Christmas A Candid History PDF book seeks to provide a brief, candid history of Christmas, for general audiences, for people who wonder how the Christmas celebration got to be the way it is.
Christmas A Candid History PDF
This book seeks to provide a brief, candid history of Christmas, for general audiences, for people who wonder how the Christmas celebration got to be the way it is.
The word “candid” highlights one of my intentions. Many acquaintances have told me they want to hear the “real” story of Christmas, something more than sugar-coated or romanticized versions.
And when I hear explanations of certain Christmas traditions, I too think, is this just a great story that tugs at my heart strings, or is it also historical? How did it really happen? Do we even know?
To find some answers, it seems sensible to consult the good academic Christmas books available these days, books I really appreciate.
But many are long, or technical and full of jargon, and usually specialized. Several books focus on the American Christmas but say very little about earlier developments, and other books concentrate only on the first few centuries, or on Saint Nicholas, or on Christmas carols.
One friend told me he was interested in an overall story of how Christmas developed, but not a 400- page volume or, even worse, a list of ten books. As he remarked, “I’m curious, not obsessed.”
Christmas A Candid History book
Written for everyone who loves and is simultaneously driven crazy by the holiday season, Christmas: A Candid History provides an enlightening, entertaining perspective on how the annual Yuletide celebration got to be what it is today.
In a fascinating, concise tour through history, the book tells the story of Christmas―from its pre-Christian roots, through the birth of Jesus, to the holiday’s spread across Europe into the Americas and beyond, and to its mind-boggling transformation through modern consumerism.
Packed with intriguing stories, based on research into myriad sources, full of insights, the book explores the historical origins of traditions including Santa, the reindeer, gift giving, the Christmas tree, Christmas songs and movies, and more.
The book also offers some provocative ideas for reclaiming the joy and meaning of this beloved, yet often frustrating, season amid the pressures of our fast-paced consumer culture.
