Oyster Soup and Plum Pudding
A Canadian Christmas
Page   1   2   3   4
Christmas, as we know it today, is a twentieth century innovation, brought about with the increase in manufactured goods, taking the "more is more" Victorian lifestyle, to a "more is way too much", modern theme.

The First Canadians did not celebrate Christmas until they embraced Christianity, and the early European pioneers had other priorities, but by the Victorian Era, most of us celebrated in some fashion.  However, it was more of a religious holiday, but with a lavish dinner, homemade decorations and the all-important Yule Log.
The ChristmasTree
The first decorations to find their way into Canadian homes, were garlands of forest greens, adorned with nuts, apples, cranberries and popped corn. The nuts and apples were traditonal European symbols, but cranberries and popcorn were added here because they were in such abundance.  Rather than preserve the cranberries to use in winter, they were simply left covered in snow and picked from beneath it when needed. 
The idea of the Christmas Tree originated in Germany, but was made popular in this country after Queen Victoria sung it's praises.  It began as a Cookie Tree and the Dutch would actually build wooden pyramids to display their Christmas cookies.  Before long, evergreen trees were being trimmed though the cookie tree is still looked on as a sign of hospitality.

In 1868, Godey's magazine published the following instructions: "We are glad to notice that every year the German custom of making Christmas-trees for children is becoming more common among us. Few things give greater delight to the little ones, or link happier recollections with the season and the home. Do not load its green boughs with sugar candies now 'made to sell'. You can adorn your Christmas-tree with the healthful gifts of  Nature -apples, pears, grapes, nuts, and other fruits that the little ones love. You can add lumps of real sugar, white and clear as crystal, if sweets are indispensable; and there are sugar candies honestly prepared from good sugar, and made beautiful without coloring. Pray do not allow your children to eat 'white earth':

The tree she described was a spruce seven feet high securely fixed to a moss-covered plank and ornamented with small wax candles of red,
yellow and white which were attached to branches by little rims of tin, "in such an order as not to endanger the boughs above them, and cause a general conflagration".  Small glass, gilted coloured balls were hung by strings and the lighter gifts were also suspended from the branches. The books and boxes were put around the base of the tree.  Gifts at the time were only given to the children, and the tree was for their delight. 

In my own home, growing up; the Christmas tree would not be put up until Christmas Eve, after all the young ones went to bed.  That way, the following morning, the sight of the decorated tree was as much a surprise to us as what was underneath.  It was only after we turned 13, that we could stay up and join in the trimming.  Later, after pressure from others, especially the older kids,  we adopted the custom of having the tree up about a week or so before Christmas, but it was never the same.   
Christmas Dinner
Goose or roast pork was usually the main course at Christmas dinner, but the turkey soon became a favourite, and in the days  before the holiday there were many shooting-matches. Pigeons were released from traps and whoever killed the most won a turkey. The feast was planned out and prepared for well in advance, and the food  naturally frozen.  Adventures in Canada by John C. Geike; describes a market in Toronto, typical of many during the period, just before the season: 

"The markets at Christmas were usually a greater attraction to many people than they used to be in England. If the weather chanced to be cold, you would see huge piles of frozen pigs standing on their four legs in front of the stalls, as if they had been killed when at a gallop; countless sheep hung over-head, with here and there one of their heads carefully gilded, to add splendour to the exhibition. Some deer were almost always noticed at some of the stalls, and it was not unusual to see the carcass of a bear contributing its part to the general show.  As to the oxen, they were too fat for my taste, though the butcher seemed proud of them in proportion to their obesity. The market was not confined to a special building, though there was one for that purpose.
Long ranges of farmers' wagons, ranged at each side of it, showed similar treasures of frozen pork and mutton, the animals standing entirely at the feet of their owners, who sat among them waiting for purchasers. Frozen geese, ducks, chickens and turkey abounded, and that household was very poor indeed which had not one or other to grace the festival".
Typical Christmas Bill of Fare
Oyster Soup
Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Stewed Onions
Scalloped Tomatoes
Boiled Winter Squash
Beef Omelet
Baked Brown Bread
Mince Pie
Coconut Tarts
Rhubarb Wine
The following are from Tried and True Recipes, published in Kingston, Ontario; about 1890; and are instructions on how to prepare the items above.
Oyster Soup
One quart of oysters, one pint of milk, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teacupful of hot water; pepper, salt. Strain the liquor from the oysters, add the water, and place over a hot fire in a granite kettle. When near the boil, add salt, then the oysters. Cook about five minutes from the time they begin to simmer, until they' 'ruffle." Stir in the butter, let come to a boil and pour into the tureen. Stir in the boiling milk, and send to the table.  All water can be used in place of milk if preferred.
Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing
Clean the turkey and lard the breast. Throw fifty large chestnuts into boiling water for a few minutes; then take them up, and rub off the thin, dark skin. Cover them with boiling water and simmer for an hour; take them up, and mash fine. Chop one pound of veal and half a pound of salt pork very fine. Add half of the chestnuts to this, and add, also, half a teaspoon­ful of pepper, two table-spoonfuls of salt, and one cupful of stock or water. Stuff the turkey with this. Truss and roast. Serve with a chestnut sauce. The remaining half of the chestnuts are for this sauce.
Stewed Onions
Boil onions, when quite done drain off all the water, add a teacupful of milk, piece of butter size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, a table-spoonful of flour stirred to a cream, let all boil for five minutes. Serve in a hot vegetable dish.
Scalloped Tomatoes
Butter the sides and bottom of a pudding dish; put a layer of bread crumbs in the bottom, on them put a layer of sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, some bits of butter and a very little white sugar. Then repeat a layer of each until full, having the top layer of tomatoes. Bake covered until well cooked through; remove the cover and brown quickly
Boiled Winter Squash
Pare it, take out the seeds, cut in pieces and stew it slowly till quite soft in a very little water; drain, squeeze and press it well, then mash it with a very little butter, pepper and salt. It takes longer to cook than summer squash and before you put into hot water should lie in cold water two hours.
Beef Omelet
Four pounds rounded beef, uncooked, chopped fine; six eggs beaten together, five crackers rolled fine, a little butter and suet, salt, pepper, and sage if you wish. Make two loaves, roll in
crackers. Bake about an hour, slice when cold.
Baked Brown Bread
Two cups buttermilk, two flat teaspoons soda, one teaspoon salt, one-half cup molasses, one cup flour, two cups graham flour, handful cornmeal; bake one and one half hours.
Mince Meat
One pound of lean beef cooked and chopped very fine; one pound of suet and one pound of sugar, two pounds of currants, two pounds of raisins; one pound of lemon and citron peel mixed; a little salt; seven pounds of chopped apples; two table­spoons mixed spice.
Coconut Tarts
Dissolve one-half pound of sugar in one-half pint of water, add one pound of grated cocoanut, boil, when cool add the yolks of three and the white of one egg. Mix, and pour into tart tins lined with crust; bake.
Rhubarb Wine
Cut stalks in pieces, put in kettle, cover with water, scald, stand a week, drain, add one pound of sugar to one quart of juice; stand a week, put a few raisins in keg.
Canadian Christmas Continued
Email Me
Special Days Home Page
Uniquely Canadian Site Map
Victorian Canada Home Page