2 Traditional Victorian English Christmas Games That Might Just Get You Maimed Or Killed

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etting 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 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap-dragon_(game)">darkened</a> 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 extinguish the most mini fire balls by placing them in their mouths and swallowing them.Spitting out any excessively hot or flaming bits of fruit was to a player’s detriment. It’s a near certainty that at the height of this game’s popularity, many people spent Christmas Day nursing burned lips and tongues.Another treacherous pastime that graced Victorian Christmas gatherings was Blind Man’s Bluff. A more violent version of the game of tag, Blind Man’s Bluff involved blindfolding one person, who would be spun around to disorient them. They would the

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n chase after hiding guests as quickly as they could to tag them, relying solely on their other senses.The thrill of the chase could be exceedingly dangerous, as watching the “blind man” dodge the furniture, stove and other obstacles in the room where the contest was raging brought both pain and mirth to the situation. Participants collided with furniture and other obstacles in the dimly lit rooms, which was especially exacerbated for the person wearing the blindfold. Those who were playing and were not blindfolded enhanced the humor of it all by calling out to the blindfolded; using their voices to try and lure them into situations where they might bump, trip and otherwise make a fool of themselves in the effort.Despite their rather stern reputation, the Victorians embraced party games that had an edge. Their Christmas gatherings could be marked by a unique blend of fun and danger due to activities like Snap Dragon and Blind Man’s Bluff. These games focused on family and community, but they could also really create serious injury. However, they were all done in the name of fun and togetherness — with potential wounds being a small price to pay for having a rollicking joyous holiday season.</article></body>

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 extinguish the most mini fire balls by placing them in their mouths and swallowing them.

Spitting out any excessively hot or flaming bits of fruit was to a player’s detriment. It’s a near certainty that at the height of this game’s popularity, many people spent Christmas Day nursing burned lips and tongues.

Another treacherous pastime that graced Victorian Christmas gatherings was Blind Man’s Bluff. A more violent version of the game of tag, Blind Man’s Bluff involved blindfolding one person, who would be spun around to disorient them. They would then chase after hiding guests as quickly as they could to tag them, relying solely on their other senses.

The thrill of the chase could be exceedingly dangerous, as watching the “blind man” dodge the furniture, stove and other obstacles in the room where the contest was raging brought both pain and mirth to the situation. Participants collided with furniture and other obstacles in the dimly lit rooms, which was especially exacerbated for the person wearing the blindfold. Those who were playing and were not blindfolded enhanced the humor of it all by calling out to the blindfolded; using their voices to try and lure them into situations where they might bump, trip and otherwise make a fool of themselves in the effort.

Despite their rather stern reputation, the Victorians embraced party games that had an edge. Their Christmas gatherings could be marked by a unique blend of fun and danger due to activities like Snap Dragon and Blind Man’s Bluff. These games focused on family and community, but they could also really create serious injury. However, they were all done in the name of fun and togetherness — with potential wounds being a small price to pay for having a rollicking joyous holiday season.