In this delightful sleigh ride through Christmas history, Paul Kerensa answers the festive questions you never thought to ask... Did Cromwell help shape the mince pie? Was St Nicholas the first to use an automatic door? Which classic Christmas crooners were inspired by a Hollywood heatwave? And did King Herod really have a wife called Doris? Whether you mull on wine or enjoy the biggest turkey, the biggest tree or the biggest credit card bill, unwrap your story through our twelve dates of Christmas past. From Roman revelry to singing Bing, via Santa, Scrooge and a snoozing saviour, this timeless tale is perfect trivia fodder for the Christmas dinner table.

How did Christmas become today's bulging stocking of goodies?

__CONTENTS__  
Foreword by Chris Evans 10  
On my first page of Christmas… 12  
Prologos: In the Bleak Midwinter 15  
Chapter 1 The First Nowell (4 bc–ad 300) 25  
Chapter 2 Roman Holiday (753 bc–ad 325) 49  
Chapter 3 Ho Ho Who? (270–1100) 65  
Chapter 4 Merrie Olde England (935–1588) 89  
Chapter 5 Caves and Carols (1181–1610) 115  
Chapter 6 Cancel Christmas (1517–1800) 129  
Chapter 7 All is Quiet (1700–1861) 149  
Chapter 8 The Night Before (1809–1931) 161  
Chapter 9 God Bless Us, Every One (1827–1901) 175  
Chapter 10 A Lesson in War (1862–1928) 211  
Chapter 11 Through the Marvels of Modern Science (1906–2012) 231  
Chapter 12 Bing to Bublé (1934–present) 247  
Wrapping Up: Last Christmas… and Next 268  
Bibliography 274  
The Big Christmas Timeline (Abridged) 276  
A Christmas Quiz! 282

Paul Kerensa

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

On my first page of Christmas…

Prologos: In the Bleak Midwinter

Chapter 1: The First Nowell (4 BC–AD 300)

Chapter 2: Roman Holiday (753 BC–AD 325)

Chapter 3: Ho Ho Who? (270–1100)

Chapter 4: Merrie Olde England (935–1588)

Chapter 5: Caves and Carols (1181–1610)

Chapter 6: Cancel Christmas (1517–1800)

Chapter 7: All is Quiet (1700–1861)

Chapter 8: The Night Before (1809–1931)

Chapter 9: God Bless Us, Every One (1827–1901)

Chapter 10: A Lesson in War (1862–1928)

Chapter 11: Through the Marvels of Modern Science (1906–2012)

Chapter 12: Bing to Bublé (1934–PRESENT)

Wrapping Up: Last Christmas… and Next

Bibliography

The Big Christmas Timeline (Abridged)

A Christmas Quiz!

How did we reach the chaotic Christmas of today? The original Christmas is wrapped up, layer by layer, chapter by chapter.

From archbishop to atheist, we all embrace Christmas. It means so many different things to each of us. For some it's Midnight Mass and mulled wine, for others it's about the biggest tree, the biggest turkey and the biggest credit card bill. Others embrace snow, Santa, Scrooge or Slade. Even squinting our focus onto the birth of Jesus, Christmas craziness refuses to be shut out. This book tells the story of how Christmas became Christmas, through twelve key dates that became turning-points. Ancient traditions rub shoulders with industrial advancements, from Scandinavian midwinter food storage to the Victorian Christmas revival, via Ancient Roman role-swapping and Germanic legends. Christmas's history is a truly international tale.

"I love Paul, I love Christmas, no surprise I love this book - the perfect stocking filler." -- Miranda Hart "If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, and would like to know how you're in this position in the first place - this funny and interesting book could solve both your problems at once." -- Milton Jones

Paul is an award-winning comedian, writer of TV, radio and books and amateur historian. TV credits include 'Miranda' (British Comedy Award winner, Best New Comedy), 'Not Going Out' (winner of Royal Television Society and Rose d'Or Awards), 'TFI Friday' and 'Top Gear'. Radio credits include 'The Now Show', 'The News Quiz' and 'Dead Ringers'. He contributes a regular 'Pause For Thought' on Chris Evans' Radio 2 Breakfast Show. As a stand-up, Paul won ITV's Take The Mike Award in 2002, and was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards, and still performs three nights a week. Paul has written for Michael Buble, Matt LeBlanc, Joanna Lumley and Idris Elba among others.

  
"I love Paul, I love Christmas, no surprise I love this book – the perfect stocking filler." – Miranda Hart:

"If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, and would like to know how you're in this position in the first place - this funny and interesting book could solve both your problems at once." – Milton Jones:

"Christmas sits among us like a familiar member of the family — but its history, as told here, is a story-and-a-half. A brilliant book." – Jeremy Vine:

\["Looking for a festive chuckle?","This book from Miranda writer Paul Kerensa explores the silly side of Chirstmas","You'll be chortling through Christmas with these witty trivias"\]

Looking for the silly side of Christmas? These witty anecdotes are filled with as many facts as there are laughs that will give you mirth-a-plenty

Hark

Navigation Bar

Header Default

Download the Christian360 App to read eBooks and listen to Audiobooks bought at Christian360

Hark

Description

Need support?

Customer reviews

Download the App

Download the App