The Book of Christmas: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Festive Traditions

(Hardback)

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What is the significance of mistletoe at Christmas Why do we eat Brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner When did turkeys become the plat du jour Just who is, or was, Santa Claus

In The Book of Christmas,best-selling author and acclaimed historian, Christopher Winn, casts awitty and revealing eye on the stories, myths and legends of the most celebrated festival of the year: Christmas. In this lovingly written collection of festive myths, legends and (quite often) bizarre traditions, discover the fascinating stories behind some of our most cherished Christmas rituals and customs. Along withthe storiesbehind many of the moremainstream customs, Christopher Winnunearths some of the more unusual traditions from around the world; from the burning of the 13-foot Yule Goat of Sweden to Japan's predilection for a Kentucky Fried Chicken Christmas dinner; the Peter Pan swim in London to the hiding of broomsticks in Norway, discoverthe fascinatingtruth (and oddities) behind this very special religiousholiday.

Beautifully produced and charmingly illustrated, TheBook of Christmas is a treasure trove of all things Christmas to delight the whole family.

Author Bio

Christopher Winnis a UK based freelance writer, historian, and collector of trivia for over 20 years. He has worked with Terry Wogan and Jonathan Ross and sets quiz questions for television as well as for the Daily Mail,Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Spectator, Daily Express and The Field.Winn's first bestsellingI Never Knew Thatseries has sold around1 million copies.