Christmas in Tudor England wasn’t only about feasting, pageantry, and celebration.
It was also a season of obligation, a time when charity and almsgiving were seen as essential acts of faith.

In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, I explore how medieval and Tudor people understood Christmas charity: not as a sentimental gesture, but as a moral and religious duty rooted in scripture, custom, and community.

We’ll explore:
- Why charity was preached so strongly at Christmas
- How St Thomas’s Day set the tone for a charitable festive season
- What great households were expected to give
- How royal and parish charity worked before and after the Reformation

For the Tudors, to give at Christmas was to prepare the soul for Christ’s birth, and to refuse was seen as a failure o ...