Author: Beverley Oakley
Publisher: Beverley Oakley
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 172
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Book Description
Reluctant courtesan, Charity, has found true love with Hugo, her first and only client. But when poet and artist, Hugo, is tricked into gambling away his impending inheritance, Charity finds herself at the mercy of Madam Chambon and her infamous house of ill-repute. Can the two young lovers thwart the conspiracy between Hugo’s social-climbing father, and slippery cousin Cyril, so Hugo can make Charity his Christmas bride? A sweet romance featuring two young innocents determined to overcome those more powerful who would keep them apart. What the readers say: "I loved the twists in this book they weaved a beautiful story. This well-written gem is well worth the time you spend reading" ~ Kindle Reader
Author: William Waits
Publisher: NYU Press
ISBN: 0814784887
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 291
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Book Description
In days of old, Christmas was defined by the custom of exchanging simple handmade gifts. Today, it has become a multi-billion industry, synonymous with commercialism and consumption. How did this transformation occur? In this incisive and engaging examination of how Christmas has evolved since 1880, Waits chronicles the history of the holiday, from its origin to its current form. The book is illustrated with dozens of historical photographs and will be of interest to cultural and social historians alike. Christmas was a relatively modest occasion in the English- speaking world, celebrated by the exchange of modest handmade gifts, until the Victorians invested the holiday with immense significance as part of a larger effort to celebrate home, family, and a mythic past of well-ordered communities. By the late 19th century, Christmas had become a major American festival. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and easily the most important seasonal event of the year. In this survey of the modern American Christmas, William Waits shows us how this holiday emerged, tracing its evolution from the days prior to 1880 when people presented one another with simple crafted presents to the turn of the century when industrialization brought with it waves of inexpensive, tawdry gimcracks. In the early twentieth century, reform-minded Americans reflecting on the new Christmas prompted a backlash against this cheapening of the Yule tradition, and the Christmas card was born. Henceforth, family members and close friends exchanged useful, costly items, while cards were sent to acquaintances and distant relatives. These reformers also persuaded retail stores to keep their regular hours of business during the holiday, rather than lengthening them, to give trade workers the opportunity to join in the celebration. They also rationalized the collection and distribution of holiday charity, resulting in the Christmas celebration we have today. Waits's book clearly illustrates that the notion that Christmas is uncontrollable is simply untrue. An incisive and engaging history of giftgiving, The Modern Christmas in Americaalso examines the differing traditions of giftgiving to friends, employees, the poor, and among entire communities. Handsomely illustrated with dozens of historical photographs, this book is not only the perfect holiday gift but will also be of interest to any student of American history and culture.
Author: The Elves
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253017947
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 225
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Book Description
A “poignant” collection of real letters sent to Santa Claus—a town in Indiana—from the 1930s to the twenty-first century, from both children and adults (The New York Times). For countless Christmases, children—and sometimes adults—have stuffed their dreams, wishes, and promises into envelopes. Over many decades, millions of these letters have poured into Santa Claus, Indiana. Arriving from all corners of the globe, the letters ask for toys, family reunions, snow, and help for the needy—sometimes the needy being the writers themselves. They are candid, heartfelt, and often blunt. Many children wonder how Santa gets into their chimneyless homes. One child reminds Santa that she has not hit her brothers over 1,350 times that year, and another respectfully requests two million dollars in “cold cash.” One child hopes to make his life better with a time machine, an adult woman asks for a man, and one miscreant actually threatens Santa’s reindeer! Containing more than 250 actual letters and envelopes from the naughty and nice reaching back to the 1930s, this moving book will touch hearts and bring back memories of a time in our lives when the man with a white beard and a red suit held out the hope that our wishes might come true. “Often very affecting . . . also offers an unusual window into American history.” —Library Journal “The letters . . . are alternately silly and somber, hilarious and heartfelt.” —The Weekly Standard
Author: Penne L. Restad
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199923582
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 240
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Book Description
The manger or Macy's? Americans might well wonder which is the real shrine of Christmas, as they take part each year in a mix of churchgoing, shopping, and family togetherness. But the history of Christmas cannot be summed up so easily as the commercialization of a sacred day. As Penne Restad reveals in this marvelous new book, it has always been an ambiguous meld of sacred thoughts and worldly actions-- as well as a fascinating reflection of our changing society. In Christmas in America, Restad brilliantly captures the rise and transformation of our most universal national holiday. In colonial times, it was celebrated either as an utterly solemn or a wildly social event--if it was celebrated at all. Virginians hunted, danced, and feasted. City dwellers flooded the streets in raucous demonstrations. Puritan New Englanders denounced the whole affair. Restad shows that as times changed, Christmas changed--and grew in popularity. In the early 1800s, New York served as an epicenter of the newly emerging holiday, drawing on its roots as a Dutch colony (St. Nicholas was particularly popular in the Netherlands, even after the Reformation), and aided by such men as Washington Irving. In 1822, another New Yorker named Clement Clarke Moore penned a poem now known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," virtually inventing the modern Santa Claus. Well-to-do townspeople displayed a German novelty, the decorated fir tree, in their parlors; an enterprising printer discovered the money to be made from Christmas cards; and a hodgepodge of year-end celebrations began to coalesce around December 25 and the figure of Santa. The homecoming significance of the holiday increased with the Civil War, and by the end of the nineteenth century a full- fledged national holiday had materialized, forged out of borrowed and invented custom alike, and driven by a passion for gift-giving. In the twentieth century, Christmas seeped into every niche of our conscious and unconscious lives to become a festival of epic proportions. Indeed, Restad carries the story through to our own time, unwrapping the messages hidden inside countless movies, books, and television shows, revealing the inescapable presence--and ambiguous meaning--of Christmas in contemporary culture. Filled with colorful detail and shining insight, Christmas in America reveals not only much about the emergence of the holiday, but also what our celebrations tell us about ourselves. From drunken revelry along colonial curbstones to family rituals around the tree, from Thomas Nast drawing the semiofficial portrait of St. Nick to the making of the film Home Alone, Restad's sparkling account offers much to amuse and ponder.
Author: Azhar ul Haque Sario
Publisher: tredition
ISBN: 338406447X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 266
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Book Description
"Christmas: Global Journey" is a special book that takes you on an amazing trip around the world, exploring the rich and diverse ways people celebrate Christmas. It's like a treasure chest, full of exciting stories, secrets, and fun facts about Christmas, that will make you see this holiday in a whole new light. This book isn't just a list of what happens at Christmas. It's a deep dive into the heart of the holiday, showing how different countries and cultures add their unique sparkle to the season. From the story behind Christmas to how people in far-off lands celebrate with their own traditions, you'll travel the globe from your cozy reading spot. You'll discover the symbols of Christmas, those familiar things like stars, trees, and bells, and learn what they really mean. The book takes you to kitchens around the world, sharing the mouth-watering tastes of Christmas cuisine. Imagine the music, the carols, and songs that fill the air during this time, the book brings them to life, showing how they make Christmas more magical. But that's not all. You'll dive into the world of Christmas literature, seeing how stories and poems have shaped our view of the season. The book also shows how Christmas has inspired artists and filmmakers, creating unforgettable images and movies. It even looks at Christmas through the lens of science, revealing some surprising facts and insights. And in a world where taking care of our planet is more important than ever, the book explores how to celebrate Christmas in an eco-friendly way. Fashion and decoration play a big role in Christmas, and the book shows how they've evolved and what they say about us. It also highlights how people of different faiths, or no faith, engage with the holiday. You'll see how technology is changing Christmas, and discover the big business behind the season, with a look at the economics of Christmas. But it's not just about the bright and shiny parts of Christmas. The book also explores the lesser-known, quieter aspects of the season, like Christmas in solitude or the challenges and struggles some people face during this time. Most importantly, "Christmas: Global Journey" is about the spirit of the holiday. It's about giving, sharing, and community. It's about the myths, legends, and the joy that children bring to Christmas. It's about how Christmas can bring people together, and sometimes, how it can also bring out the more challenging parts of our lives. In short, this book is a celebration of Christmas in all its forms. It's a journey that shows how this one holiday can mean so many different things to so many different people. It's a book that will open your eyes, warm your heart, and maybe even change the way you think about Christmas.
Author: Joshua Eli Plaut
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 0813553814
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 231
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Book Description
Christmas is not everybody’s favorite holiday. Historically, Jews in America, whether participating in or refraining from recognizing Christmas, have devised a multitude of unique strategies to respond to the holiday season. Their response is a mixed one: do we participate, try to ignore the holiday entirely, or create our own traditions and make the season an enjoyable time? This book, the first on the subject of Jews and Christmas in the United States, portrays how Jews are shaping the public and private character of Christmas by transforming December into a joyous holiday season belonging to all Americans. Creative and innovative in approaching the holiday season, these responses range from composing America’s most beloved Christmas songs, transforming Hanukkah into the Jewish Christmas, creating a national Jewish tradition of patronizing Chinese restaurants and comedy shows on Christmas Eve, volunteering at shelters and soup kitchens on Christmas Day, dressing up as Santa Claus to spread good cheer, campaigning to institute Hanukkah postal stamps, and blending holiday traditions into an interfaith hybrid celebration called “Chrismukkah” or creating a secularized holiday such as Festivus. Through these venerated traditions and alternative Christmastime rituals, Jews publicly assert and proudly proclaim their Jewish and American identities to fashion a universally shared message of joy and hope for the holiday season. See also: http://www.akosherchristmas.org
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Charities
Languages : en
Pages : 1004
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Book Description
Author: Mary E DeMuth
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0310087570
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 209
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Book Description
Are you looking for the perfect book for the Advent season? With gorgeous illustrations to stir you, scripture to remember, prayer prompts to guide you through prayer, and meaningful activities to do, The Beautiful Word for Christmas is the heartfelt book you need this season. Inside you’ll find: The Christmas story alongside 23 Bible passages hand-lettered and illustrated in full color 31 timely devotions written especially for the Christmas season Special activities to bring the heart of the season home The Beautiful Word for Christmas is an Advent devotional that is beautiful enough for display and profound enough to be a meaningful guide through the season. Families will love receiving this as an Advent gift or in a holiday gift exchange. If you enjoy The Beautiful Word for Christmas, check out the titles in the Beautiful Word series.
Author: Judith Flanders
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
ISBN: 1250118352
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257
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Book Description
A critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author explores the Christmas holiday, from the original festival through present day traditions. Christmas has always been a magical time. Or has it? Thirty years after the first recorded Christmas, the Pope was already warning that too many people were spending the day, not in worship, but in partying and eating to excess. By 1616, the playwright Ben Jonson was nostalgically remembering Christmas in the old days, certain that it had been better then. Other elements of Christmas are much newer – who would have thought gift-wrap is a novelty of the twentieth century? That the first holiday parade was neither at Macy’s, nor even in the USA? Some things, however, never change. The first known gag holiday gift book, The Boghouse Miscellany, was advertised in the 1760s ‘for gay Gallants, and good companions’, while in 1805, the leaders of the Lewis and Clark expedition exchanged – what else? – presents of underwear and socks. Christmas is all things to all people: a religious festival, a family celebration, a period of eating and drinking. In Christmas: A Biography, bestselling author and acclaimed social historian Judith Flanders casts a sharp eye on myths, legends and history, deftly moving from the origins of the holiday in the Roman empire, through Christmas trees in central Europe, to what might be the first appearance of Santa Claus – in Switzerland – to draw a picture of the season as it has never been seen before.
Author: Nathaniel Parry
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476647089
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 261
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Book Description
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. This text argues that much of the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's core character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe's Christianization, this 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 birth of Christ. Chapters chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the holiday appears so separated from traditional Christian beliefs.
