The Curious World of Christmas: Celebrating All That Is Weird, Wonderful, and Festive [Hardcover]

Niall Edworthy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2008

A fascinating miscellany that celebrates all things Christmas from the author of The Curious Gardener?s Almanac.

Drawing from more than two thousand years of history and culture, this collection of anecdotes, customs, tips, and recipes features more than 1,000 entries honoring one of the world?s most celebrated holidays. This unpredictable, addictive gem weaves in famous quotations, traditional sayings, verses, and wisdom to create a book that will be enjoyed long after the Christmas tree is down and the turkey leftovers finished off. Each page yields tidbits on everything from the real reason why December 25th was chosen as the celebratory day and a 19th-century turkey recipe to the origins of kissing under mistletoe and statistics showing why Christmas is proven to be more stressful than divorce or burglary. Chapter topics include:

? Farting Dwarves and Peacock Pie (or, How Our Ancestors Celebrated Christmas)

? Will the Real Father Christmas Please Stand Up (or, The Origins of Santa Claus)

? Happy Reunions, Terrible Tantrums (or, Christmas and the Family)

? Reindeer Sausages and Minced Coffins (or, Christmas Food and Drink)

? And much more

With enough curiosities to intrigue, amuse, and enlighten even the grumpiest Scrooge, this is the perfect gift book for anyone who counts down the months until their favorite holiday.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Niall Edworthy is an author and journalist who has written 18 books under a variety of guises and noms de plumes, covering a wide range of subjects from military history, biography, sport, general humour, outdoor survival and -- to the unceasing amazement of his friends and family -- gardening. His enthusiasm for Christmas remains undimmed in spite of an unsettling experience when he took a student holiday job, working as one of Santa's workshop elves, in a well-known department store. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399534571
• ISBN-13: 978-0399534577
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,137,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Curious World of Christmas, December 17, 2009

By 

Karen E. Awong (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Curious World of Christmas: Celebrating All That Is Weird, Wonderful, and Festive (Hardcover)

This book is full of wonderful trivia such as, there was no rationing in Britain during Christmas 1939, Origin of kissing under the mistletoe, and quotes from the likes of Pope Paul VI to P.J. O'Rourke on Christmas.

Read about how our ancestors celebrated to how Christmas was during the war. There is something for everyone.

My favorite was "The Night Before Christmas Legally Speaking." It was a kick.

5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas Tradition = Read this Book, November 15, 2011

By 

Jay Rice (Wilmington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Curious World of Christmas: Celebrating All That Is Weird, Wonderful, and Festive (Hardcover)

I love this book! About 4 years ago I was looking for a Christmas book to learn more about the history of the holiday traditions. This book was/is a perfect choice. It is packed with little known facts and interesting stories of Christmas throughout history. I only wish the book was a little longer.
Every year around the holidays I enjoy sitting next to my fireplace and reading this book to recall the traditions of days gone by. This is a great read to get into the holiday spirit and learn a few things about Christmas.

4.0 out of 5 stars The King's Jester Known for More Than His Jokes and Other Tales, February 7, 2011

By 

L. M Young (Marietta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Curious World of Christmas: Celebrating All That Is Weird, Wonderful, and Festive (Hardcover)

This is a gift-book sized volume that is, nevertheless, crammed with Christmas goodies: quotations both for and against the holiday (George Bernard Shaw's nay vote prominent in the text), odd things that used to be done during Christmas celebrations, such as the Asses' Mass, where a donkey was ridden into church and both the priest and the congregation were encouraged to bray, and just plain oddities, like King Henry II's jester who was known for his farting. The book is written in an informal, conversational style that does have a few scatological references--apparently those courtly old medieval types were really fond of farting and rude words relating to bodily elimination--sure to make teenagers giggle.

Edworthy also traces the holiday history through the ages, Christmas symbols and customs, with text, diary entries, newspaper and magazine excerpts, etc., with iconic little drawings scattered within the text. A great book for next to the bed before Christmas, where you can read two passages or two pages.