Celebrating a birthday
December isn’t just about decking halls and roasting chestnuts - it’s also the month we celebrate the birth of one of literature’s most cherished figures: Jane Austen.
Jane Austen's novels brim with razor-sharp dialogue, unforgettable characters, and romances that feel as real today as they did in Regency drawing rooms. From the fiery Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice to the quietly wise Anne Elliot of Persuasion, Austen’s heroines navigate the complexities of love and society with a grace that continues to inspire modern #regencyromanceauthors like me.
Regency Christmas gift-giving
As tis the season for stocking stuffers and Christmas presents, just how did people exchange gifts during Jane Austen’s time?
Regency Christmas traditions, though more modest than today’s extravagant festivities, were imbued with thoughtfulness and charm. Children usually received simple toys, oranges, or nuts (an early nod to healthy snacking, perhaps), while adults exchanged sentimental keepsakes. Books, of course, made popular gifts among the literarily inclined. One imagines Austen herself penning clever inscriptions in the volumes she gifted, possibly with a sly nod to her own biting wit.
Gifts were typically small, intimate tokens rather than lavish presents. Think hand-embroidered handkerchiefs, embroidered lavender bags, or perhaps a lovingly composed poem - because nothing says “I adore you” quite like a few heartfelt couplets, or a home made composition.
A
Want to know a secret?
In true Regency gift-giving tradition, I'm celebrating Austen’s legacy with a special treat for lovers of #Regencyromance. Every year on Jane Austen's Birthday, I rework an aspect of one of her classic Regency romance novels.
In true Austenland fashion, I've worked up an exclusive download to celebrate both Austen's birthday and the festive season.
Simply click here for your #freeread
My site #regencyromancereaders can enjoy a free addition to one of Austen's much-loved novels because this year, I'm releasing my epilogue to Northanger Abbey. (For those in the know - if you've ever want to know what happened to Eleanor Tilney, wonder no more. I got you!)
It's one of the only times I pen a sweet - and I only do it for exclusive reader offers. This one picks up from page 503 (which version? Mine of course - but don't worry, it's all completely free when you subscribe - but only for a limited time).
A Toast to Jane Austen
This December, let’s raise a cup of wassail to Austen’s enduring genius. Whether you’re rereading Sense and Sensibility, enjoying my free Leys Priory novella, or imagining yourself waltzing at a Regency Christmas ball, take a moment to celebrate the woman who gave us Henry Tilney and Mr Darcy, matchmaking misadventures, and immortal, universally acknowledged truths that mean readers never stop loving her stories.
“Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable,” Austen wrote in Emma. Yet I'd like to think she’d have made an exception for her own birthday celebrations and Christmas generosity - especially when those surprises came in the form of stories inspired by her own.
Comments