Shop’s bold Christmas poster from 1850

In our fortnightly Picture This column, assistant curator Jan Summerfield looks back at some 19th Century Christmas advertising…You would be forgiven for assuming this bold Christmas poster from 1850 was advertising mince pies and turkeys for sale, but that’s not the case.W. Taylor, a printer and bookseller with a business in High Street, Lynn, took the opportunity to promote his books as gifts during the festive season.

He suggests ‘sundry useful and ornamental items’ such as ‘pocket books, illustrated annuals, diaries and conversation cards’ to ‘grace the tables at evening parties’.Taylor also reminds his public that ‘this is a Christian Festival’ and promotes his Bibles and prayer books.Many of the traditions we now follow at Christmas time – decorating a Christmas tree, sending cards and playing parlour games – were popularised by the Victorians who centred the festival around family and the home.