As our thoughts turn toward December 25th, you may wonder what went on at Christmas during the Confederacy. In this era of "plenty" we can't help but wonder how they "made do" in the war-racked South.
There is a six page article about Christmas in the Confederate White House on the web, taken from the New York World Magazine, Sunday, December 13, 1896, written by Mrs. Jefferson (Varina) Davis. The newspaper clippings are included among the Jefferson Davis papers at Rice University.
Among the many items they lacked were raisins for mince pie, which was a "must", so the housewives of Richmond saved other fruits to substitute. Brandy was $ 100.00 a bottle but this was somehow forthcoming. Suet was found and cider likewise...but the most important thing of all was the eggnog. Eggs and liquors simply had to be procured, without which the servants would have considered Christmas a total failure.
How did they do it without Wal-mart and Publix?
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