Category: customs and traditions
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What Really is a Spinster? Women’s History Month – Economic Opportunities for Women in Austen’s Time
The term “spinster” originated from women spinning yarn, often unmarried for economic reasons. By the 18th century, it became a legal label for unmarried women, developing negative connotations of failure. This article explores women’s historical professions, revealing how their independence and financial options challenged societal norms, paving the way for future generations.
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Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Do you enjoy shopping for shoes? Are they an essential part of your wardrobe? Do you have a pair to go with every outfit? Ladies in regency England liked shoes about as much as we do today, and upper class ladies like the ones in Jane Austen’s novels were no exception. Just like today, their…
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Birds of a Feather
When reading Austen novels and or fan fiction, I noticed there are many mentions of birds: gentlemen shooting birds or out with trained falcons, dining later on the foul, and later encountering a woman with ostentatious feathers in her headdress. These are details that make me go, “Hmm.” I learned these details are not simple…
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The silly view of expectation between classes and gender
The differences between the classes have many gray areas.
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Tough World for Jane Austen
In reflecting back on my first work of fiction on the life of Jane Austen, I knew I had my Jane Austen novel when I read a seemingly unrelated work: Richard Holmes’ The Age of Wonder. This history of scientific and industrial developments during the period spanning Austen’s life went far beyond “three or four…
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To be or not to be ruined
Hi everyone. Hope your holidays were filled with the four F’s… family, friends, food, and fun. My computer decided in the middle of the night that it wasn’t happy with me and purged all the work I had done yesterday. Hate when updates make everything worse. I have been watching a lot of period shows…
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Haud Hogmanay! Lang May Yer Lum Reek!
The celebration of the New Year is one of humanity’s oldest and most universal traditions, rooted in ancient customs and cultural practices. But everyone does it a little bit differently. Here’s a short overview of the unique and lovely Scottish new years tradition of Hogmanay.
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Have Yourself a Madeiran (Not-so-little) Christmas
Good morrow, dear readers. I hope everyone had a wonderful day with friends and family, no matter what day you might celebrate. As an American, another Christmas has passed for the Boardman clan. My dear granddaughter (and my only grandchild) has a fascination with Nativity scenes this year, reminding me of when I wish to…
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Decorating for the Holidays, Regency Style
As the season in which it is traditional to gather with family and friends continues, I cannot help but reflect on the similarities in decorations in the many countries where I have spent some or all of the season. From evergreen, faux, or real, to twinkling lights and windows decorated to look like a wrapped…
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Christmas Parlour Games in Jane Austen’s Day
There is no shortage for amusements available to us when it comes to Christmas nowadays. While Jane Austen’s contemporaries loved the holidays just as much as we do, their choice of entertainments was rather more circumscribed. One of such entertainments, especially suitable for a houseful of young people who wanted to have some fun, were…