Read more
Zusatztext "Wonderfully perceptive as well as entertaining." Informationen zum Autor Bruce David Forbes , Professor of Religious Studies at Morningside College, is coeditor, with Jeffrey Mahan of Religion and Popular Culture in America (UC Press) and coeditor, with Jeanne Halgren Kilde, of Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times: Exploring the Left Behind Series Klappentext "This is a forthright, accessible, informative and interesting account of the evolution of Christmas customs and celebrations. Forbes's tone is direct, friendly, and open, and he serves as a companionable and trustworthy guide who candidly shares his knowledge and doubts, passions and worries, surprises and disappointments. Thoroughly engaging and studded with fascinating details, this book will reward any reader who picks it up. This book should be read and given at Christmas for many years to come."--Eugene V. Gallagher, Rosemary Park Professor of Religious Studies, Connecticut College "This book offers an accessible, jargon-free, fast-paced, and reliable historical sketch of Christmas and its evolution from pre-Christian times to the present. Based on sound scholarship and written in a brisk, readable style, it is an excellent book for reference purposes, classroom use, and recreational reading. I might also add, it would make a great Christmas gift."--Dell deChant, author of Sacred Santa: Religious Dimensions of Consumer Culture Zusammenfassung 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. This book explores the historical origins of traditions including Santa, the reindeer, gift giving, and the Christmas tree. Inhaltsverzeichnis Acknowledgments Introduction 1. First There Was Winter 2. Christmas Comes Late 3. Christmas Is Like a Snowball 4. From Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus 5. And Then There Was Money 6. Wrestling with Christmas Notes Annotated Bibliography Index ...