Festive Food

DOWNTON ABBEY IS FULL OF CELEBRATION AND over the course of nearly two decades, we witness many significant life events—marriages, christenings, and balls—and also the yearly festivities for birthdays and, of course, Christmas and New Year’s. The modern Christmas was born in the late nineteenth century, when such obligatory elements as the Christmas tree, crackers (attractively decorated cardboard tubes filled with bonbons or other small prizes), Father Christmas, and the sending of cards were all either invented or popularized. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert did a lot to promote the idea of a family-focused celebration centered on a large dinner.