It is as predictable as the sunrise or sunset. Early on Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving, shoppers flock to the stores unleashing a month of consumerism unparalleled during any other time of year. Yet it was not always thus. How did Christmas become a consumer event, and what does that say about America today? Christmas Unwrapped, edited by Richard Horsley and James Tracy, offers a fascinating critique of the American Christmas from the perspectives of cultural studies, theology, and biblical studies. Their central argument is that Christmas—with its attendant mythology (Christmas carols, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street), icons (Santa Claus), and rituals (gift-giving, holiday concerts, Christmas shopping)—has become a new religion in America, the religion of consumer capitalism. Looking at Christmas from a wide range of perspectives, some of the essays examine the social history of the American Christmas and show the ways in which it differs from the European celebration. Others explore the holiday in celluloid by examining "classic" Christmas movies. Additional essays focus on the infancy narratives in the Gospels, comparing the clash of cultures between early Christianity and the Hellenistic world and reexamining the stories in their Roman/Jewish political-economic-religious context. As the contributors to this lucid and accessible critique of American culture demonstrate Jesus is definitely not the reason for the season. Contributors include: Kathleen M. Sands (University of Massachusetts Boston); Paula Cooey (Macalester College); Richard Horsley (University of Massachusetts Boston); Max A. Myers (St. Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo, New York); Arthur P. Simonds (University of Massachusetts Boston); and Elizabeth Fleck (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). Richard Horsley is Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and the Study of Religion at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the author of Bandits, Prophets, and Messiahs. James Tracy is Headmaster of Boston University Academy.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The last few years have shown a bumper crop of books about the history of Christmas in America, all chronicling how a holiday the Puritans banned became the consumer fest we know and love/hate today. This anthology adds little to stellar monographs by Karal Ann Marling, Leigh Eric Schmidt and Stephen Nissenbaum, but there are some worthwhile essays: Elizabeth Pleck contextualizes Kwanzaa and offers a useful, if unsurprising, discussion of Jewish responses to Christmas. Kathleen Sands relies too heavily on academic jargon ("hegemonic norms pervade... psychic and cultural space"), but readers who can bear with her will discover an original analysis of homosexuality and Christmas ritual. The rest of the book disappoints. The prose is consistently impenetrable; at least twice, co-editor Tracy calls Nissenbaum's book "germinal." Max Myers's tedious essay makes an obvious point: "Hollywood Helps Construct the American Christmas." Horsley's essays ("The Gospel of the Savior's Birth" and "Messiah, Magi, and Model Imperial King") are not without interest, but the book fails to cohere. Finally, the editors should have sought out a more varied cast of contributors. With so many scholars currently writing about Christmas, it's hard to understand why this book showcases two pieces by Myers and three by Horsley. Although its promising subtitle alludes to Niebuhr's classic ruminations on Christ and culture, this anthology, unfortunately, misses the mark.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
"Christmas Unwrapped suggests that the most popular holiday of the year is no longer, if it ever was, a religious holiday. It is, rather, a celebration of consumer capitalism as a religion. Examinations of the original event as narrated in the Christian gospels, Santa Claus as American icon, and the most loved Christmas movies, illuminate the Christmas we "buy into" as a cultural artifact with strong political and social effects. These essays, consistently insightful, often informative and amusing, and frequently frightening, effectively identify reasons for the widespread discomfort, criticism, and resistance to the practice of Christmas. This collection is not only a good read, but is also a must-read." —Margaret R. Miles, Dillenberger Professor of Historical Theology, The Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley (Miles, Margaret R. )
"The destructive pathology of consumerism is all about us and plain to see. Christmas, by our cultural standards, exposes that pathology and pushes it to its most visible distorting extremity. This fine book—with its historical perspective, acute social analysis, and keen sensitivity to the human crisis among us—is sure to illuminate the deathly choices so easily made among us—all in the name of caring religious celebration! Beyond illumination, the book invites sober alternatives, thus an important read." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary (Walter Brueggemann )
"'Christmas Unwrapped' goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back in Christmas' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. Horsley and Tracy use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." — Robert N. Bellah, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley (Robert N. Bellah )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith—in sum, a gift." — James Carroll, author of Constantine's Sword, April 2001 (James Carroll )
Editors Horsley and Tracy have compiled a thought-provoking volume of essays on "Consumerism, Christ and Culture" titled Christmas "Unwrapped." The book centers on the history and culture of the America celebration of Christmas, focusing on both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus, who is often perceived as an icon of grace. Many Christian—and even no-Christians—are upset with the commercialism of the holiday. "Christmas Unwrapped" takes the long view of this phenomenon, seeing now Christmas turned into such a consumer event. Movies, songs and overzealous merchants hanging their hopes on holiday sales have all contributed to the devolution of the holiday, the editors suggest Horsley and Tracy have made an attempt to move Americans away from the commercial paradigm of Christmas to the more significant values often veiled I American holiday tradition. Their work brings together contributors who delve into religious and biblical analysis as well as social and cultural history in the hope of making a change in the Christmas tradition in this country and around the world. Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from, and be challenged by, "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (spotlight review Christian Retailing )
Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from and be challenged by "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (spotlight blurb Christian Retailing )
"Seven Christian scholars have pooled an admirable set of essays on Christmas in America. They expose the sacred cows of what is essentially a romanticized and ritualized expression of consumer capitalism."—Ted Lewis, CBA Marketplace, December 2001 (Ted Lewis Cba Marketplace )
"A powererful collection of essays that throw fresh theological light on the consumerism that has stifled the liberating meaning of Christmas." Chicago Sun Times January 2nd 2002, Michael Eric Dyson, professor of religious studies at DePaul University and the author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for TuPac Shakur. (Michael Eric Dyson )
"This is a rich resource for those looking at alternatives to the annual Christmas orgy."—Gordon Houser, The Mennonite, December 11, 2001 (Gordon Houser, Mennonite, The )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith-in sum, a gift." (James Carroll )
"Christmas Unwrapped goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back into Christmas,' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. The contributors use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." (Robert N. Bellah )
"More than just 'putting christ back in Christmas,' this book provides a clarion call for an authentic church to understand its identity and witness in the midst of a pagan culture."—The Other Side, Nov. & Dec. 2002.
"Christmas Unwrapped suggests that the most popular holiday of the year is no longer, if it ever was, a religious holiday. It is, rather, a celebration of consumer capitalism as a religion. Examinations of the original event as narrated in the Christian gospels, Santa Claus as American icon, and the most loved Christmas movies, illuminate the Christmas we "buy into" as a cultural artifact with strong political and social effects. These essays, consistently insightful, often informative and amusing, and frequently frightening, effectively identify reasons for the widespread discomfort, criticism, and resistance to the practice of Christmas. This collection is not only a good read, but is also a must-read." —Margaret R. Miles, Dillenberger Professor of Historical Theology, The Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley (, )
"The destructive pathology of consumerism is all about us and plain to see. Christmas, by our cultural standards, exposes that pathology and pushes it to its most visible distorting extremity. This fine book—with its historical perspective, acute social analysis, and keen sensitivity to the human crisis among us—is sure to illuminate the deathly choices so easily made among us—all in the name of caring religious celebration! Beyond illumination, the book invites sober alternatives, thus an important read." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary (, )
"'Christmas Unwrapped' goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back in Christmas' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. Horsley and Tracy use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." — Robert N. Bellah, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley (, )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith—in sum, a gift." — James Carroll, author of Constantine's Sword, April 2001 (, )
Editors Horsley and Tracy have compiled a thought-provoking volume of essays on "Consumerism, Christ and Culture" titled Christmas "Unwrapped." The book centers on the history and culture of the America celebration of Christmas, focusing on both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus, who is often perceived as an icon of grace. Many Christian—and even no-Christians—are upset with the commercialism of the holiday. "Christmas Unwrapped" takes the long view of this phenomenon, seeing now Christmas turned into such a consumer event. Movies, songs and overzealous merchants hanging their hopes on holiday sales have all contributed to the devolution of the holiday, the editors suggest Horsley and Tracy have made an attempt to move Americans away from the commercial paradigm of Christmas to the more significant values often veiled I American holiday tradition. Their work brings together contributors who delve into religious and biblical analysis as well as social and cultural history in the hope of making a change in the Christmas tradition in this country and around the world. Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from, and be challenged by, "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (, Christian Retailing )
Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from and be challenged by "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (, Christian Retailing )
"Seven Christian scholars have pooled an admirable set of essays on Christmas in America. They expose the sacred cows of what is essentially a romanticized and ritualized expression of consumer capitalism."—Ted Lewis, CBA Marketplace, December 2001 (, Cba Marketplace )
"A powererful collection of essays that throw fresh theological light on the consumerism that has stifled the liberating meaning of Christmas." Chicago Sun Times January 2nd 2002, Michael Eric Dyson, professor of religious studies at DePaul University and the author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for TuPac Shakur. (, )
"This is a rich resource for those looking at alternatives to the annual Christmas orgy."—Gordon Houser, The Mennonite, December 11, 2001 (, Mennonite, The )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith-in sum, a gift." (, )
"Christmas Unwrapped goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back into Christmas,' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. The contributors use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." (, )
"More than just 'putting christ back in Christmas,' this book provides a clarion call for an authentic church to understand its identity and witness in the midst of a pagan culture."—The Other Side, Nov. & Dec. 2002.
"The destructive pathology of consumerism is all about us and plain to see. Christmas, by our cultural standards, exposes that pathology and pushes it to its most visible distorting extremity. This fine book—with its historical perspective, acute social analysis, and keen sensitivity to the human crisis among us—is sure to illuminate the deathly choices so easily made among us—all in the name of caring religious celebration! Beyond illumination, the book invites sober alternatives, thus an important read." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary (Walter Brueggemann )
"'Christmas Unwrapped' goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back in Christmas' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. Horsley and Tracy use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." — Robert N. Bellah, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley (Robert N. Bellah )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith—in sum, a gift." — James Carroll, author of Constantine's Sword, April 2001 (James Carroll )
Editors Horsley and Tracy have compiled a thought-provoking volume of essays on "Consumerism, Christ and Culture" titled Christmas "Unwrapped." The book centers on the history and culture of the America celebration of Christmas, focusing on both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus, who is often perceived as an icon of grace. Many Christian—and even no-Christians—are upset with the commercialism of the holiday. "Christmas Unwrapped" takes the long view of this phenomenon, seeing now Christmas turned into such a consumer event. Movies, songs and overzealous merchants hanging their hopes on holiday sales have all contributed to the devolution of the holiday, the editors suggest Horsley and Tracy have made an attempt to move Americans away from the commercial paradigm of Christmas to the more significant values often veiled I American holiday tradition. Their work brings together contributors who delve into religious and biblical analysis as well as social and cultural history in the hope of making a change in the Christmas tradition in this country and around the world. Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from, and be challenged by, "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (spotlight review Christian Retailing )
Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from and be challenged by "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (spotlight blurb Christian Retailing )
"Seven Christian scholars have pooled an admirable set of essays on Christmas in America. They expose the sacred cows of what is essentially a romanticized and ritualized expression of consumer capitalism."—Ted Lewis, CBA Marketplace, December 2001 (Ted Lewis Cba Marketplace )
"A powererful collection of essays that throw fresh theological light on the consumerism that has stifled the liberating meaning of Christmas." Chicago Sun Times January 2nd 2002, Michael Eric Dyson, professor of religious studies at DePaul University and the author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for TuPac Shakur. (Michael Eric Dyson )
"This is a rich resource for those looking at alternatives to the annual Christmas orgy."—Gordon Houser, The Mennonite, December 11, 2001 (Gordon Houser, Mennonite, The )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith-in sum, a gift." (James Carroll )
"Christmas Unwrapped goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back into Christmas,' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. The contributors use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." (Robert N. Bellah )
"More than just 'putting christ back in Christmas,' this book provides a clarion call for an authentic church to understand its identity and witness in the midst of a pagan culture."—The Other Side, Nov. & Dec. 2002.
"Christmas Unwrapped suggests that the most popular holiday of the year is no longer, if it ever was, a religious holiday. It is, rather, a celebration of consumer capitalism as a religion. Examinations of the original event as narrated in the Christian gospels, Santa Claus as American icon, and the most loved Christmas movies, illuminate the Christmas we "buy into" as a cultural artifact with strong political and social effects. These essays, consistently insightful, often informative and amusing, and frequently frightening, effectively identify reasons for the widespread discomfort, criticism, and resistance to the practice of Christmas. This collection is not only a good read, but is also a must-read." —Margaret R. Miles, Dillenberger Professor of Historical Theology, The Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley (, )
"The destructive pathology of consumerism is all about us and plain to see. Christmas, by our cultural standards, exposes that pathology and pushes it to its most visible distorting extremity. This fine book—with its historical perspective, acute social analysis, and keen sensitivity to the human crisis among us—is sure to illuminate the deathly choices so easily made among us—all in the name of caring religious celebration! Beyond illumination, the book invites sober alternatives, thus an important read." — Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary (, )
"'Christmas Unwrapped' goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back in Christmas' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. Horsley and Tracy use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." — Robert N. Bellah, Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley (, )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith—in sum, a gift." — James Carroll, author of Constantine's Sword, April 2001 (, )
Editors Horsley and Tracy have compiled a thought-provoking volume of essays on "Consumerism, Christ and Culture" titled Christmas "Unwrapped." The book centers on the history and culture of the America celebration of Christmas, focusing on both Jesus Christ and Santa Claus, who is often perceived as an icon of grace. Many Christian—and even no-Christians—are upset with the commercialism of the holiday. "Christmas Unwrapped" takes the long view of this phenomenon, seeing now Christmas turned into such a consumer event. Movies, songs and overzealous merchants hanging their hopes on holiday sales have all contributed to the devolution of the holiday, the editors suggest Horsley and Tracy have made an attempt to move Americans away from the commercial paradigm of Christmas to the more significant values often veiled I American holiday tradition. Their work brings together contributors who delve into religious and biblical analysis as well as social and cultural history in the hope of making a change in the Christmas tradition in this country and around the world. Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from, and be challenged by, "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (, Christian Retailing )
Any Christian who is concerned about reclaiming Christmas as a celebration of Christ's birth will learn much from and be challenged by "Christmas Unwrapped."—Christian Retailing (, Christian Retailing )
"Seven Christian scholars have pooled an admirable set of essays on Christmas in America. They expose the sacred cows of what is essentially a romanticized and ritualized expression of consumer capitalism."—Ted Lewis, CBA Marketplace, December 2001 (, Cba Marketplace )
"A powererful collection of essays that throw fresh theological light on the consumerism that has stifled the liberating meaning of Christmas." Chicago Sun Times January 2nd 2002, Michael Eric Dyson, professor of religious studies at DePaul University and the author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for TuPac Shakur. (, )
"This is a rich resource for those looking at alternatives to the annual Christmas orgy."—Gordon Houser, The Mennonite, December 11, 2001 (, Mennonite, The )
"Christmas Unwrapped is an illumination and a challenge, a book that can change culture and rescue faith-in sum, a gift." (, )
"Christmas Unwrapped goes far beyond the traditional call to 'put Christ back into Christmas,' by showing how Christmas has become the greatest bacchanalia of consumerism in human history. Far from traditional, the contemporary American Christmas not only violates the biblical understanding of Christ's nativity, it has grown monstrously beyond even the sentimentalization that had already taken place in the nineteenth century. The contributors use this bloated misunderstanding of Christmas as an indicator of serious problems in our society that should wake up even the most complacent." (, )
"More than just 'putting christ back in Christmas,' this book provides a clarion call for an authentic church to understand its identity and witness in the midst of a pagan culture."—The Other Side, Nov. & Dec. 2002.
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PENETRATING COLLECTION OF ESSAYS ON CHRISTMAS, CONSUMERISM, AND EVEN THEOLOGY,
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This review is from: Christmas Unwrapped: Consumerism, Christ, and Culture (Paperback)
Theologian Richard Horsley (e.g., Jesus and Spiral of Violence (Facets); The Liberation of Christmas: The Infancy Narratives in Social Context) and James Tracy have put together a diverse and stimulating volume of essays on various aspects of Christmas and its effects on modern culture.
Sections include "The Formative History of American Christmas," "The Culture of American Christmas," "Saviors and Messiahs, Biblical and Other," and "Theoretical and Theological Reflections" by a wide variety of contributors. The Lynch v. Donnelly case (about a nativity display on public property) is covered in detail in one of the essays. This is not simply the usual critique of the modern Christmas holiday on the grounds of "consumerism," etc.; the essays are filled with penetrating insights such as: "The larger civil rights movement did not take note of (Maulana) Karenga's invention (of Kwanzaa). Martin Luther King Jr., for example, never celebrated it ... Moreover, after King's assassination in 1968, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, also of SCLC, was demanding that department stores hire more Black Santas." (This same essay also notes that Karenga was sent to prison for assaulting two women he believed were trying to poison him.) "Interestingly enough, the mystification of Santa Claus penetrated even this realm of charity, when organizations such as the Salvation Army began to use men dressed as Santa Claus to solicit contributions on the street. Indirectly, this fed into and reinforced the image of Santa Claus as the gift giver mediating between superior and inferior groups." This book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone wanting to know more about Christmas, and the culture of the modern holiday.
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