Of Christmases Long, Long Ago, Brian Earl
Of Christmases Long, Long Ago, Brian Earl
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Of Christmases Long, Long Ago
Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past

Author: Brian Earl

Narrator: Brian Earl

Unabridged: 2 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 08/05/2025

Synopsis

Author Brian Earl is back with another look at the fascinating stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. Get ready to experience Christmas as you’ve never seen it before. Surely, Christmas in the distant past must have been different from the one we know today. But how different? You’re about to find out. The Christmases of long, long ago were a merry mess of odd superstitions, dangerous games, and overindulgences that lasted from Christmas Day until Epiphany twelve days later. The “Christmas season” of earlier times was not the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day that Americans experience today, but rather a no-holds-barred bacchanalia following the austerity period of Advent. From it evolved some of our present-day traditions, such as caroling, which had its roots in beggars performing for a meal. This book also answers such questions as: when was Christmas Day first celebrated on December 25? Which president celebrated the first White House Christmas? What are the origins of holly and ivy as Christmas décor? These questions and more are answered in this fascinating look back at Christmases past.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sheila on June 22, 2025

I received a free copy of, Of Christmases Long, Long Ago, by Brian Earl, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book shows us how Christmas has been celebrated through the years, how things have changed and how they have stayed the same. This was an interesting read,......more

Goodreads review by Kate on July 24, 2025

I love Christmas! In particular, I love hearing about weird Christmas (or other winter holiday) traditions. My family has a few, but I'm always looking for good ideas! This is why I was excited to read Brian Earl's Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past. Brian has a......more

Goodreads review by Carlee on July 30, 2025

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley. Overall, I found this book interesting, but I would've preferred the layout to be different. The information is quite mixed together and I think it would have made more sense to be laid out according to date or country. The book......more

Goodreads review by Tiziana on August 01, 2025

This is an interesting little book of facts about Christmas season in age past, divided roughly by theme. It is not a scholarly text by any mean, and it would be of interest for a teen, even a young one, and some stories inside (the boy bishop, the lord of misrule) would even make a child laugh. To b......more

Goodreads review by Andrea on August 08, 2025

Discover the surprisingly wild and superstitious Christmas traditions of centuries past, from their origins to the evolution of modern celebrations. Learn about the history of caroling, White House Christmases, and the origins of traditional decorations. Oh, this book is so fun! Christmas before the......more

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