When you think of England at Christmastime, what pops into your head?
Ancient carols sung by a choir? Figgy pudding? Surely Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the characters from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol appear there somewhere, too.
That's why all across England, live actors are stepping into period dress, grand historic houses are decking their halls with traditional garb and streets are coming alive with old-fashioned parades.
If you're looking for a taste of what England was like at Christmas during the Dickensian period, here are a few of the best experiences to soak up in the U.K. during this festive period:
Grassington Festival
The village of Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales draws huge crowds over the first two weekends in December when its shopkeepers and locals dress up in Victorian clothing and the streets are lined with Christmas market stalls.
There are brass bands, carol singing, lantern processions and live performances of Dickensian stories. Look out for the chestnut sellers and shoe-shine boys who roam the streets as they would have done back in the days of old.
Dates: December 2nd - 3rd and December 9th - 10th 2017
Chatsworth House
Each year, the stunning historic house on the Chatsworth Estate (home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire) dresses up its grand rooms in a different festive theme. That means Charles Dickens novels this year, with each of the rooms representing one of his famous works.
Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival
Rochester may as well be called the "town of Dickens", as the locals here actually put together a Dickens-themed festival twice a year (over one weekend in both June and December).
Their Christmas Festival is one of the best places in the country to get yourself into the festive spirit.
The usual Christmas carols and candlelight parades are accentuated by colorful locals dressed as some of your favorite Dickens characters-Fagin, the Lamplighter and Miss Havisham's Ladies, to name just a few. There is also a Christmas Ball, pipe band and live readings.
Dates: December 2nd - 3rd, 2017
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