Course overview

ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ us to find out more about how people celebrated the ‘big day’ in the past. This course will explore the history of Christmas celebrations, focusing on three distinct periods: Medieval and Tudor Christmases, Victorian Christmases, and Christmas in the last 50 years. Learners will find out more about the cultural, social, and religious influences that have shaped Christmas traditions over the centuries. We will have a comprehensive look using documents, films and contemporary sources at how Christmas traditions have evolved over time, influenced by religious, cultural, social, and economic changes.

Course description

This course will review the origins of Christmas traditions in the Medieval and Tudor period, examine the role of the church in the festivities and look at the common practices over the 12 days of Christmas the games played and foods served. We will also look at the influence of the reformation on the celebration of Christmas. Was it really true that in the Commonwealth period celebration of Christmas was banned? Our study of Victorian Christmas will discover how many of our current traditional were introduced by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, such as the introduction of the Christmas Tree. We will also be examining how much industrialisation and ‘Victorian values’ shaped Christmas traditions. Lastly we will be looking at the celebration of Christmas over the last 50 years. What has been the impact of technology been, including television and popular culture? How have different family dynamics and structures influenced the celebration of Christmas? Does the decline in religious observance mean that Christmas is moving to a secular celebration? How might Christmas celebrations evolve in the future? ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ us to find out more.

What financial support is available?

We don't want anything to stand in your way when it comes to bringing Adult learning within reach so if you need anything to support you to achieve your goals then speak to one of our education experts during your enrolment journey. Most of our courses are government funded but if you don't qualify or need alternative financial help to access them then let us know.

What other support is available?

All of our digital content, teaching and learning activities and assessments are designed to be accessible so if you need any additional support you can discuss this with the education experts during your enrolment journey and we will do all we can to make sure you have optimal access.

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