Hey Peeps, did you know that well before Queen Victoria and her German husband Albert ascended the throne of England, America ‘s own Washington Irving had already popularized some of our best known Christmas traditions?
According to his biographer Andrew Burstein, Irving introduced the Dutch version of St Nickolas to the rest of America in the Knickerbocker’s History of New York published in 1809. This Sancta Claus flies over rooftops, but in a wagon not a sleigh. Ten years later, living abroad to save money, Irving published what would become his most enduring volume, The Sketch Book. The collection of stories included a fictionalized account of the festivities and merriment the author experienced in rural manor houses across Regency England during the Yuletide season. These tales not only delighted American readers, they so revived and popularized old Christmas traditions that within a decade New Yorkers were greeting each other with Christmas wishes. Stores on Broadway extended their hours to accommodate holiday shoppers. And the public was already debating whether the celebration was really a religious holiday or a secular one!
Tonight, the woozles and their friends pay tribute to some of the traditions Irving described in The Sketch Book. But before we travel back to the snowy streets of festive Old New York and Yuletides of a bygone age, we must pause with a brief message from the the Management with the Peeps rulz:
Do not “Troll” the Pootie Peeps Diaries. If you don’t like animal diaries, there’s no need to tell us about it. Just go find some other diary more to your liking. Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly. So, no pie fights please. If you would like a pic from the comment threads, please ask the poster. He/she may have a copyright to those pics. Many thanks! There are some pics we never post: 1) snakes and creepy crawlies (some folks have phobias). 2) Any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals, even in jest, are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated. If you’re not sure about an issue...please ask. Someone is always glad to help. Links to the Community Needs List or other fundraising diaries are always welcome here. Just links with a short explanation, please, and not the entire fundraising request, per the management.Each day PWB Peeps posts two open thread diaries for animal lovers: a daytime diary at 1:45 pm Eastern and a nightly open thread at 10 pm Eastern. We concoct silly stories, share photos, seek & give advice about pet health and behavior issues, support each other in times of sadness and stress, celebrate together when times are good, and on most days have an inordinate amount of fun.
You are welcome to join us! Be kind to one another, we’re all in this together.
Chestnuts are now on the fire and hot toddies are being prepared below the fold.