Thinking Domestically

"It is the aim of this volume to elevate both the honor and the remuneration of all the employments that sustain the many difficult and sacred duties of the family state, and thus to render each department of woman's true profession as much desired and respected as are the most honored professions of men." (Catherine Beecher & Harriet Beecher Stowe, The American Woman's Home. 1873 edition, p13).

Christmas is upon us and if there is one thing I do, without fail, during the holiday season it is that I turn absurdly domestic. Those that know me best know that I am happiest in the kitchen (when I'm not in a museum) and most at peace in the bucolic "country." But when the air turns crisp and the white puffs of snow gather on the evergreens, my affinity for cooking and roaring fires transforms this 4th Wave Feminist into a Victorian housewife. It's amazing how with a little holiday cheers I can so quickly sell my soul to the Cult of Domesticity.

As I was baking multiple batches of holiday cookies tonight, I started thinking about some of the interesting texts that have popped up while I've been researching my thesis. My work is grounded in the history of 19th century women, and to me the most captivating primary sources are the Lady's journals and advice books that flooded the market beginning mid-century.

Women like "Mrs. Beeton" and Catherine Beecher were the original Martha Stewarts, providing advice to freshly minted housewives in their lengthy publications on household management. Meanwhile, author Edith Wharton was writing "The Decoration of Houses" -- the woman's go-to guide of interior decoration -- and the Philadelphia-based Godey's Lady's Book was circulating coast to coast.

It's oddly appropriate that this nerdy art historian's thoughts wander back to the 19th century during the Christmas season (and let's put aside the fact that when I refer to "the 60s," I mean 1860). Christmas as we know it was essentially invented in the Victorian era. In 1843 Prince Philip imported the tradition of the Christmas tree to England, which then hopped the Atlantic. In the very same year, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol. The first Christmas card was printed mid-century while department stores were also a phenomenon of the 1800s.

Given my obsession with all things Victorian (from their neuroses to their corsets), I could go on and on. But there should be a point to these ramblings and it is this: sometimes, we take traditions for granted and in doing so, these traditions lose a bit of meaning and a bit of their freshness.

So a few words to close from Dickens' masterwork:
"it was always said of him, that he [Scrooge] knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!"