Sarum U3A's December monthly meeting's speaker was Marion Emery who entertained us with an amusing and informative talk on A Victorian Christmas.

She started by talking about the pre-Christian myths, legends and celebrations round this time of the year and with the Victorian additions which have grown into the Christmas celebrations which we have today.

Our decorations are as they are following the old ideas that ivy stopped the milk curdling, holly cured rheumatism and gout, mistletoe promoted fertility and rosemary signified love and remembrance.

We were all surprised to be told that Christmas celebrations were outlawed by an Act of Parliament in 1652 promoted by Oliver Cromwell – churches were closed, shops were open, there was no cooking, no snowballs and no Christmas songs. Thank goodness Charles II changed all that!

Many of the Victorian innovations, mainly introduced from the continent, - such as Christmas trees and cards – we already knew about but we could see how much has changed from Victorian times with their plain wrapping paper, homemade gifts and paper chains, flaming candles on the tree, stockings with just an orange, a penny, a piece of coal and a small toy in them compared with what happens in this day and age. All in all a very enjoyable talk which we will think about when we hold our party on January 21.