Strange Times offers a treasure trove of outlandish, funny, sometimes shocking stories from Victorian Era. Explore Victorian ideas, customs, holidays, clothing, architecture, art, women, men, businesses, leisure activities and more.
Esther Howland (1828-1904) was not the first person to make commercial Valentines in America. She wasn’t even the first to Read More>...
In Mary Cassatt’s time(1844-1926) , artwork created by females was largely considered inferior. Few women were allowed to attend important Read More>...
Queen Victoria banned Twelfth Night celebrations from British holidays. Fortunately she continued to let them eat King Cake (a.k.a. Twelfth Read More>...
According to legend, the Christmas Pickle was a time-honored German tradition that found its way to America in the Victorian Read More>...
The Naughty and Nice List wasn’t always as forgiving as it is today. In Victorian times and long before, the Read More>...
Nothing says Happy Holidays like a frog stabbing a fellow frog and escaping with what looks like a bag of Read More>...
Sarah Hale was one of Americas original tastemakers. As co-editor of the enormously successful Godeys Ladys Book, she was the Read More>...
On November 14, 1889, Nellie Bly set sail to beat the fictional record set by Jules Verne in his novel, Around Read More>...
By the Victorian Era, Halloween rituals had become gentler and sweeter. For some revelers, Halloween rivaled Valentine’s Day. Still, it Read More>...
Victorian Era Halloween festivities showcased the supernatural. For centuries, people viewed Halloween as a time when the veil between life Read More>...
Sea Bathing had long been praised as “the cure” for everything from general malaise to broken bones and deadly diseases. Read More>...
Victorian Era Pleasure Piers flourished along with the working class holiday starting in the 1840s. Seaside resorts were sprouting out of Read More>...
A look into Queen Victoria’s bathing machine and seaside retreat on the Isle of Wight might alter any dour image Read More>...
Parasols said it best in an era when people often had to communicate without words. Imagine life minus email, cell Read More>...
Queen Victoria had multiple mother issues. First, she had issues with her own mother. Later she had mother issues with each Read More>...