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2 Traditional Victorian English Christmas Games That Might Just Get You Maimed Or Killed
Some holiday fun used to be downright dangerous
Christmas traditions abound across families, communities and countries. Everyone has favorite activities they like to do around the holidays every year. These can go back many generations, but there are also too many to count that have essentially died off as time has gone by. This includes two rousing games that used to be frequently played during the Christmas season in Victorian England that were seen as great fun, but could also be incredibly dangerous.
Victorian Christmases were all about gatherings. Not unlike the modern holiday, there was an emphasis on friends and families getting together to celebrate and catch up. With entertainment options a little more limited there were some interesting activities that were wildly popular.
One such game that defined Victorian Christmas fun was Snap Dragon. This bizarre and dangerous tradition (most often played on Christmas Eve) involved placing a plate of raisins or dried fruit soaked in alcohol on a table and setting it ablaze in an otherwise darkened room. The brave party goers would then attempt to snatch pieces from the burning concoction without injuring themselves. Winners were determined by who could successfully…
