In the 1970s PBS's Masterpiece Theatre began broadcasting the British production of Upstairs, Downstairs, a story of life in the wealthy Bellamy household, both abovestairs with the Bellamys and belowstairs with the various servants. The series was phenominally popular and started a trend for any Victorian/Edwardian stories. Masterpiece Theatre obliged with other productions like The Duchess of Duke Street, and other stories such as Flambards and Edward the King were sold for sale in the states.
In the midst of the fad, a collection of seasonal observations, poetry, and pictures of birds, plants, and insects originally called "Nature Notes for 1906" was rediscovered. The author of the journal, Edith Holden, a British illustrator, was an instructor at the Solihull School for Girls and wrote "Nature Notes for 1906" as a model for the nature diaries she wanted her students to compile. Edith's "Nature Notes" were published in 1977 as The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.
The book was immediately popular—another volume called Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady was released—and began a craze for reproduction books. Many spinoff books were created from Edith's original, including a "cookery" book, diaries, journals, calendars, and other volumes.
One of these was The Country Diary Christmas Book. Editor Sarah Hollis took the Christmas and winter entries from Edith Holden's books, included Holden's beautiful watercolors of plants and animals, then mixed other artwork of the English countryside and poetry, essays, and humor of the era or theme, added craft projects, vintage recipes, and notes on period entertaining and housekeeping, and produced this beautiful, crammed little book. Every page has some lovely artwork, text talking about Edwardian Christmas and customs or something about life in rural England during the winter. You can dip into it at your leisure or curl up with a cup of your favorite hot drink and enjoy the whole.
Well worth finding and keeping.
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