.  To find out more, please visit https://www.victorianvoices.net/bookstore/Christmas.shtml

Victorian Bookmarks to Color

If you love to color, but are tired of your works of art ending up stored in a drawer, why not color a collection of bookmarks?  Bookmarks give your coloring a purpose - and you can enjoy the results of your artwork every single day.  They also make fantastic personal gifts - and this book itself makes the perfect holiday gift for the colorist on your Christmas list!

This collection brings you 125 Victorian-themed bookmarks, including Victorian decorative motifs from books and magazines, floral designs, holiday bookmarks, and an extensive collection of stained glass designs, including a selection of French mosaic glass patterns from the 17th and 18th century. 

You'll also find some helpful tips on ways to protect and embellish your bookmarks so that they will last literally for years to come.  Bookmarks are the perfect "quick fix" coloring project, and this unique collection will keep you busy for weeks!

Find out more (and preview the complete collection) at https://www.victorianvoices.net/bookstore/coloring.shtml

Have a Joyful Thanksgiving!

Your Intrepid Editor,
Moira Allen

editors@writing-world.com