The 25 Strangest days of Christmas Day 3 - “Light It on Fire: The Explosive History of Christmas Pudding”

0:00 Speaker 1: Hello, dear listeners, and welcome back to the Strange History

0:03 Speaker 1: podcast and day three of our Victorian Christmas countdown the

0:07 Speaker 1: twenty five Strangest Days of Christmas. Today's lesson Victorian holiday

0:12 Speaker 1: decorps was stylish, charming, and actively combustible because they lit

0:17 Speaker 1: Christmas trees with real burning candles. No electricity, no led

0:22 Speaker 1: twinkle lights, just dozens of open flames clipped to dry

0:25 Speaker 1: pine branches indoors. What could go wrong? Quite a lot,

0:29 Speaker 1: as it turns out. In eighteen eighty six, the Times

0:32 Speaker 1: of London reported twenty eight Christmas Day house fires caused

0:36 Speaker 1: by tree candles. Fire brigades nicknamed the season the Festival

0:40 Speaker 1: of Rapid Combustion, yet families insisted the warm glow was

0:45 Speaker 1: worth the risk. This is the same country that thought

0:49 Speaker 1: taking photos with ghosts was normal, so consistent.

0:54 Speaker 2: Today's episode is brought to you by Victorian Fire Insurance Mutual,

0:58 Speaker 2: the only insurance company who's motto is we can't stop

1:01 Speaker 2: your house from burning down, but we can help you

1:03 Speaker 2: rebuild the smoldering remains. Sign up today and receive a

1:07 Speaker 2: porcelain angel that definitely judges your choices.

1:11 Speaker 1: Some traditions age beautifully, Some burn quickly. Tomorrow we explore

1:16 Speaker 1: the edible Christmas Tree, because nothing says holiday joy like

1:20 Speaker 1: toddlers climbing branches for gingerbread.