A Christmas Miscellany

A celebration of Christmas past presents a treasury of holiday decoration tips, letters to Santa, gift suggestions, traditional recipes, and customs that evoke the charm of the Victorian era.

What is myrrh? Why do people kiss under the mistletoe? What is a Yule log? And much...

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Christmas the way we do? In this whimsical book, Jonathan Green tells you all about the fascinating stories behind our most beloved holiday traditions. Make yourself cozy by the fireplace, open up this fully illustrated treasure trove, and learn: Why we sing carols Why we burn Yule logs Why we hang stockings Why we kiss under the mistletoe Why we send greeting cards Why there are twelve days of Christmas And what is figgy pudding? Each chapter explores a different custom and its history: when and where it started, how it has changed over the centuries, and why we still love to recreate it today. You’ll learn why holly and ivy are important symbols, who Good King Wenceslas was, and why we eat turkey for Christmas dinner. Additional fun facts and trivia are sprinkled throughout, accompanied by classic illustrations. This is the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for curious-minded friends and family this holiday season!

Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector’s Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector’s Library are books to love and treasure. This edition is introduced by Ned Halley and features charming illustrations by Alice Ercle Hunt. Round About the Christmas Tree is the perfect Christmas gift for booklovers as all facets of the festive season are represented here in one gorgeous volume. This anthology shows what an inspiration Christmas was for so many famous writers, whether it be a time for celebration, for family, or a chance to remember those in hardship. There are heart-warming stories from Charles Dickens and E. Nesbit, comic fun from G. K. Chesterton and Saki, touching whimsy from Hans Christian Andersen, and even crimes to solve from Arthur Conan Doyle.

Why do we have turkey and Christmas pudding at our Christmas dinner? Why were children encouraged to burn their fingers at Christmas in Victorian England? What was the kissing bough? The answers are in this compendium of the festive season, which is stuffed full of fascinating facts, spiced with extracts of poetry and prose and served with a delightful selection of illustrations. Ancient customs, traditional recipes and the religious beliefs behind all the merry-making are all included in this book, which will delight anyone who loves Christmas and the festive season.

This miscellany of Christmas classics is somewhat unique, due largely perhaps to its means of compilation. For these are the very stories and poems that Mark Blasdale personally reads each and every December, placing his good-natured soul well and truly in the Christmas spirit.Some of literatures most iconic names have picked up the quill or pen and created some of our most cherished and endearing characters, lines and verses; names that feature strongly in this volume.Presented for your delight and seasonal distraction is a collection of both universally popular and slightly less well-known masterpieces by Washington Irving, Romaine Joseph Thorn, O'Henry, Saki, George Grossmith, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, B.M. Croker, Mrs Alfred Baldwin, Christina Rossetti, Anton Chekhov, Hans Christian Andersen, George R Sims, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and of course the greatest of them all, Mr Charles Dickens.In addition, Mark has kindly taken the liberty of including one of his own short stories - The Public House - which he hopes will not offend the delicate sensibilities of the knowing reader.