Advent Calendar: 25 December – Nativity
The Nativity of Christ from an illuminated manuscript book of hours produced in Rouen around 1470 (ms38938). The Book of Hours was a prayer book… Read More »Advent Calendar: 25 December – Nativity
Christmas
Advent Calendar: 24 December – Snap-dragons, a tale of Christmas eve
Front cover and illustrations from Juliana Horatia Ewing’s Snap-dragons: a tale of Christmas eve; and, Old Father Christmas (Chi PZ7.E85S63). ‘Snap Dragons’ was originally published… Read More »Advent Calendar: 24 December – Snap-dragons, a tale of Christmas eve
Advent Calendar: 23 December – Mistletoe
Engraved illustration of mistletoe from Elizabeth Blackwell’s A Curious Herbal, published in 1739 (sf QK99.B5 Volume 1). Mistletoe has long been associated with Christmas –… Read More »Advent Calendar: 23 December – Mistletoe
Advent Calendar: 22 December – The Ruhleben Camp magazine
Illustration ‘The Christmas Pudding’ from the The Ruhleben Camp magazine, Christmas Issue, 1916 (r DG3A15). Ruhleben Gefangenenlager (British Civilian Internment Camp) was established after the… Read More »Advent Calendar: 22 December – The Ruhleben Camp magazine
Advent Calendar: 21 December – Remembrance
Pamphlet called Remembrance produced for Christmas 1916 by Mrs Herkless, wife of Principal John Herkless, and the ladies of the University. They brought out a… Read More »Advent Calendar: 21 December – Remembrance
Advent Calendar: 20 December – Christmas Post
Photographs of postman Andrew Kirk delivering Christmas parcels and of the Christmas rush at the post office depot in St Andrews, December 1936 (GMC-EA-324 and… Read More »Advent Calendar: 20 December – Christmas Post
Advent Calendar: 19 December – Snow Queen
Illustration of the Snow Queen from Andrew Lang’s The Pink Fairy Book published in 1897 (Lan PZ8.L2P5). The original fairy tale of the Snow Queen… Read More »Advent Calendar: 19 December – Snow Queen
Advent Calendar: 18 December – University Hall Calendar
Final page from a hand-made Calendar from 1920. The students of University Hall, St Andrews, the first all-female residence in Scotland (1896), presented a series… Read More »Advent Calendar: 18 December – University Hall Calendar
Advent Calendar: 17 December – Gingerbread
Ginger bread Take 4 quarts of fine flower and a pound of sweet butter and half an ounce of ginger and as much pepper beatten and… Read More »Advent Calendar: 17 December – Gingerbread
Advent Calendar: 16 December – Christmas Party
A black and white photograph of a Christmas party, complete with Christmas tree and Father Christmas (GMC-4-5-3). The photograph is by George Cowie, a local… Read More »Advent Calendar: 16 December – Christmas Party
Advent Calendar: 15 December – WWI Christmas Cards
Christmas cards were very popular during the First World War, perhaps bringing a sense of normality during a time of year when family would be… Read More »Advent Calendar: 15 December – WWI Christmas Cards
Advent Calendar: 14 December – Long walk in the snow
Photograph of the ‘Long Walk, St Andrews’ in snow in 1913. This image is from the papers of the Botany Department of the University of… Read More »Advent Calendar: 14 December – Long walk in the snow