With all the crazy weather our country had this week, my kids had a great question. "Mom, how did people keep warm in in the past?" Me, not wanting to waste a teaching moment, took a little time to look up 18th and 19th century facts pertaining to cold weather. Here are some highlights of cold weather history that we learned:

Drapes weren't for decoration, people used them to keep out the cold. Every nook and cranny was covered in an effort to keep out unpleasant drafts. Do you have a four poster bed? Those were originally covered in drapes or blankets to help keep you warm while you slept.

Bed Warmers? During an especially cold night, a 19th century person would fill ceramic containers with hot coals and place them under the covers to help keep their bodies warm while they slept. If you think hot coals around drapes and blankets were a bad idea, you're right. Accidents often happened.

Women in the 18th and 19th century would place blankets over their shoulders like a cape to help keep themselves warm. Thus the shawl was born.

Night Caps were a thing. "With I in my night cap, and Mama in her kerchief..." We've all heard this phrase from the Night Before Christmas poem, but few understand the purpose of the night cap and kerchief. As you may have guessed, people wore caps to bed to keep their heads warm as they slept. Men wore pointed caps and women typically wore wraps and bonnets.

People wore a lot of layers. As you can imagine, a world without central heat and air was quite cold during the winter. Men would wear long john underwear and Women often wore multiple petticoats. If you didn't have the luxury of owning a lot of clothing, you made do. There were accounts of poorer women resorting to putting chicken feathers into their pantaloons.

We hope you enjoyed this little snapshot of history. Stay warm and safe. 😊❤️❄️