Victorian Christmas Market at Kelham Island Museum 🎩🎄

Two days of festive volunteering — from Christmas Crafts to my first Talking Tables session.

My first festive event with Sheffield Museums was the two-day Victorian Christmas Market at Kelham Island Museum last weekend, and it was such a joyful experience to be part of. With over 7,500 visitors across both days, the whole site felt alive — bustling, atmospheric, and full of festive energy.

🎩 Victorian Dress Code: A Nod to the Era’s Taxidermy Obsession

One of my favourite parts of the Victorian Christmas Market was embracing the suggested Victorian-themed dress code — and naturally, I leaned straight into the era’s fascination with natural history, taxidermy, and curious specimens.

On Saturday, I wore a striped shirt with a black waistcoat, finished with deer-antler collar pins, my mole-paw resin necklace, bone rings, and a spider-and-pearl brooch. The whole look felt like a subtle tribute to Victorian collectors, curiosity cabinets, and the strange-but-beautiful world of natural history.

On Sunday, I shifted the look slightly with a corseted outfit layered under a dark blazer, keeping the same jewellery and specimen-inspired accessories to keep the theme cohesive. It still had that Victorian naturalist feel — part cabinet-of-curiosities, part festive flair.

Across both days, my outfits sparked lovely conversations with staff and fellow volunteers about taxidermy traditions, materials, and Victorian collecting culture. It felt like the perfect blend of seasonal fun and my own developing specialism in natural history and museum interpretation.

Waistcoat Outfit for the Saturday

Corset Outfit for the Sunday

🎅 Saturday: Family Activities

On day one, I supported a range of children’s craft and visitor-engagement activities across the Victorian Christmas Market. My role included:

• Festive Children’s Crafts – helping children create Santa-themed tree decorations and paper snowflakes, and guiding those who wanted to make Christmas cards or write a Christmas wish to hang on the tree.

• The S’elf’ie Sleigh – an outdoor sleigh with two reindeer, where I welcomed visitors, took photos and kept everything flowing smoothly.

• Visitor Support – explaining each activity station, helping families navigate the museum, collecting donations, and offering general way-finding.

It was busy, creative, and genuinely uplifting. Seeing families get so involved in the crafts and festive fun made the whole day feel magical. This type of family engagement work also connects back to my first museum role at Erewash Museum when I started in 2019.

🖐️ Sunday: My First Festive Talking Tables Session

Day two was just as memorable. I co-ran a festive Talking Tables session — my first ever — alongside another volunteer, and I was able to take the lead at several points throughout the session. We shared a selection of seasonal and Victorian-inspired handling objects, including a spinning top, a doll, a kaleidoscope, and a cup-and-ball toy.

Visitors of all ages joined in, but it was the adults and older teens who were especially captivated — the spinning top and cup-and-ball were clear favourites. It was wonderful to watch people reconnect with simple play, share memories, and laugh together while exploring these familiar-but-historic objects.

The session blended object handling, informal interpretation, and community connection in such a warm, lively way. Delivering my first Talking Tables workshop during a festive event felt like a milestone in my volunteering journey, and it’s made me even more excited to keep developing this part of my practice next year.

This weekend blended everything I care about: people, objects, stories, and curiosity — and I’m excited to build on it all in 2026.

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