Welcome to the Paranormal Parlour.
Cecilia and Carly are back and ready to make the Yuletide gay! They visited their favourite Victorian Christmas destination, Dundurn Castle, in Hamilton, Ontario. They have gathered in the Parlour for Carly to tell us all about the history of this grand estate, the family that built it, and their connections to the British Royal Family, the railroads, and the War of 1812 (again). Then, Cecilia explores the origins of some Victorian Christmas traditions, mainly related to her two favourite subjects: plants and ghosts.
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Sources used:
Carly (Dundurn Castle):
Canadian Transport Source Book, Desjardins Canal Disaster
Hamilton.ca, Dundurn Castle National Historic Site
Hamilton Public Library, Local Ghosts
Parks Canada, Burlington Heights National Historic Site of Canada
Parks Canada, Dundurn Castle National Historic Site of Canada
Reddit, R/Hamilton
Wikipedia, Allan MacNab
Wikipedia, Dundurn Castle
Cecilia (Victorian Christmas Traditions)
Country Living, The History of the Christmas Tree Goes Back Farther Than You Might Realize
Edmonton Horticultural Society, Mistletoe: Magic, Myths, and Mysteries
English Heritage, A Short History of Christmas Greenery
English Heritage, Victorian Christmas Traditions
Farmer's Almanac, The Meaning and Folklore Behind Mistletoe
History Channel, How Ghost Stories Became a Christmas Tradition in Victorian England
Victoria & Albert Museum, Victorian Christmas Traditions