The Christmas Shelf

How Christmas Became Christmas
Nathaniel Parry
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476688282, $39.95, PB, 260pp

https://www.amazon.com/How-Christmas-Became-Christian-Origins/dp/1476688281

Synopsis: In some respects, the contrasts of Christmas are what make it the=
most delightful time of the year. It is a time of generosity, kindness and=
peace on earth, with broad permission to indulge in food, drink and gifts.=
On the other hand, Christmas has become a battleground for raging culture = wars, marred by debates about how it should be celebrated and acknowledged =
as a uniquely Christian holiday.

With the publication of "How Christmas Became Christmas: The Pagan and Chri= stian Origins of the Beloved Holiday", Nathaniel Parry argues that much of = the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's c= ore character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the=
winter solstice and its development in Europe's Christianization, this det= ailed and documented history explains that the true "reason for the season"=
has as much to do with the earth's movement around the sun as with the bir=
th of Christ.

Individual chapters deftly chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link=
to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the holiday appears so separ= ated from traditional Christian beliefs.

Critique: A simply fascinating and expertly presented historical study, "Ho=
w Christmas Became Christmas: The Pagan and Christian Origins of the Belove=
d Holiday" features black/white historical images and is informatively enha= nced for the reader with the inclusion of a four page Bibliography, twenty-= two pages of Chapter Notes; and a five page Index. "How Christmas Became Ch= ristmas: The Pagan and Christian Origins of the Beloved Holiday" will prove=
a welcome and enduringly valued addition to personal, community, college, = and university library Christmas Holiday collections and supplemental curri= culum reading lists.

Editorial Note: Nathaniel Parry is an American researcher and writer living=
in Denmark. He is the editor of several books and his work has appeared in=
outlets such as Consortium News, In These Times, Common Dreams, Global Res= earch, and Truthout. Since 2008, he has worked at the Parliamentary Assembl=
y of the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe, where he is curre= ntly head of communications.

Santa Claus Worldwide
Tom A. Jerman
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476680934, $29.95, PB, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Worldwide-Nicholas-Gift-bringers/dp/1476= 680930

Synopsis: With the publication of "Santa Claus Worldwide: A History of St. = Nicholas and Other Holiday Gift-Bringers", author and Christmas historian T=
om A. Jerman presents a comprehensive history of the world's midwinter gift= -givers, showcasing the extreme diversity in their depictions as well as th=
e many traits and functions these characters share.

"Santa Claus Worldwide" tracks the evolution of these figures from the trib=
al priests who presided over winter solstice celebrations thousands of year=
s before the birth of Christ, to Christian notables like St. Martin and St.=
Nicholas, to a variety of secular figures who emerged throughout Europe fo= llowing the Protestant Reformation.

Finally, "Santa Claus Worldwide" explains how the popularity of a poem abou=
t a "miniature sleigh" and "eight tiny reindeer" helped consolidate the div= erse European gift-givers into an enduring tradition in which American chil= dren awake early on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought.

Although the names, appearance, attire and gift-giving practices of the wor= ld's winter solstice gift-givers differ greatly, they are all recognizable =
as Santa, the personification of the Christmas and Midwinter festivals. Des= pite efforts to eliminate him by groups as diverse as the Puritans of seven= teenth century New England, the Communist Party of the twentieth century So= viet Union and the government of Nazi Germany, Santa has survived and prosp= ered, becoming one of the best known and most beloved figures in the world.

Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of b/w illustrations, =
an informative three page Epilogue (the Santas of Christmas Future), twenty= -two pages of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and a three page Index, "Sant=
a Claus Worldwide: A History of St. Nicholas and Other Holiday Gift-Bringer=
s" is a fascinating, informative, and exceptional history that is exception= ally comprehensive and highly recommended for personal, professional, commu= nity, college, and university library Folklore/Mythology collections in gen= eral, and Christmas Traditions/History reading lists in particular. It shou=
ld be noted that "Santa Claus Worldwide" is also readily available in a dig= ital book format (Kindle, $13.49).

Editorial Note: After collecting Santa Claus figurines for thirty-five year=
s while practicing law in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Tom A. Jerman r= etired at the end of 2015 and moved to Asheville, N.C., where he began writ= ing a book on the history of Santa Claus. (https://acollectionofsantas.com/= author-tom-a-jerman)

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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