Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 66

COUNTRY LIFE

traditional Victorian Christmas.
The Victorian Christmas dinner was
also very traditional with turkey, beef,
game pie, plum pudding – and a boar’s
head, elaborately decorated and sent
to the Queen by her brother-in-law
the Duke of Coburg from Germany.
A lot of food was consumed during
Christmas at Osborne. It was all
very much high fat content, perhaps
explaining why Victoria was nearly as
broad as she was tall!
According to records if you were in
the Queen’s company you had to be a
fast eater in those days, because once
she put down her knife and fork the
rest of the table had to do likewise.
Alas for some, they probably went
hungry as the Queen was known to be
quite a fast eater.
Preparations for Christmas at
Osborne House this year began in
November, with staff and volunteers
spending several days decorating
rooms and trees. All the decorations,
stored in a room at the top of the
house which used to form part of the
old convalescent home, were brought
out, while the Island’s flower clubs also
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helped with decorating.
There are subtle changes each year,
and since its introduction some
10 years ago Osborne’s peep into
Chistmas past has continued to
grow in size and popularity. Visitors
have been invited to participate in
wreath making, and Christmas cake
decorating takes place on December 9
with expert guidance and assistance.
Michael added: “About 10 trees have
been decorated, but because we have
to make everything last for a long
period over Christmas and New Year,
we have to use artificial trees and silk
flowers. But there was a tradition of
that in Victorian times, so it is not just
something we have introduced.
“There is a magic feeling at
Osborne at Christmas – you could
almost say the house is the home of
Christmas because Victoria and Albert
popularised so many traditions that
we have subsequently inherited, such
as decorated trees, Christmas crackers
and the Christmas dinner, along with a
cosy, family Christmas.”
Festive guided tours take place from
Wednesday to Sunday each week

from 10am to 4.0pm, with the last
tour starting at 2.30pm, with Father
Christmas and ‘Queen Victoria’ on
hand to meet visitors. They continue
until Osborne’s Victorian Christmas
officially ends on January 8. There
are discounts for English Heritage
members, but all winter events must
be pre-booked by calling 0870 333
1181.