Christmas: A Candid History

by Bruce David Forbes

Written for everyone who loves and is simultaneously driven crazy by the holiday season, 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. DID YOU KNOWFor three centuries Christians did not celebrate Christmas? Puritans in England and New England made Christmas observances illegal? St. Nicholas is an elf in the famous poem "The Night Before Christmas"? President Franklin Roosevelt changed the dateof Thanksgiving in order to lengthen the Christmas shopping season? Coca-Cola helped fashion Santa Claus's look in an advertising campaign?

Genres: History, Christmas, Nonfiction, Holiday, Religion, Christianity, Pop Culture

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Bruce David Forbes is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. Forbes holds a BA in religious studies from Morningside College, an MTh from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, and a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. His formal academic training is in the history of Christianity, but he has also developed a special interest in the analysis of popular culture.

Reviews

[Gabrielė Bužinskaitė · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is fun to ask people what exactly they’re celebrating on Christmas. Many of us, in fact, have no idea. We just celebrate it. It’s something with Jesus' birthday, family, gifts, shiny decorations, days off from work, and plenty of food. It’s just fun!

However, when we examine the history of Christmas, we cannot get a clear answer either. Winter festivals, similar to Christmas, are as old as the earth itself. It is something our ancestors did to endure harsh winter seasons long before Christianity came.

This book explains how a pagan tradition slowly turned into the most important holiday in the Western world. Fun fact: there is no evidence Jesus was born on December 25th.

I highly recommend it to anyone who is genuinely curious about fact-based Christmas history, transformation, and meaning. The book is easy to read, entertaining, and well researched. It enlightened me greatly; I learned too many things I had no idea of.

[Deborah Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully readable and succinct history of a most misunderstood holiday. The author is a Christian who understands that people have been throwing late-December parties for much more than two thousand years. As he puts it, "A midwinter carnival is a very understandable way for human beings to cope with winter, and yes, the widespread human impulse to party in the face of winter has influenced the development of Christmas." Early Christians, however, did *not* celebrate Christmas; and when they did, the holiday looked nothing like it does now.

None of this is news to admirers of Stephen Nissenbaum's outstanding "The Battle For Christmas," which Forbes respectfully cites. But Forbes manages to gather a great deal of information in his little book, much of which *was* new to me. I didn't know before I read this book that:

--Norman Rockwell's parents decided to send him to art school after seeing a drawing he did of Ebenezer Scrooge.

--One of the earliest legends told about Saint Nicholas insisted that as an infant, he refused to breast-feed on Wednesdays and Fridays, the traditional days of fasting.

--"Kris Kringle" is an American mutilation of the German word "Christkindel," which means "Christ-child."

--The author of the famous "Yes, Virginia" letter wasn't given a byline, so his identity wasn't revealed to the public until after his death.

--The founder of Hallmark was a woman, Joyce Hall.

This book isn't a collection of Christmas trivia, though. Forbes does an excellent job of mapping the evolution of the holiday. He also keeps a cheerfully level tone, though his affection for the holiday shines through. He urges tolerance toward those people who "really enjoy Christmas [but] are not especially interested in its religious aspects," and brings up an unusual example of the holiday's secular appeal: Christmas is *huge* in Japan.

"There never was a pure spiritual Christmas," Forbes points out in his last chapter, "Wrestling With Christmas":

"We human beings have a tendency to create golden ages of the past, when all was supposedly wonderful before complicating factors intruded and ruined everything. In most cases, the golden age is an idealized dream: the actual Christmas that early Christians experienced was both a boisterous seasonal party and a religiously meaningful observance. Both."

This book is an excellent resource for anyone who'd like to learn the real story behind Christmas. Forbes also offers some moving (but not mawkish) ideas for those who want the holiday to be more meaningful and less commercial. All this *and* an annotated biography, yet the book weighs in at under 200 pages. It's a perfect read for a busy month.

[Jason Laipply · Rating 2 out of 5]

Came in with high hopes as this topic of Christmas, and its evolution from a somewhat minor religious observation into the commercial juggernaut that we all know, interests me greatly.

But sadly, I could not get on board with book. The author’s writing is continually filled with repetitive and obvious statements, and original and interesting points are not plentiful. I was reminded of a college student who has to produce a lengthy research paper on a topic, and failing to do much research, stretches too little material out to fit the mandated length requirements.

If, like me, you are interested in this topic, I would suggest you search and find a better executed examination of the theme.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

About me: Calvinist, reformed, seminary student with Bachelors in theology, husband, and father of 2.

I lead with this, not to be obnoxious, but to provide like-minded help to anyone else who comes across this review.

With our oldest just now reaching the "knows what going on" stage, my wife and I have been asking questions about the holiday traditions we want as a family. Not wanting to take anything for granted, I set out to understand where many of the holiday traditions come from in an effort to communicate the deeper spiritual meaning behind them. I'll cut straight to the conclusion: there really isnt any.

While this may sound depressing, it's actually quite freeing. If your a Westerner, nearly everything you love about Christmas has no origin in orthodoxy and, compared to church history, is a rather recent invention if you consider the late 19th century recent. Stop trying to recover the deeper spiritual meaning in Christmas; it's not there. On it's best day, the deepest spiritual claim Christian's have ever had on Christmas was a plastic surgery on pagan winter traditions, efforts from which almost none of contemporary Christmas tradition comes. It's the latter half of the previous sentence that should resonate, not the first. The pagan roots are rather insignificant; it's the reality that the present day celebrations have almost no biblical or ecclesial referent that should liberate you from seeing your Advent devotions as synonymous or in anyway related to Christmas. For the majority of history, Christian's ignored or discouraged the holiday.

When you stop and ask what do most people celebrate this time of year, it is families, Traditional Values, winter time, and gift-giving. These aren't bad things. But naming them what they are, and then seeing that most Traditions have no spiritual roots, helped me to reach the freeing conclusion the Christmas is a winter festival celebrated by the culture God has placed me in. It's not my holiday, but theirs.

I am free to participate or abstain as I see fit. Remember, that for the Christian all days are holy. The reason I use the word freeing is because I usually spend this time of year very frustrated and angry as I watched the Incarnation of Christ be adulterated by commercialism and material hoarding. Now, I recognize that Christmas has always been a winter holiday and cultural festival, and while some Christians have tried to reclaim it or attach spiritual meaning to it (normally resulting in bad theology), I'm no longer mad. It's not my holiday. We may still use this time of year, if we want, to talk about the Advent of Christ but now my family can make a clear dividing line between what happens in Babylon and what happens in the little Outpost of Christ's Kingdom that is our home. Rather than seeing contemporary Christmas attitudes and customs as one of two ways to celebrate a sacred season, now my family can see that what we choose to meditate on while the world around us celebrates Christmas is entirely separate and detached from the clamor around us. No more confusing our kids, or trying to "protect their hearts" regarding "the true meaning of Christmas." The name it self is emblematic of the reality: renaming something doesnt change what it is and it just creates confusion for the spiritually committed when you attempt to syncretize.

Scholarship in this book has its highs and lows, with the highs being the areas I have no expertise in regarding history of Christmas celebration, and the lows being his atrocious handling of scripture.

[Jenn "JR" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic quick little read - great background, whetting my appetite for another book called the Battle for Christmas!

Actually makes me feel like celebrating a mid-winter return of sunlight instead of avoiding it altogether! I think I'm celebrating Sol Invictus this year!

Planning to re-read this one on vacation this week!

[Sarah Reichard · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have friends or family that say Jesus is the reason for the season, Please hand them this book. The author is a Christian and wrote this book due to the wrestling that he did between enjoying the holiday, keeping it religious, and being upset with the commercialization of the holiday.

Jesus' birthday was not even celebrated until the fourth century (more than 300 years after his birth). But there were other celebrations going on at this time of year and since the dawn time.

This book combines all the information out there about how Christmas got started. It's starts with before even Jesus was born and takes us up to current times. In 153 pages, it leaves you feeling informed but not necessarily throwing Christmas out the window.

I personally read this book for few reasons. 1. A friend recommended it and of course her rec did not disappoint. 2. I want to be informed about the progression of Santa for when that time comes to talk to the kids about it. 3. I too wrestle with disliking how commercialized the holiday has become and wishing it was more focused on religion. After reading this book, I am more at peace that this is a fun holiday time that all should celebrate however they see fit. As for me and my family, I feel more empowered to set the tone of how we celebrate this holiday.

[Kendall Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Christmas isn't really all about Jesus, than what is the meaning of all this?

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice short and straightforward history of Christmas containing surprisingly little nonsense considering it is written by a Christian.

It is very easy to read and whilst not particularly scholarly, I nonetheless learnt a thing or two despite the fact that I have read a lot of Christmas books before.

Not the best one (that's Stephen Nissenbaums 'The Battle for Christmas") but still a fantastic read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking for a book like this for years! Don't know how I missed this one for so long in my searching but I am glad I finally found it. While I knew much of this from various sources, it also enlightened me with a couple tidbits I did not know, but the key was that it delivered all the information I wanted together in one quick, easy read about the way modern Christmas came to be what it is today – the way various celebrations and traditions have morphed, coalesced, and often been intentionally molded throughout the centuries.

[justin vandertuin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, solid book. Author had some good points about the holiday. I do wish he would've gone into a bit more detail about things. If you looking for a quick, easy to ready history of everyone's favorite holiday, this one will do a decent job.

[Terzah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written and entertaining overview of the history of Christmas. The author is clear-eyed about the role of commercialism in the holiday, but (mostly, not always, he admits) he hasn't let it cloud his enjoyment of it. I especially liked the tips at the end for Christians and non-Christians alike on how to make it a more meaningful, less hectic time of year. Among them: remember people who truly need gifts; express love in more direct ways than gifts; examine holiday activities in light of your deepest values--and keep only the ones where there is a match; be a peacemaker in your circle of family and friends; and rededicate yourself to spiritual growth, however you define it. I would add that anyone can appreciate the natural and inward-focused beauty of this time of year: dark skies as a backdrop to frosty stars; fresh cold air; long sleeps; candlelight; and quiet firelit evenings.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really informative! Christmas never was what we think it was.
This book gives a very readable overview of the history of Christmas, from the pre-Christian to the biblical, on to the way traditions snowballed across Europe, the way St Nicholas morphed into Santa Claus, a history of the modern Christmas in America, and the commercialization of the holidays (which the author shows developed along with our modern Christmas). He talks briefly about ways we might "recapture" the joy of the season, although his book convinced me that there never was a "pure" Christmas, either religious or secular - it has always been a mishmash of cultural and commercial and religious influences. As a professor of religious studies he included a religious point of view, but it didn't bother me as an atheist because he didn't agree with the idea that society should put Christ back into Christmas - he puts the responsibility of the spiritual aspect onto individuals and their churches, and suggests that people who want a quiet spiritual holiday put their focus on the 12 days of Christmas (Dec 25-Jan 6) and let early December have the midwinter festival/commercial/cultural part of the holiday. I'm not a great lover of Christmas, but this book made me feel a lot better about the whole thing somehow.

[Jason Ray Carney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to the history of Christmas as celebrated in the United States and part of the Anglophone world. It begins with the holiday's non-Christian roots in Saturnalia and Yule. It proceeds to describe the Church bureaucracy and politics that determined December 25th to be the date of the birth of Christ. It then looks at how Christmas traditions emerged: presents, Christmas trees, St. Nicholas and Santa Claus, etc.. One interesting element was the story about how Charles Dickens reinvigorated Christmas in England with *The Christmas Carol.* The holiday had hitherto fallen out of favor due to Puritan politics. There is a chapter on the commercialization of Christmas with an emphasis on Christmas movies, music, and other commodities like lights, fake trees, cards, wrapping paper, etc.. Throughout the history there are thoughtful reflections about the secular and religious undertones of the holiday. The writer is an academic in a religious studies department and a Methodist; therefore, the thesis is quite subtle and pensive. Forbes argues. simply, that knowing more about Christmas will innoculate us--Christians and non-Christians alike--from naievely relating to the holiday, which often results in insensitiveness and unhelpful political/tribalistic posturing.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great history and insights in this book. It can definitely help calm your personal Christmas anxiety to know that it started back in Roman times and therefore predates its ties to the nativity story by 200 years.

Starting in late December, the Romans held the party of the year, called Saturnalia, to celebrate the harvest. It was a week-long time of merriment with no work but much drinking, feasting, decorating with greens and gifting of candles and wax fruit. Sound familiar?

The book further recognizes Christmas as a time to appreciate love, home, family and friends outside of the boundaries of personal religion. It analyzes the New Testament accounts (there are only 2 and there were know donkeys or royals) of Jesus birth. It points out the evolution of Santa from elf to Coke drinker. And the whole retail thing.

After reading, I came away with less guilt knowing our tradition of Christmas comes from more than the dichotomy of religion and commercialism.

[Danielle Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve every wondered about the origins of Christmas as a religious event and as a cultural phenomenon, this book is for you. It is a concise, easily digestible history of Christmas- from the pre-Christ origins of The holiday to the introduction of Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sociological study of Christmas, solid Krampus-related research

[Suzanne A · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of winter and solstice celebrations was fascinating, and helped me understand so many of the traditions of the Christmas season (which have little to do with the birth of Jesus).

[Dave Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is upfront at the start about what kind of book this is intended to be and why he wrote it. It's meant for the everyday person who does not have the time or ability to dive into long and complex histories, or who consistently struggles to find digestible, easy to read options that don't veer extremely specific.

Here Forbes does the homework for the reader and condenses it into a brief 150 pages of easy to follow narrative that sorts through the big picture and the whole thing of how Christmas came to be

What's not as upfront is who the primary audience for this book is. Which is not to say it's inaccessible to all. Its simply to say that, when taken as a whole, this is a book written by a Christian to Christian's offering both a necessary corrective and an insider's critique

On what? False assumptions about what Christmas is, and the danger of those false assumptions being used to weaponize christmas in a necessary fight to reclaim the tradition back from the secularized world.

There is nothing decidedly new here for anyone who is well read on the subject, and most of what he says will probably be points that even the most ardent Christmas apologists will have in the back of their heads somewhere.

And some of it, for those who are aware of the broader conversation, is simply stuff that remains in debate

Nevertheless, it's a fun romp through a history in which Christmas has been put through the ringer on it's way to its most dominant expression- American capitalism and its mascot santa claus. Poor old Christmas, emerging from perhaps what was meager and good spirited ambitions to solve those winter blues, gradually becoming the most economically vibrant engine of our age.

Of interest to Christians of course is learning how the spiritual roots of Christmas don't really exist on the level of the cultural celebration. A truism most expressive in the religious resistance of the holiday in its early formation. Perhaps later made even more ironic by attempts to reclaim the initial foundation (New Years Day) from the inevitable snowball that continued to wreak havoc on the much needed reprieve the most famous celebration afforded those dark, cold days.

Its also not exactly accurate for the anti-Christian apologists to be setting the roots of the holiday as a deconstruction of the Traditions validity. None of it can be reduced in that capacity, and all of it has equal merit in it's own historical development.

What this narrative did sort of emphasize for me, following the threads of the different histories of different Traditions related to christmas, is who the true enemy of the holiday is- in my own words, I'd point to the whole enlightenment project as the problem. If anything, what christmas has become, and the commercialization it so covets, is a mark and evidence of its inevitable end. Welcome to the free world where Christmas is the happiest time of year.

The other thing that I walked away from this thinking is, yes, there are problems, beginning with the commercialization and ending with the present day wars in which Christian's are sorely unaware of using the holiday to create outsiders and insiders. But it's also perfectly okay to enjoy the season as you are. If history shows anything it is that the holiday morphs and changes with context. There is room for the somber and dark period of epiphany to have a legitimate place in that history. There is room for the English need to reclaim positivity and homegrown comforts in an age where poverty was on the minds and prosperity there to value. There is room for feasts and gift giving and the lights and the music, regardless of whether these things are recent developments or old holdovers. There is room for the fun and the serious without having to feel apologetic. There is even room for Hallmark marathons.

If anything, it should be the grounds for the most inclusive holiday of the season, with its elongated period of intentional time off remaining a gift for all. And it should be able to bring in opportunities for the pages of history to inform perhaps how we continue to contextualize it, even in a necessary resistance to the negatives and the problems.

It's a well worn road, and one that is unified by this simple adage- celebration and unity.

[Pronomian Zoomer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “most happiest time of the year” - the month of December – is also the most self-righteous and irrational for many Americans. It is a time when Christians and atheists both continually try to one-up the other in their religious devotion to Christmas, even though the holiday was technically never solely meant for either of them. It is also the month when some not-so-merry believers start fights on social media by claiming that every aspect of Christmas is rooted in paganism. Amid all the cheer and chaos, religious studies professor Bruce David Forbes attempts to clear up matters in his informative book, Christmas: A Candid History.

Forbes doesn’t take long to get to his main point: nearly everything about Christmas is connected to either ancient pagan customs, 19th and 20th century companies trying to make a buck, or just cold ancient/medieval Europeans wanting an excuse to have a party. The unbiblical idea that Jesus was born on December 25th was literally made up three hundred years after His ascension to make Christianity look more appealing to unbelievers. The Christmas tree is only about five hundred years old, and its origin is unclear. All we really know about Saint Nicholas is where and when he lived; all the rest is legend. In short, “[w]e cannot claim that [Christmas] is ‘no longer’ controlled by Christians, because it never was” (p. 142).

As an ordained Methodist minister as well as a professor, Forbes struggles with how to celebrate Christmas with all these facts in mind. He starts the book with the sentence, “I love Christmas” (p. Ix), presumably to assure readers that he didn’t write Christmas: A Candid History to discourage them from observing the holiday. After stating historical facts about Christmas for 135 pages, Forbes spends the last chapter of his book giving options on how people can celebrate Christmas while simultaneously acknowledging its historical context. This section is unnecessary and merely seems to be the author trying to resolve an emotionally cultural issue with an intellectual individual solution. The rest of the book, however, is a definite must-read. With loads of facts delivered in simple language, Christmas: A Candid History is a fascinating look at the real origin of America’s favorite holiday.

[Min · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to subtitle this book, A Concise Christmas History. I enjoy reading about the history of Christmas, and its many, many traditions, from around the world. This book covers, very quickly, yet with precision, key points of the history, particularly, how it is celebrated in the United States, today.

First, the author explores the various Winter celebrations of the ancient world, then slips into the fourth century appearance of a festival for the Nativity, and how that date shifted, and eventually landed at the 25th of December. Next, the development of Santa Claus, from Saint to Gift-Giver, and how the Industrialization of the West lead directly into the prominence of gift-giving, that spawned its own marketing, advertising, and the "whole package" that we know of as Christmas from the movies, the music, the gift wrapping, decorations (inside, and outside of the home), and the cards, to name a few items we buy for the holiday.

His last chapter is unique in the books I have read about the holiday in that it covers how various groups of people wrestle with Christmas season; those that want a more quiet, religious celebration, and for those that are non-religious, or another faith that doesn't include their own Christmas so, how do those that do celebrate, keep in mind to be polite to them, and perhaps, include them in parties.

Lastly, he includes an annotated bibliography for those that want to read further. I especially enjoyed this part because I can always learn more about my favorite time of the year. The books range from religious, to secular, to cultural examinations of this celebration. Whichever realm one wants to study more deeply, there is a book for that.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t think I would like this book at first with the introduction of the author’s love/dislike for the holiday. My views on the holiday are vastly different. I love it and there is very little I don’t enjoy about it (aside for some people telling you how they think you should celebrate it). However, the author has a very balanced, well-researched take on the history of the holiday and I enjoyed his opinions in the ending chapter. The author is a professor of religious studies and he markets the book as a brief history of the Christmas holiday. I’ve read most of the books he references and he ends up summarizing. There isn’t much new here, aside for his personal take on current celebrations of the holiday, given his profession. I am glad he highlighted how Christmas was never a pure spiritual holiday and the differences of a spiritual versus a secular holiday. I know it’s a bigger secular holiday than anything with most people getting in on some aspect of it, but that isn’t a bad thing like some people like to say. One thing I didn’t know is that the vast majority of Japanese homes have a Christmas tree when less than 2% are Christian. Anyway, the book definitely has some interesting tidbits even for those that have read many Christmas history books and maybe it would change how you view or celebrate the holiday.

[Reid Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be completely honest: I love Christmas. That’s not really a controversial statement in America. So here’s where I am really honest: I love Christmas but almost for every secular reason imaginable. I am a church-going, Jesus believing American and I definitely celebrate the birth of Jesus during Christmas, but I really love the lights, sounds, music, smell, music, and gifts of Christmas. Watching Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is a lot more fun than lighting an Advent candle. Now, let me be clear, I revere these moments in the Church calendar. They are humbling reminders of my humanness. Unfortunately, my humanness also really loves Christmas chocolate.

Christmas: A Candid History reminds us that Christmas is not a celebration created by Christians. In fact, celebrations around the winter solstice have been around for centuries. Over the years, different cultures and religions have added their traditions. In fact, for a period of time Christians were opposed to all winter celebrations including Christ-oriented celebrations.

I found this book enjoyable, though there was nothing in it I didn’t really know already. It is an easy and compact.

[Richard Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas is different for everyone. For me, it's a season of watching an obscene amount of festive films, punishing my body with equally obscene amounts of food and beer, dinners and drinks with friends and family, and madly trying to catch up on the books and movies I missed that year. What I like about Forbes' book, a potted history of all things Christmas, is that it encompasses all of our various practices and beliefs. Tracing its early roots in winter festivals, continuing through to Christian influences, the development of Santa Claus and ultimately the version we practice today, Forbes never really contends that there was ever one Christmas to rule them all. Sure, many of his facts are things that pop up in regular December feeds, but it's a well-researched piece that serves as a starter for more Yule studies. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to polish off A Christmas Carol while queuing up some Muppets.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book that gives a wonderful overview of the history of Christmas over the years, various other celebrations that influenced it and how the date itself is likely to have been chosen. Forbes does a great job of giving a thorough history without becoming dry or running on for 500 pages. He briefly goes through each contributing factor and culture to the celebration of Christmas, notes areas still under debate or in which scholars are uncertain and provides books for additional reading on various topics in case the reader wants to go deeper. I found myself underlining a great deal of the chapters as new information and learned a lot without feeling like I was reading a textbook. Great read for anyone interested in the roots of Christmas and how it has evolved over the years!

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐. This was an enjoyable read. I learned a lot about the history of the holiday, which was my main goal. The author's preface about keeping the content broad was only partially successful. There were several instances where the book felt a bit lost in details, contrasting with the sections that provided brief overviews. I appreciate Forbes' point that the responsibility for a less consumerist and more 'sacred' Christmas lies with the individual practicing it, rather than blaming what perceive to be societal degradation. The notion of a previously 'pure' holiday, untouched by consumerism, is a myth. The season is just what you make it!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candid, as the title says, and thoughtfully researched. This book doesn’t become persuasive in any way. Forbes has chosen his words carefully, and I was surprised to read his research and not his opinions. Sections are brief, but I found this history interesting and eye-opening. This book is more than just the history of Christmas, though. It’s also about the festive and forgotten things involving various winter celebrations and traditions. Things that are familiar and nostalgic. Things that actually make me think about this time of year differently and want to change how I experience it.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

A benign two-star book until it gets to the final 40 pages and the author starts ranting about the commercialization of Christmas putting such atrocities as wrapping paper and mistletoe in his crosshairs. He tries to straddle two lines here but he clearly has an agenda. And he seemingly contradicts himself noting that through most of Christmas' evolution was devoid of any Christian influence or focus. In his next breath, he bemoans that Christmas lacks a focus on Christian theology.

If I'd known the author was a Methodist clergyman, I would not have read this book.

[Katherine Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book with both of my daughters. We read a few pages at a time, and I explain all the big words. It has been fascinating to hear their thoughts about all of the issues that Forbes raises. There were audible gasps from me and my daughters when we learned some of the ways Christianity appropriated other traditions. Nevertheless, Forbes manages to be respectful of all traditions and beliefs throughout the book. A worthy read.

[KK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview. Enough information to be detailed and thorough, but still a rather quick, simple read. Just what I was looking for to learn some basic history surrounding the roots of Christmas and its evolution over the years. I found it fascinating and took many notes and shared tidbits I learned with many people while I was reading it!

[George Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I good solid review and analysis of the winter holiday including Christians did not celebrate the birth of Christ for the first 300 years, how Christians co-opted the Roman and Yule winter celebrations, how it was suppressed by Christians until well into the 19th century and how it has morphed into a commercial and cultural celebration.