Christmas: A Biography

Judith Flanders examines the history of Christmas from its origins through modern times. The holiday has not always been viewed as purely religious or reverent—thirty years after the first recorded Christmas, the Pope warned against excessive partying and eating, and by 1616, Ben Jonson was already nostalgic for an imagined better past. Many Christmas traditions are surprisingly recent. Gift-wrap is a twentieth-century invention, and the first holiday parade did not occur at Macy's or in the USA. Other elements have deeper roots: gag holiday gift books were advertised in the 1760s, and in 1805, members of the Lewis and Clark expedition exchanged practical gifts like underwear and socks. Christmas serves multiple purposes—religious observance, family gathering, and occasion for eating and drinking. Flanders traces the holiday from its origins in the Roman empire through Christmas trees in central Europe and explores what may be the first appearance of Santa Claus in Switzerland, offering a new perspective on how the season has evolved.