“History of Christmas” Analyze Structure
Summarize the text in 35 sentences:
“The History of Christmas” explains how many of the Christmas traditions that we celebrate today actually were started and became popular in Victorian England in the 19th century. Although it is hard to imagine the holiday without Christmas trees, holiday cards, and holiday feasts with friends and family gathered around, these traditions are actually fairly recent. Several traditions arose as a result of things that the royal family did at the time and other advances during the industrial era. Charles Dickens’ novel, A Christmas Carol, also helped to popularize and spread these traditions since they were captured in his book.
What is the author’s purpose?
The author’s purpose is to inform or explain to readers how Christmas traditions that we celebrate today became popular during the 19th century and are rooted in traditions and advances that occurred in Victorian England.
Reread the text; analyze the author’s organization by examining the way each paragraph is structured.
Paragraph Christmas Tradition Cause Effect Number 3 Christmas trees Queen Victoria married Prince After people saw the royal Albert, who introduced the family around the tree, everyone Christmas tree to the royal wanted one. The text says after family. A drawing of the royal the drawing was published, family sitting around a “every home in Britain had a decorated Christmas tree was tree bedecked with candles, shared in Illustrated London. sweets, fruit, homemade decorations, and small gifts.” 4 Christmas cards The first Christmas card was As a result of the drop in cost created by Henry Cole in 1843. due to technology and the cheap While cards were pricey, the postage rate, people began sentiment caught on and people sending Christmas cards in mass. made their own cards to share. In 1880, 11.5 million cards were However, as technology sent! advanced, color printing allowed the price to drop. The postage rate for sending cards was only a halfpenny.
Grade 7: A Christmas Carol
5 Christmas crackers A confectioner named Tom As a result, he invented the Smith was inspired by a trip to Christmas cracker, which is a Paris where he saw bon bons simple package filled with sugar almonds wrapped in sweets that snaps when ripped paper. apart.
6 Christmas decorations The use of evergreens trace back Decorations became more to medieval traditions, but style sophisticated, important, and and placement of decorations elegant during this time period. became more important after media publications like Cassell’s Family Magazine shared “strict directions” about decoration.
7 Exchanging gifts Christmas became a more Gift exchanges were moved important holiday to the people from the New Year, when they living in Victorian England. were traditionally given, to Christmas day. They also became bigger and more expensive, as opposed to traditional gifts that were typically “fruit, nuts, sweets, and small handmade trinkets.” 89 Christmas feast/ food Mince pies were traditionally These pies that became popular made with meat. Mixes without with the upper class resemble meat gained popularity with the the pies people eat today. more affluent society in the 19th century. Because turkey was economical and could feed a middle class While beef and goose were the family gathered for the holidays, traditional meets, the turkey it became the dominant dish. was the perfect size for a middle class family gathering.
10 Carols Victorians considered carols to Carols became revitalized, more be a delightful form of musical popular, and widely spread entertainment. They took old during the holidays. sayings and words and meshed them with new tunes to publish the first significant collections of carols.
Grade 7: A Christmas Carol
11 The family So many of the traditions that Christmas became a holiday that were established during the time is associated with family. People also spoke to the idea of family. began to celebrate the day and For example, decorating (and season more deliberately with enjoying decorations), eating a family. feast, and giving gifts all typically require being with loved ones.
How does the text’s organization and structure support the author’s purpose?
The author’s purpose is to inform or explain to readers how Christmas traditions that we celebrate today became popular during the 19th century and are rooted in traditions and advances that occurred in Victorian England. To do this, the author uses a cause and effect text structure to introduce popular Christmas traditions that people celebrate today, explain the cause of how they originated, and the effect it had on the way people celebrate the holiday. By presenting so many Christmas traditions that arose from the same time period and explaining their origins through a cause and effect structure, the author shows how our traditions began fairly recently considering that Christmas has been celebrated for much longer. In addition, the author’s final paragraph about Charles Dickens’ novel helps readers understand how these traditions were recorded and spread to the mass through A Christmas Carol.
Grade 7: A Christmas Carol