Jane Austen is turning 250 — and her fans have been celebrating all year.
The beloved author of “Pride and Prejudice” was born on Dec. 16, 1775, and birthday celebrations have been taking place across both the U.K. and the U.S. for months. But there are still plenty more ways that fans will be honoring the day, from online parties to a beloved Austen film returning to theaters.
Whether you’re a diehard “Janeite” or just getting to know her stories for the first time, here are some ways for you to join in on the festivities.
Attend a virtual Jane Austen birthday party
Austen fans have been celebrating around the world — but especially in her own backyard.
The Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton, England, where Austen lived and worked during the last years of her life, has been hosting special events and festivals all year. But if you haven’t been able to make it across the pond to attend in person, don’t worry: The museum is hosting a virtual birthday party on Dec. 16.
The virtual event will include talks by special guests — including Deborah Moraggach, screenwriter of the 2005 film adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” and Rebecca Romney, a BYU grad, rare books dealer and author of “Jane Austen’s Bookshelf” — and live theater and musical performances.
Tickets are required and cost 10 pounds (about $13). The event can be watched live, but it also will be recorded and made available for ticket holders to watch later.
Or host a Jane Austen party of your own
Maybe you prefer to celebrate Austen in your own unique way. Here are some tips to get you started.
Jane Austen food recipes
What did Austen (and her characters) eat? The Jane Austen Society of North America has some authentic recipes that wouldn’t look out of place on the dining table at Pemberley.
You can also find plenty of cookbooks inspired by Austen, including “Tea with Jane Austen” by Pen Vogler and “Jane Austen’s Table” by Robert Tuesley Anderson.
Jane Austen dancing and music
It wouldn’t be an Austen celebration without dancing. If you’re not already an expert on Regency dances, the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, England, lays out the basics of what you need to know.
As for what sort of music Austen herself might have listened to, her taste appears to have been “eclectic,” according to The New York Times. Her family’s sheet music collection included pieces by Haydn, Domenico Corri and Ignaz Pleyel, as well as the French revolutionary song “La Marseillaise” and Irish and Scottish folk tunes, which she copied out herself by hand. So if you’re looking for some authentic background music, you have a wide variety to choose from.
Jane Austen costumes
If you want to fully immerse yourself, try out some Regency Era style.
For women, this could include bonnets, empire-waist dresses, gloves and even petticoats, while for men, tall boots, waistcoats and cravats could be the way to go.
The Jane Austen Centre — which hosts a festival in Bath each year where attendees dress up in period clothes and which currently holds the Guinness world record for the “largest gathering of people dressed in Regency costumes” — has some tips for making sure your clothes are as period appropriate as possible.
Watch a classic Jane Austen movie when it returns to theaters
There’s more than one Austen anniversary this year. The 1995 film version of “Sense and Sensibility” is celebrating 30 years — and it’s doing it in style by coming back to the big screen.
The star-studded, classic movie (featuring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman) will be back in theaters on Dec. 14, 16 and 17, just in time for Austen’s birthday.
If you prefer to watch from the comfort of your own home, here are some other popular Austen adaptations to try — and where you can stream them.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995)
The classic BBC miniseries — with Colin Firth’s iconic role as Mr. Darcy — also turned 30 this year, and it’s well worth the 5½ hour runtime.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Peacock, Hulu, Disney+ and BYUtv, or to rent or buy from Prime Video or Apple TV.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005)
Another adaptation beloved by fans, this movie version is known for its beautiful music and filmography — not to mention the chemistry between Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden as Elizabeth and Darcy.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Peacock, or to rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV.
‘Emma.’ (2020)
Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the title role — one of Austen’s prickliest characters — in this more modern take on the story.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Peacock or Hulu, or to rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV.
‘Persuasion’ (2022)
This adaptation starring Dakota Johnson wasn’t exactly a hit with critics (it has a 32% score on Rotten Tomatoes) but audiences were a little more kind to the fourth-wall-breaking film.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Netflix.
‘Sanditon’ (2019-2023)
Based on one of Austen’s unfinished novels, this three-season series imagines how the story of Charlotte Heywood might have ended.
Where to watch: Available to stream on PBS, or to rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV.
Learn more about Jane Austen, the person
Who was Jane Austen, really? Get to know the woman behind the classic novels with some of these books about her life.
“Jane Austen: A Life” (1997), by Claire Tomalin: In what’s considered a definitive biography of Austen, Tomalin not only looks at her life and work, but also branches out to discuss Austen’s family, friends and other influences on her life.
“A Memoir of Jane Austen” (1869), by James Edward Austen-Leigh: Written by Austen’s nephew, this is the first published account of her life and shares family memories of the novelist.
“Jane Austen at Home” (2017), by Lucy Worsley: This biography takes a different tack by looking at the various homes that Austen lived in throughout her life and how they shaped her.
“Jane Austen’s Bookshelf” (2025), by Rebecca Romney: Romney, a BYU grad and a rare books specialist on the History Channel show “Pawn Stars,” examines the women writers who came before Austen and how their works influenced her writing.
Read one (or all) of Jane Austen’s novels
Of course, the best way to celebrate Jane Austen is to dive in to her work. But where to start?
Austen wrote six books (though only four of them were published during her lifetime), and some are more popular with readers than others. She also left behind several unfinished works, which have now been published long after her death.
Here’s a refresher on her six published novels.
“Sense and Sensibility” (1811): Austen’s first published book, “Sense and Sensibility,” is a great place to start if you’re getting into her novels for the first time.
“Pride and Prejudice” (1813): It’s a truth universally acknowledged that “Pride and Prejudice” is the most popular of Austen’s books — and for good reason. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy’s love story continues to resonate with readers 200 years later.
“Mansfield Park” (1814): If you’re looking for a lesser-known novel, try “Mansfield Park” — like the novel’s protagonist, Fanny, it hasn’t drawn as much attention to itself, but there’s a lot going on underneath the surface.
“Emma” (1815): Austen herself said that Emma Woodhouse was a heroine that “no one but myself will much like,” but the book’s enduring popularity seems to have proven her wrong.
“Northanger Abbey” (1817): Widely considered Austen’s funniest novel, “Northanger Abbey” is also one of her lesser-known works. But as a satire of gothic novels, it has its share of laugh-out-loud moments to this day.
“Persuasion” (1817): It’s perhaps no surprise that “Persuasion” (her last finished novel, and, like “Northanger Abbey,” published after her death) is in many ways Austen’s most mature novel, dealing with love and loss, and regrets and second chances.