As many other admirers of the legendary RMS Titanic, I have my spells of daydreaming – what if she hadn’t sunk on her maiden voyage? What did a stroll down the promenade deck feel like? Or did ladies really wear those huge hats, each an eruption of ribbons, flowers, and feathers? And of course, for the season is upon us, what would Christmas have been like on board?
An Edwardian Christmas Tree
Introduced in Britain by Prince Albert in the 19th century, the tradition of decorating a tree gained true momentum in the early 1900s. Popular ornaments included garlands, crystals, ribbons, bows, and candles. On the Titanic, a large tree might have glittered near the Grand Staircase, in the reception room, or in the lounge, while smaller trees might have graced the Second-Class Dining Room and the Third-Class General Room.
But this would not have been enough for a record-breaking steamer, would it? Historic photos show that Edwardians loved flower compositions – especially holly, yew, and mistletoe – twined around columns, hanging from balustrades, or just sitting on top of fireplaces. In a 1921 article for The Cunarder, reporter Charles Welton described Christmas aboard a Titanic contemporary, the RMS Aquitania:
“With the coming of dawn, the saloon blossoms with bright holly and festoons of green. One wonders where the decorations could have come from…Below, the third-class passengers are early apprised that it will be a big day, with feasting, fun, and presents for the children.”
I have no doubt that the Grand Staircase and the Aft Grand Staircase on the Titanic would have been richly festooned with such festive vegetation.
Roast Goose and Christmas Pudding
The White Star Line was famous for lavish dining on board its ships, even in Second and Third class. A 1900 menu from the SS Afric reveals a spectacular Christmas dinner of oxtail soup, roast goose with apple sauce, rabbit pie, cold meats, and Christmas pudding. A Second-Class menu from the Olympic features similar festive dishes 20 years later, so the popular Edwardian combo of roast goose and Christmas pudding would not have been missing on the Titanic either.
On Christmas Day, First-Class travelers would have awoken to a breakfast of baked apples, fresh fruit, meat and egg dishes, scones, preserves, and oats, while Second and Third-Class passengers would have feasted on dishes like those in the original Titanic menus below.
(Source: Henry Aldridge & Son)
(Source: Henry Aldridge & Son)
Crackers, Caroling, and Cards
Christmas crackers, invented by Tom Smith in 1846, gained popularity around the turn of the 20th century. Colorful paper rolls, filled with small toys or sweets, would have decorated the dining tables on board the Titanic, waiting to be pulled apart by the diners at the right moment. The ship’s band would have played Christmas songs, encouraging the more spirited passengers to brave the cold out on the decks, singing carols. In the writing room, ladies would have been busy composing Christmas greetings to friends and loved ones, surrounded by children playing “Fly, Feather, Fly!”, a popular Christmas game in which a feather was dropped in the air and every player blew upward to keep it from falling to the ground.
Captain Santa
And now, the question that has been buzzing in everyone’s mind – would Captain Smith have turned into Santa Claus for the night? Well…as much as he would have rocked the red suit, probably not! He would, however, have held a Christmas service in the First-Class Dining Room, as the Titanic did not have a chapel.
Yes, a Christmas on the Titanic would have been a splendid affair, befitting the vessel and the spirit of the times. To quote Charles Welton again:
“I do not recall a Christmas spent at sea which carried with it even a fraction of an element of desolation. On the other hand, in my memory, there are bright days in which contentment and charity kept step to a round of enjoyment, in which it was my fortune to contribute a feeble share. Indeed, with the various gentle agencies employed to promote the finer feeling, one may venture to say that in its way, a Christmas spent afloat under the great starlit canopy of the heavens has no counterpart and no distinct superior.”
Merry Christmas form The Shipyard!
