There are some who might say that I have a bit too much Christmas Cheer. With the holiday season officially upon us, I wanted to read up on the history of the holiday. How did the celebration of Christ's birth get to be what it is today?
Author Judith Flanders takes us on a journey back in time. From the first biblical references to the commercialized holiday we know today. We learn the history of gift giving, it was "originally designed to reinforce social hierarchy." And it wasn't until recent history that Christmas became a child-centered holiday. And even more shocking, it wasn't until the 1800's that Christmas fell to the women in the household to plan and execute Christmas. For centuries it was the men. We also learn the origins of Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, Christmas Carols, and more. And this might come as a shock, but very few of these customs have little to no relation to the birthday boy.
With the Christmas shopping season now upon us, I found it shocking that I did not know that Thanksgiving being declared the fourth Thursday of November was to ensure that there would be at least four weeks of shopping before Christmas. How did I not know this? Also, we all have that family member or friend that bemoans the Christmas comes too early each year and we should wait before Thanksgiving is over before starting Christmas. Well, it was common for Christmas Ads to be in newspapers as early as October. When I shared that information with my husband he was quick to point out that they had to advertise earlier than as it took weeks for those ads to travel across the country.
At the heart of the matter the author points out that there are customs all over the world pertaining to Christmas, but the traditions established in your family are the ones that matter the most to you. It is the history of you and your family. And people who long for Christmas pasts it is more about the people and the memories rather than the tradition.
Bottom line - Judith Flanders details the history of Christmas from the birth of Christ to Charles Dickens to the Grinch himself. While the book was a bit dry at times, ultimately it was a fascinating look at Christmas and how it became the billion dollar industry that it is today.
Details:
- Christmas - A Biography by Judith Flanders
- On Twitter
- Pages: 256
- Publisher: St. Martin's Press
- Publication Date: 10//24/2017
- Buy it Here
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