Carols were the ‘pop hits’ of earliest days of Christmas festivities – academic

Singing Christmas carols in the street dates back to the Victorian era (Alamy/PA) -

Some of the oldest Christmas carols were the pop songs of the Victorian age, an academic has said.

Many festive traditions, from the Christmas tree to carols including Silent Night, O Little Town Of Bethlehem and Good King Wenceslas, and even eating turkey and Christmas pudding, date back to the reign of Queen Victoria and were described by author Charles Dickens.