Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance

Rating:
Summary: A Difficult read
Review: Although the information is located,somewhere, in this edition it is difficult to cut through the use of "Ye Kings English" Reading this book is like reading an old kings james version of the Bible.(Not that the KJV is bad, just tasking to get through all the "Thee's & Thou's) The information about Christmas is in the book, it just seems to take forever to get around the word usage. I also found the order in which the information is presented not easy to follow. In my opinion if you are looking for just "history of Christmas" Go some place else FAST, before you fall asleep reading this snoozer! If you so choose to purchase this edition take no-doz and good luck!

Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Book For All Christmas Lovers
Review: I really enjoyed this book. Clement A. Miles draws from a rich history of celebrating the season. Here we can see where the Church would take a pagan custom and "Christianize" it. The end result is that most of these customs, especially the celebration of Christmas on December 25, have competed with the pagan ritual or observance so that the pagan religous significance is no longer left. The Christian version is the reality that usually comes down to us today.

Miles's study includes, but is not limited to, the following: 1) Christmas poetry; 2) Christmas liturgy and popular devotion; 3) Christmas drama; 4) Pre-christian winter festivals; 5) Christmas feasting; 6) Christmas tree and decorations etc.

Also, there is quite a bit of comment on several feast days and non-Christmas related observances. In organising the book, Miles begins with many common Christmas observances and then considers other celebrations largely in the order that they appear in the calendar.

This book is not difficult to read. Every year one member of our family drafts a Christmas quiz which is composed of multiple choice questions about the season. When my year came up, this book was invaluable.

Fill your mind with yuletide knowledge and enjoy the book.

Rating:
Summary: Well Worth Reading
Review: This book was originally published in 1912 under the title "Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan".

This Book not only covers Christmas, but Halloween and various Saint's Days.

Mr. Miles does an interesting job of exploring the lore behind Christmas breads and cakes, the Yule log, decorating, and the Christmas Dramas of Europe and the British Isles, earlier this century.

A quaint Northumberland ritual utilizing Holly leaves is presented from page 275 of this work:

"....Nine leaves are taken up and tied with nine knots into a
"handkerchief, and put under the pillow by a person who
"desires prophetic dreams.
"For this purpose smooth leaves (without prickles)
"must be employed...."
The next sentence informs us that "holly is hated by witches"....

A twist on the familiar "Kissing under the Mistletoe" is given on the previous page, and we are informed that after each kiss, the boy removes a berry from the bough, and "when the berries were all picked, the privilege ceased."

You will also find a scattering of black and white reproductions of paintings, a wonderfully etched reproduction of Albreht Durer's "Madonna and Child", as well as a bibliography, notes and an index.

This book is well worth it's modest price.