In 1848 an image of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children decorating their evergreen, caused a sensation and sparked a Christmas tree trend in Britain.

  

Many people began to bring trees into their homes and decorate them with homemade ornaments, sweet treats and naked candles tied with ribbons.  

  

The Victorians can be credited with inventing our modern Christmas.  In this episode, Clara Woolford, Curator at Cragside in Northumberland, takes us to the mid 1800s to discover how the “Cult of Christmas” and the centrepiece, the Christmas Tree, entered into millions of homes.   



Discover more

See the UK's tallest living Christmas tree, a 42m giant redwood at Cragside, Northumberland:

nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/christmas-at-cragside



Read about the history of the Christmas tree:

www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/history/queen-victoria-christmas-tree 



[Ad from our sponsor] This podcast episode is sponsored by family history website Findmypast. What was life like for domestic servants, workers and local communities at our most fascinating heritage sites? Discover how people from all walks of life lived and worked, and who with, in hundreds of census records, for free, by signing up with Findmypast. And find out about the free trial that you could use to explore your family history. See where the past takes you at: findmypast.co.uk/national-trust



The National Trust Podcast is changing

In spring 2025 we'll be changing the National Trust Podcast to bring you more immersive stories in Nature, History and Adventure. Stay on this stream for our new Nature Podcast The Wild World Of… and look out for our new History podcast Back When. Remember to subscribe or follow either show in your favourite podcast app to be the first to hear new stories when they arrive. 



Production:

Host and producer: Michelle Douglass

Sound Editor: Jesus Gomez