Bibliograph

A Christmas cornucopia, the hidden stories behind our Yuletide traditions, Mark Forsyth

Type

Label

A Christmas cornucopia, the hidden stories behind our Yuletide traditions, Mark Forsyth

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 155-163) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

A Christmas cornucopia

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

959853965

Responsibility statement

Mark Forsyth

Sub title

the hidden stories behind our Yuletide traditions

Summary

"The unpredictable origins and etymologies of our cracking Christmas customs. For something that happens every year of our lives, we really don't know much about Christmas. We don't know that the date we celebrate was chosen by a madman, or that Christmas, etymologically speaking, means 'Go away, Christ'. Nor do we know that Christmas was first celebrated in 243 AD on 28 March - and only moved to 25 December in 354 AD. We're oblivious to the fact that the advent calendar was actually invented by a Munich housewife to stop her children pestering her for a Christmas countdown. And we would never have guessed that the invention of crackers was merely a way of popularizing sweet wrappers. Luckily, like a gift from Santa himself, Mark Forsyth is here to unwrap this fundamentally funny gallimaufry of traditions and oddities, making it all finally make sense - in his wonderfully entertaining wordy way."

Table Of Contents

Preface -- 1. Why 25 December? -- 2. The Christmas tree -- 3. Advent -- 4. Christmas carols -- 5. Santa Claus: the biography -- 6. Christmas dinner -- 7. Boxing Day -- Epilogue -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Index

Classification