A Christmas Cornucopia

The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Reference, Almanacs & Trivia, Curiosities & Wonders, Language Arts, Linguistics
Cover of the book A Christmas Cornucopia by Mark Forsyth, Penguin Books Ltd
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Author: Mark Forsyth ISBN: 9780241977552
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd Publication: November 3, 2016
Imprint: Penguin Language: English
Author: Mark Forsyth
ISBN: 9780241977552
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Publication: November 3, 2016
Imprint: Penguin
Language: English

The unpredictable origins and etymologies of our cracking Christmas customs

For something that happens every year of our lives, we really don't know much about Christmas.

We don't know that the date we celebrate was chosen by a madman, or that Christmas, etymologically speaking, means "Go away, Christ". Nor do we know that Christmas was first celebrated in 243 AD on March 28th - and only moved to 25th December in 354 AD. We're oblivious to the fact that the advent calendar was actually invented by a Munich housewife to stop her children pestering her for a Christmas countdown. And we would never have guessed that the invention of crackers was merely a way of popularising sweet wrappers.

Luckily, like a gift from Santa himself, Mark Forsyth is here to unwrap this fundamentally funny gallimaufry of traditions and oddities, making it all finally make sense - in his wonderfully entertaining wordy way.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The unpredictable origins and etymologies of our cracking Christmas customs

For something that happens every year of our lives, we really don't know much about Christmas.

We don't know that the date we celebrate was chosen by a madman, or that Christmas, etymologically speaking, means "Go away, Christ". Nor do we know that Christmas was first celebrated in 243 AD on March 28th - and only moved to 25th December in 354 AD. We're oblivious to the fact that the advent calendar was actually invented by a Munich housewife to stop her children pestering her for a Christmas countdown. And we would never have guessed that the invention of crackers was merely a way of popularising sweet wrappers.

Luckily, like a gift from Santa himself, Mark Forsyth is here to unwrap this fundamentally funny gallimaufry of traditions and oddities, making it all finally make sense - in his wonderfully entertaining wordy way.

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