Dr. Angela Ranson - Author
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The Glitters and Gold Club
Tudor Tale of the Week
The Twelve Days of Christmas
This will be the last Tudor Tale of the year…the next one will be posted in early January.
The Twelve Days of Christmas, which lasted from Christmas Day to Epiphany on 6 January, was a time of fun for every layer of society. Wealthy families kept the wine and ale flowing in the great hall, and there was a feast nearly every day, which meant that everyone had a chance to fill their tummies (the photo above shows some of the Christmas pies they would have had). As many people as possible were given time off, and class divisions were blurred. This meant that people of all classes could play games and sport together.
I have to mention one of the scariest games they used to play: snapdragon. Coins, nuts and dried fruit were put in wine and set on fire. People then had to retrieve the ‘prizes’ without getting burned.
The book linked below has a good outline of what a Tudor Christmas was like, and offered a lot of information for my fourth Catrin Surovell novel, Grave Merriment, which I’m happy to say will be released on 13 March 2026.
Writers about Writing
“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!"
Charles Dickens
The Catrin Surovell Series
‘The Tudor world is researched and illuminated brightly within an intriguing plot with finely drawn characters. A joy to read.’
- David Stephen
This historical mystery series is set during the early years of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign (1560s). Lady Catrin is one of the queen’s ladies of the bedchamber, and she is very skilled at finding the truth in the midst of secrets and lies. This leads her into danger more times more often than she would like, but she remains determined to serve her queen and bring murderers to justice.
About Me
I am a Tudor historian, an loyal Canadian, and a lifelong anglophile. Click here for basic info about what it’s like for me to simultaneously live in two different centuries and two different countries.
Thoughts in Pink Socks
I have a pair of pink socks. They are are too loose, too short, and so fluffy I can't fit my feet into shoes when I wear them. Essentially, the only thing they do well is amuse me. I think of odd things when I wear these socks, and here I will share them with you.
© 2024 Angela Ranson - Author