The Stories Behind Great Traditions of Christmas

by Ace Collins

The fascinating stories and origins behind Christmas traditions such as the colors of red and green, the Christmas tree, caroling, nativity scenes, the Yule log, gift-giving, stockings, advent wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, History, Christian, Holiday, Christianity, Reference

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Citing his Arkansas heritage, Christy Award winner Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. In that capacity, Collins has authored more than eighty books for 25 different publishers that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a television special, been featured on every network morning TV show and does college basketball play-by-play. He is married to Kathy Collins, Chair of the Education Department at Ouachita Baptist University, and the couple has two grown sons. Collins lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this on the "holiday books" display at the library. It was interesting to read about how many of our Christmas traditions came to be. I did feel like he was reaching at times to find a Christian connection to every one. (The book is published by Zondervan.) Even traditions he acknowledged to be wholly secular still "help us feel happy and isn't that the point of Christmas?" (Or something like that.) A bit much at times but still interesting.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the four Advent books I read in 2023, this one was tied with The Carols of Christmas for my favorite. And yet, the two books could not have been more different. In this book, we are given the history behind some common tradition of Christmas. These histories are fairly in depth, and I found them fascinating, by and large. I’m not positive how well researched this book was, so there might be some historical fallacies inadvertently woven in. I hope not, because not only were these factoids incredibly interesting, they were memorable, and I can see myself sharing them with others. Collins also managed to include something of spiritual significance with ever topic addressed, which I appreciated. This book bridged the gap between devotional and straight nonfiction, and I liked that combination. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I own another of Collins’ books, Stories Behind the Traditions and Songs of Easter, and I’m very much looking forward to reading it.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always curious about why we do things and traditions that we hold, so I found this book really interesting. However, like the other reviewers, I wish the author had included resources. Would have made him more credible and I like to follow the trail sometimes.

[Amy Hobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Lots of facts (?) I didn't know. The only problem I had, the author didn't put any footnotes or bibliography on where he found the information. Otherwise it would have been 5 stars and a great Christmas gift to give.

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offered in alphabetical order, the author shares the background of several popular Christmas traditions.
The writing is flowing, and the vignettes are informative. I suspect a few of the facts as spurious, thus it would be good to have another source to verify.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've often wondered about the origins of many Christmas traditions. This book provides stories behind many of them. With each tradition, the author ends up saying it should be part of a Christian's holiday celebration, and he finds or assigns some religious significance or moral benefit to each. I really wonder where these stories came from. There's no bibleography, no list of resources, and few specific facts. If you're looking for stories of Christmas, you will find them in this little book, but if you're looking for reasons and facts, look elsewhere.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest problem with this book is that he uses no footnotes as to where he found the information; he could have just made it all up. Other than that, I thought it had some interesting ideas about where our Christmas traditions came from.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent explanations but unfortunately, no sources even mentioned. You have to take his statements on faith.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of Christmas traditions. No sources cited.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all books Christmas! While it might seem a tad early I start thinking about the holidays this time of year. This little book would make a fun gift. I enjoyed reading about advent, boxing day, and even mistletoe. While I wish there was documentation on where the information came from, it is still fun to see how traditions start. This book could create some great conversation with families, especially when kids starting asking why we do certain things during the holidays.


Four stars.



"I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for free. All opinions are my own."

[Constance Schropp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! The author's stories behind the traditions were so entertaining and informative. It brought back so many memories. I loved going into the woods with my Dad and picking a Christmas tree to decorate. My great Aunt who was so sweet would buy me (yes) a box of the Woolworth Christmas ornaments each year. My Grandfather found a broken angel decoration and glued it for me. I still put it on a shelf in my house each year. Of course, I remember helping my Mom prep Christmas cards each year. All those traditions and more are in this book. The book made me love Christmas traditions even more which I didn't think was possible.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about the history/traditions of Christmas. I now have a new perspective on several aspects of this amazing holiday. Lots of reviews on this book were bad because the author doesn't list his sources. I agree to a degree. However, much of what he writes about are legends with many different versions/sources. I would definitely like to add this book to my personal library to use as a reference.

[Prayerpilgrim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so often wish I could give ratings with half or quarter points because I would have given this at 3.5 or maybe even a 3.75. I thought this was generally a good and informative reference. I especially liked the introduction. And it was a quick and easy read. But somehow it lacked something for me. It was a notch above a term paper but a notch below something I’d find myself likely to recommend to others. It was okay, but not all that exciting.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical details shed light on the origin of modern Christmas traditions.

// Notes
Advent = the coming, four wks before Dec 25, countdown, to reflect on meaning of coming of Jesus

Boxing Day = boxes churches used to collect $ and give to the poor, meaning taken up by modern church collections / assistance to those in need

Candy Canes = instructive tool for church choir kids, reminder of shepherd / J=Jesus (turn candy cane upside down). Originally all white, eventually tri-color red/white (trinity)

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - sung by carolers (may have been poor) at rich people's houses, demanding treats/gifts, implied threat to loot the house if not received "we won't go until we got some"

Christmas Seals - fundraising for TB hospitals originally, but now carried on by ALA in USA - no stamp value but can put on any piece of mail as colorful seasonal stamp

Christmas Cards - English Publisher too busy to reply to mail from friends and family during holiday mail season, turned into a fad as spread to royalty

Christmas Trees - Scandinavian winters saw evergreens as strength and hope against winter/death, origin from pagan rituals

Christmas Colors - green, red, gold. Green = life = evergreens, in a time when the reason they did not die in winter was not known. Red = Holly yields red fruit in winter, also not known why, but used for wreaths in Roman times during Saturnalia winter solstice. Also St Nick drawings showed red, blood of Jesus. Gold = gift brough to Jesus, but also light, illumination

Christmas Decorations = Red apples, cookies, strings of popcorn, strings of paper chains. Glass ornaments, adding one per year.

The Night Before Christmas / Christmas Carol - remade Christmas as popular, Santa Claus

12 days of Christmas - starts Christmas, ends at Epiphany Jan 6, coded Catholic poem to spread religion when only Anglican church allowed in UK. period of attending religion, giving gifts. Partridge = Jesus. Two turtledoves = Old & New Testament. Three French Hens = Faith, Hope, and Love. Four Calling Birds = four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Five gold rings = Pentateuch, first 5 books Old Testament. Six Geese = 6 days of creation. Seven swans = 7 gifts of Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion. Eight maids = a low job to have in old days, represents poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted for righteousness sake'. Nine ladies dancing = fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, control. Ten Lords a leaping = 10 commandments. Eleven Pipers piping = disciples (minus Judas). 12 drummers = 12 points of doctrine in Apostle's Creed

Epiphany - religious holiday, when the wise men met Jesus and realized his meaning, Jan 6

Handel's Messiah - King of England so moved he stood during Hallelujah, leading to a tradition to do so now. Shifted from Easter to Christmas.

Poinsettia - Mexican plant, turns red around October, when Christianity introduced to Mexico, poor girl could not bring gift, brought poinsettia leaves, associated with Christmas, turn red in October signaling coming for Christmas Season

Holly - from Celtic druids who considered it supernatural power against evil (winter), representing Holly King of winter vs Oak King of Summer

Christmas Lights - electric bulb lights after candles, Edison VP had rotating Christmas tree with colors

Mistletoe - thrives in winter, at tops of trees, considered sacred, sign of peace, ward off evil, protector, berries considered restorative to life, in UK became symbol of love, couples walking under had to kiss to be blessed with everlasting love

Good King Wenceslas - about Duke of Borivoy, who gave food and clothing to poor on Christmas Eve

Santa Claus - St Nicholas = Sinterklaas (dutch) = Santa Claus, written about by New York Historical Society, Sinterklaas wearing knee-length trousers called Knickerbockers = New York Knicks. The Night Before Christmas poem invented Santa Claus, reindeer, sleigh

Christmas Stockings: in eastern europe poor only had one pair, hung by fireplace to dry every night. Three stockings filled by St Nicholas for three daughters' dowry. Filled with candy, money now, but traditionally, orange (gold), walnut (good luck), apple (good health)

Xmas = Xristos in Greek (Christ), X symbolized early Christian faith, X marked places of worship. X also looks like cross

Yule, Viking celebration of Winter Solstice, derived from Jul (Norse word for wheel, representing calendar/time turning). Huge log set on fire, drive away spirits, welcome back sun. Also burned large logs during Saturnalia. Eastern europe burned logs - end of darkness, coming of the light

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A POPULAR CHRISTIAN AUTHOR EXPLAINS THE ORIGINS OF MANY POPULAR TRADITIONS

Author Ace (Andrew) Collins wrote in the Introduction to this 2003 book, “for many Americans, a modern Christmas does not seem to hold the spirit, the charm, and the warmth of an old-fashioned holiday. Yet before we bemoan the demise of what we think Christas was like in the ‘old days,’ a time when it wasn’t the most commercialized holiday in America, we might want to reexamine what Christmas past really was… we might actually feel encouraged about the season we celebrate today when we consider what Christmas was REALLY like in the days of old… For centuries, Christmas was anything but a holy day. It was most often a sinful parade of excess, a day set aside for ignoring laws and even terrorizing citizens… the poor often stormed the houses of the elite in moblike fashion, pounding on doors and windows, demanding the finest food and drink. If the hosts did not respond, the guests broke into the homes and took what they wanted… How did the Christmas that Christians recognize today … deteriorate into such an orgy of irreverent excess? For one thing, history tells us that it took over three hundred years for the church to decide on a day on which to honor Christ’s birth. In the minds of millions who go to church now, December 25th is the actual day when Mary gave birth to Jesus. It is ironic that an ‘undeniable’ fact many Christians think they know about their faith has no factual basis at all.” (Pg. 9-11)

He notes, “In almost every English-speaking nation in the world, except the United States, Boxing Day is one of the Christmas holiday’s most honored traditions… The origin of Boxing Day probably goes back eight centuries, to the Middle Ages. In … churches throughout England, money boxes were placed near the buildings’ entrances… In memory of St. Stephen, church members were asked to place special offerings in the ‘alms’ box throughout the year to help the area’s needy families. The box was kept locked until the Feast of St. Stephen, when it was opened by the priest and the contents were distributed to the poorest of the poor.” (Pg. 37-38)

He recounts, “In early sixteenth-century Germany, Martin Luther embraced carols, thereby winning over many German Christians to the songs. Luther sang them with his children and encouraged his growing following to come together and sing them as a congregation. He found great joy in the music of the holiday season and believed the passion it brought to those who sang Christmas songs was to be embraced. Thanks in part to Luther’s acceptance of carols, the German carols of this period were better written and much more spiritual than most of those in other European countries.” (Pg. 49)

He reports, “the roots of bringing an evergreen into one’s home during the darkest days of Christmas can be traced back more than one thousand years. The evergreen tree, along with the Christ child and Santa Claus, has evolved into a central symbol of the world’s most celebrated holiday… Even a thousand years after the crucifixion of Christ, most of those living in … Scandinavia had not been reached by Christian missionaries… during the long and often brutal winter, when the sun disappeared for months and nights seemed to last forever, the deeply superstitious Vikings found hope and strength in the evergreen tree. The evergreen not only survived the harsh winter, it even seemed to thrive… In an effort to bring some of the magic of the evergreen tree into their lives, Vikings would chop down a fir and place it in their homes. Having a tree in the house was said to bring the gift of strength to live through the worst stretches of winter.” (Pg. 70-71)

He continues, “Legend has it that Martin Luther was walking home on a dark December evening when he was struck by the beauty of the starlight coming through the branches of the many fir trees in the woods… he felt moved to duplicate this effect on the tree he had placed in his home. He tied a candleholder onto one of the evergreen’s branches, put a candle in the wooden holder, and lit it… Not only was the preacher’s family impressed, so were his neighbors… and the tradition of a lighted tree was born.” (Pg. 73)

He notes, “During World War II, with men stationed halfway around the world … the post office declared that for troops to receive their Christmas presents on time, they would have to be mailed very early. ln response, stores put up holiday displays even before the beginning of December, and the monthlong Thanksgiving-to-Christmas selling season arrived.” (Pg. 101)

He points out, “Luke 2:7 states that when Jesus was born, Mary laid him in a manger. The family had been forced to stay in what was probably a barn because all the inns in the town of Bethlehem were full due to the influx of people reporting for the census ordered by …. Caesar Augustus… In Luke 2:16, it is clear that the shepherds traveled to the manger to see Jesus. Yet the Magi did not arrive in time to visit Jesus in his birthplace, nor, evidently, did they meet the shepherds. In Matthew 2:11… the wise men from the East were invited into the house where Mary and Joseph were staying… the biblical scribes do not identify the location of this house or describe it at all. To the Gospel authors, none of these details were important.” (Pg. 138-139)

He recounts, “Santa Claus’s roots can be traced back to St. Nicholas of Bari. The son of wealthy parents, Nicholas was born in the fourth century… Legend records that when his parents died, the young man took all the family’s money and distributed it to the needy in his hometown. He then … [became] a monk when he was only seventeen and. shortly thereafter, a priest… he was chosen to fill the position of archbishop of Myra while he was still in his early twenties… In the role of archbishop, Nicholas seemed to take on almost mythical heroic qualities… Because of his great wisdom and sensitivity, many groups throughout history have claimed Nicholas as their patron saint… The date of Nicholas’s death, December 6th… was one of great sadness for the people… But he was not forgotten. On every anniversary of his passing, his life was commemorated with an annual feast. On St. Nicholas’s Eve, youngsters would set out food for Nicholas and straw for his donkey. The next morning obedient children awoke to find their gifts replaced with sweets and toys…” (Pg. 159-162)

He clarifies, “Most people today believe that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 12th or 13th and run through Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But in fact, the first day of Christmas is December 25th, and the final day is January 5th. Thus, for hundreds of years the Christmas holidays didn’t begin until Christmas Eve and didn’t end until Epiphany.” (Pg. 179)

He explains, “Christians have lamented the commercialization of Christmas. Many have pointed to magazines, newspapers... that seem to pull Jesus out of the holidays by substituting an ‘X’ in place of the name Christ in the word Christmas. While it is usually true that those who use ‘Xmas’ these days are doing so to save space and shorten the word, Xmas is hardly a new concept---or an irreverent one. Its use actually dates back to the earliest days of the Christian church. Many of the Gentiles who became the initial followers of Christ were Greek. The Greek for Christ’s name is ‘Xristos’… a fish was often used as a symbol to denote … Christian gathering places … the letter ‘X’ (pronounced ‘chi’)… marked the places where they worshiped. Therefore, the use of the letter ‘X’ for Christ is one of the oldest traditions of the Christian faith.” (Pg. 184)

He concludes, “Born of a pagan misunderstanding of the meanings of winter and summer, the yule log was transformed into one of the first Christian family customs… the bright light that filled the fireplaces where yule logs burned always served as a vivid reminder of the light that came to earth when Christ was born. In the few places where the yule log still glows each year, the connection with the reason for celebrating the season somehow seems stronger too.” (Pg. 195)

This book will be of keen interest for Christians wanting to know more about Christmas traditions.

[Virginia Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Typically I struggle with not being Scrooge around this time of year. Usually I believe “the Christmas Spirit” is a bunch of nonsense and hype.

See, Scrooge.

But Jesus has been at work in me and this year, I want to be very intentional about the holidays. I want to revel in them like a child, I want to see them with new, child-like eyes.

So I’ve started listening to Christmas music, watching Christmas movies, and reading books about Christmas. I’ve mentioned here before that I am on a non-fiction book sabbatical. While the book I am reviewing today is a non-fiction book, it is not a “self-help” book, or even any book that would in any way really increase someone one’s intellect.

Ace Collins has written a wonderful book, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. I love this book! There was so much I didn’t know about how some traditions were started.

My favorite chapter was the last one and it was on Yule Logs. I had heard about them, but I was very clueless about why or how the whole thing was started.

It was originally started by the Vikings as a part of the solstice celebration. (However the act of burning a log at this time of year dates back to Cleopatra.) The tree was chopped down the year before, rubbed with spices, rum and wine while it dried out. Then on Christmas Eve they would light the log and and it would burn all through the 12 days of Christmas. It was thought to bring bad luck if the fire went out, and each year the lady of the house would save one piece of kindling for next year’s log.

I could tell you more about it, but then you’d have no reason to go out and get the book for yourself.

This book is just simply delightful. A quick, easy read you won’t want to put down. You’ll also find yourself regaling everyone with the stories. You will learn about how the tradition of making a Birthday cake for Jesus was started, the Yule Log, Handel’s Messiah (that’s another fascinating one!), movies of Christmas, Santa Claus, and many others.

This would be a great book to read aloud as a family in the days before Christmas. It is a book you will want to read again and again.

You can find this at your local bookstore, amazon.com, or order it from the publisher.

I received a free copy of this book from HarperCollins book review program, BookLook Bloggers for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review, other than the book.

[Aurelia Mast-glick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with informative stories and legends, many of the traditions that we blindly participate in at Christmas are unpacked and the real meanings unfolded in this pretty little hardcover book. It would make a fun little Christmas gift given early in the season so that many of the stories could be read before Christmas. Perhaps new traditions would be put in place as the real reasons are discovered.

I was surprised at some of the history that was revealed in this book. Some of it is the stuff of legends and a bit fantastical maybe, but a lot of it was very interesting and insightful. For instance, I learned what Boxing Day is. I had no idea, but it is a day for giving, stemming back metal boxes that were placed in churches on December 26th. These metal boxes were first brought to the British Isles by Roman soldiers who kept the money they earned from gambling in them. And somehow these boxes found their way into churches as a way to gather special offerings on the Feast of St. Stephen. And interestingly, most Americans, like me, know nothing about this tradition. That story was one of the theories about the origin of Boxing Day. There is at least one more theory that you will need to read the book to find out about or do your own research, I suppose.

Another very interesting discover to me was the origin of the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". This song was written by priests in the Catholic church as a code song. It was written during a time when Catholicism was outlawed with threat of persecution and so the priests wrote this "funny" song as a way of expressing their beliefs. "My true love" is Jesus with the partridge in the pear tree being symbolic of His death on the cross. The partridge was one bird who would die for her babies. That was so intriguing to me.

And the last little story I want to hint at is the where Xmas originated. Today, among some Christians, Xmas is bad, it's taking Christ out of Christmas, but really Xmas originated with the Christians. Go figure that out.

So this book was very interesting to me to hear about the many details of Christmas and how they originated and what they mean. I highly recommend it if you like to know the why behind things. Ace Collins has also written a a book called "Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas" as well as two other books containing the stories behind well-loved songs.

I received this book from Book Look Bloggers and was not required to write a positive review.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories Behind the Great
Traditions of Christmas
By Ace Collins

There are so many traditions involved with Christmas and all too often they are just done because it is the thing to do. But how often do we wonder about the reason behind these traditions and when they began?

In Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas Ace Collins shares with readers what he knows about a variety of the traditions. And the nostalgic yearning for Christmas of old - well it may not be how you imagine it was. Christmas was a celebration that would not bring a nostalgic remembrance before the nineteenth century - be sure to read the introduction and I think you'll agree it would have been a day to avoid.

The various aspects of what we have come to associate with Christmas are presented in 26 chapters starting with Advent and ending with Yule Logs. Some of these traditions have a spiritual aspect while others have just been accepted as part of the season because they draw friends and family together in a sharing of "the wonder, joy, and magic of the season. ... And that spirit is something worth celebrating."(pg. 148)

I enjoyed the history of the candy cane, mistletoe, and the X in Xmas (which has been in use since the sixteenth century). This is a book with much to offer in just over 200 pages and one that would be useful to have on hand whenever one has a question arise about any of these traditions. Did you know that The Nutcracker was vastly different than the ballet that is performed every year? It went through several transformations before it became the beloved performance that it is today.

This is a book that you'll want to share with friends and family - I know I did as I read through it which may have slowed down my reading as I went back to different sections that caught my attention. This book would also lend itself well to family reading time with all hearing it together and then discussing what was read. But however, you choose to read and share you'll enjoy and value the knowledge you will have gained.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through BookLook with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

[Ruth Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I finally got my Masters' Degree (M. Div) after all those years in college and seminary, I vowed I would never pick up a non fiction book that had end notes or foot notes! However, now whenever I encounter a reference book that does not include where and how to find more information on the subject (i.e. books that don't include end notes or foot notes), I feel cheated! And that's how I felt throughout most this book. It contains lots and lots facts and new information that make me wonder where that information came from...who said it?...when and what were the surrounding circumstances of the event, etc? While each new fact or comment about any of the topics was very interesting (and many shed new ways of thinking about the subject), most left me wanting to further investigate the new information. And, without foot notes or end notes, the reader has no clue as to where to go to learn more about it.
I also felt that the author superimposed a lot of his/her view point on each tradition rather than letting the story speak for itself in its own context. I see a lot of 20th century, somewhat conservative American Christian theology overlaying the various traditions. Instead of letting the tradition speak for its self as it was understood within the culture in which it comes from, the author molds it into what 20th century American conservation Christianity understands it to represent.
Of course, just as every reader does, I interpret the new information about each tradition through my understanding of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany and come away with a different view of the book than will each new reader. So while my education, my profession, and my experiences of various traditions lead me to be disappointed in the presentation of the material, I did enjoy reading this book and it has lead me to reflect on my understanding of the many traditions of Christmas. I'm glad I took the time and effort to read it. I did learn many things about our traditions and has deepened my appreciation of traditions. It was a delightful and very appropriate book for me to finish my 2022 reading challenge!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book for review is “Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas” by Ace Collins. This book falls in the genres of religion, holidays, Christmas and history.

Have you ever wondered about the history of Christmas when it comes to the items and traditions that people across the world do? This book is divided into 26 chapters that covers a range of topics even some one might not have thought of. The range is diverse and one can learn from the information inside.

For example “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was used to educate people about parts of the bible hidden behind its lyrics. The background on how Handle came about creating “Messiah” is another gem you will find between the covers. How decorations and ornaments got their starts into the festivities of Christmas. The history for each item discussed is detailed well.

Each chapter dives into the history of how the tradition started off as and how it proceeded to become part of the yearly celebrations we still do today. You will read about candy canes, Christmas trees, lights, holly and even up to the movies that are shown during the holiday.

I really enjoyed this book. To learn about the background on items and traditions my family did while I was growing up to today with my own family was fascinating. The book is a quick read but it gives such a great introduction to it. Every time I thought I had found my favorite history I found another and yet another. This is a great book for families to read together and bond over.

I will need to find someone who will find this book a pleasure like I did.

I received this book for free from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review

[Kathleen Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I was expecting it to cover the Christian meanings behind the holiday traditions because its from a Christian publisher but the book was very honest and explained the pagan meanings behind the holidays and how they were transformed into Christian symbols. I think we can be honest about their beginnings and still think of them in Christian terms now. Some books or websites pretend they always had Christian meanings. I was very impressed by this.

I found the book fascinating and even read parts of it out loud to my 7 year old who also found it interesting. I had to explain parts of it to him of course because the book is designed for adults but the background of things we see every year is something we should know but don’t. I thought I knew a lot about the background of Christmas things but I was shocked to see how much I didn’t know.

The most shocking to me was the history behind the Twelve Days of Christmas song. I had no idea it was originally created with a Christian meaning to teach Christian concepts without being caught (when it was illegal to talk about Christianity.) When at the back of the book I saw an advertisement for another book by the same author: Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas I just knew I had to get it and I’ll be buying it soon so I have it for next year.

Every chapter was captivating, and that’s rare. I consider it a must read for the Christmas season.

[Oak · Rating 4 out of 5]

It always seems like Christmas starts earlier each year. Once Halloween is over – and sometimes before Halloween festivities have begun – stores are getting decked out in Christmas decorations, and Christmas music finds its way on the airwaves. There is an excitement about Christmas. It is a time when we celebrate Jesus’ birth, and we often celebrate Jesus’ birth through a series of various traditions. Maybe your family reads the story of Jesus’ birth, or sings Christmas carols, or wraps up gifts for those less fortunate.

There are many Christmas traditions, both Christian and commercial, that most people are familiar with, but they might not necessarily know the origins of. For example, most people are familiar with The Nutcracker, but not everyone knows how the story came to be. Ace Collins’ book Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas explores the backstory and historical significance of many common Christmas traditions. From advent, the angels, to Handel’s Messiah, readers learn about great traditions related to Christmas in great depth. Some of my favorite chapters delved into nativity scenes and Christmas pageants, classic Christmas movies, and the history of Santa Clause. The book is very informative, and it is a great book to pick up and learn from during the holiday season.

I received this book for review.

[Laura Lane]

Christmas of long ago. It's not always been commercial. It's not always been about Santa Claus. But, did you know that it's not always been about Jesus? Christmas used to be about wild parties and worshipping everything but Jesus. Until the nineteenth century. Someone with a "round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly" and someone who thought Christmas a humbug, or rather their authors, made a huge impact on how Christmas has been celebrated ever since.

I like to read Christmas books aloud to the children during December. They can count this one as history! Ace Collins tells stories of the origins of Advent, Boxing Day, candy canes, the colors of Christmas, holly, mistletoe, gifts, lights, stockings, poinsettias, Xmas, and fifteen other Christmas traditions. Some of the origins might just surprise you.




"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a book that eradicates Christ from the Christmas story by taking things "back to their pagan routes," then you will be sorely disappointed. This isn't Robert Langdon pointing out how Christianity's symbols aren't its own. Instead, I view this as a Robert Langdon counterargument.

This book does take you back to the source of 26 of the most widespread Christmas traditions. The author highlights pagan origins of some of these symbols and practices but doesn't stop there like Dee Brown. The author points out how, why, when, and where these symbols and practices became Christianized and Christmasized over the centuries into the traditions we know now. The author highlights how what we see as frivolous activities, traditions, and symbols in an over commercialized, cynical, and growing anti-Christian world were mainstays of faith back when they were started.

This book is well written and keeps you engaged while teaching you things along the way. The sad thing is that many will not be open to the lessons within its pages.

[Yvie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly updated from an older version, this book maintains its simplicity in celebrating the wonder of the season. It focuses on the traditions as being centered around Jesus and Christianity, and includes some well-known and not-so-known information. After describing each tradition, the author explains why they should be a part of any Christian's home at Christmastime (hint : each has religious significance). It was interesting to see that Christmas, as we celebrate it today, is a fairly new idea - developed primary in just the past couple of centuries. The English monarchy had quite a bit to do with making it a common practice to celebrate with these traditions, thus bringing them to the British colonial regions (including America). The popularity of these traditions was then perpetuated by marketing personnel, hoping to cash in on sentiment. There are a lot of fascinating stories - and histories - tucked in these pages...it's definitely worth reading once!

[Cindy Adair · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting historical facts.

I enjoy knowing why we do the things we do. This well researched book answers many of the questions I’ve always had about why we do certain things at Christmas. I liked learning about how certain traditions have evolved over time and what they either mean or represent. So much of what happens at Christmas came from religious rituals and beliefs and has lost much of its meaning in today’s society.

This book is written like separate essays for each symbol or tradition. While this makes it easy to read, there are some things that are repeated several times. I think my favorite chapter was about the twelve days of Christmas and how each “gift” was a code for something with deep spiritual meaning. I also enjoyed sharing what I learned with my husband.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

If you're looking for a Christmas book full of traditions, stories and information, this is the one to pick! I was very impressed with this wonderful book. First, it's a beautiful, hard-bound, book that's small enough to tuck into your bookcase among your other favorite Christmas books. And it's the perfect keepsake... with stories and information about everything Christmas... from advent to mistletoe to The Nutcracker Ballet...

This is a wonderful book to share with your children and grandchildren during the holiday season.

God Bless You!

and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


HINT:  This would also make a great, early Christmas gift for family and friends.

[Rebecca Terry Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is perfect blend of history and personal conviction. The author is clearly a Christian who loves his faith and tradition. I especially liked the chapters about the history of Santa Claus (Christmas was not a true Christian or child-appropriate holiday until Santa came on the scene in the mid-to-late 19th century), Mistletoe (a parasitic plant revered by many ancient cultures as magical), The Twelve Days of Christmas (the song was a code that taught catholic doctrine in 16th century England when practicing Catholicism was punishable by death), and X-Mas (X was used as a symbol of Christ among the early Greek Christians and marked the graves of martyrs).

I liked the author as a writer but the writing is informal and some of the language is redundant.

I checked this book from the library but I would definitely buy a copy to keep!

[Via Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review here: http://bit.ly/2DwxscH

First, I would love to have this book be part of my holiday giveaway eventually.
I * honestly * want to give this book 5 stars, but I am going to give it more like 4 or 4.5 because while it's packed full of cool Christmas information that you are bound to learn something new in, it also has a little bit of a biased given that it is written by a Christian author-- BUT don't that scare you because it is actually a cool book that a lot of people whether Christian or not, would enjoy.
Go to the review to find out more WHY I give it 4 out of 5 instead of 5!

Read the full review here: http://bit.ly/2DwxscH

Thanks!

[Alyssa Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

How fascinating! I wish the writing was more seamless throughout rather than a collection of individual essays but overall I found this to be really intriguing. It definitely piqued my curiosity on many facets of the Christmas celebrations that we have all come to know and love today. My favorite explorations included the Introduction, Advent, Birthday Cake for Jesus, Boxing Day, Christmas Seals, Christmas Trees, Epiphany, The Nutcracker Ballet, Santa Claus, Stockings, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Xmas, and Yule Logs. I'd love to bring back some of these widely forgotten (or otherwise unknown, at least in the United States) traditions in our family Christmas celebrations!