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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.
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