Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations of Comfort & Joy

I love the noble simplicity of the Victorian age. This book is an invitation to experience simple rituals in your daily life. I especialy enjoyed the beautiful art work and many pictures. This book takes the reader on a gilded journey through the entire year with wonderfull passages describing a myriad of traditions and daily rituals for living. If you cherish the victorian tradition then you simply must have this book. Buy it new or used, read it, experience it, and pen a review to spread the joy, this truly is home.

It is Thanksgiving Day as I write. I have used this book extensively over the past week as I write down the activities we will do as a family this holiday season. We are a family with young children (8, 6, 3, baby), so we are only now starting our family traditions. It is VERY important to me that the children have family memories to keep them reminded of their happy childhood. This book has been a wonderful keepsake. I have already started purchasing it for others, as it is beautifully written and breathtakingly beautiful. Do not hesitate to buy this book. It will enhance your library like few others. I am wishing for another book like this one, but have not found it yet.

This book is wonderful to have and explore for those women and families with children who love to take time to enjoy simple, natural treasures and to observe old-fashioned family traditions. It is a wonderful source to find out WHY we celebrate some holidays in the ways we do and to take a trip down memory lane as you rediscover some of the older traditions you might remember your grandmothers or aunts or great-aunts observing. I am definitely adding it to my home collection to use with my own family. The only negative note I might have is that the persona the author writes with has some strange sayings "Dear Reader" this and "Dear Reader" that. A little annoying, but definitely not worth NOT getting the book!

I have read every book that Susan Ban Breathnach has written and have loved them all. However, Mrs. Sharp's Traditions is a jewel in today's world. It truly focuses on family traditions and celebrations and helps those of us who juggle career, family and home. It is a shame that this book is no longer in print. It took me 3 months to get it at our local library. I highly encourage the publisher to re-print.