Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.