Old Christmas in Wassail Bowl 1842
An unkempt Old Christmas arising from the Wassail Bowl
The Illustrated London News began publication on May 14, 1842, as one of the world’s first illustrated news magazines, and immediately began a practice of using Father Christmas, decorated trees and other symbols of Christmas in its December issues. This illustration from December 24, 1842, shows an unkempt Old Christmas arising from the Wassail Bowl.