Christmas in America [electronic resource] : A History
Restad, Penne L.
New York ; Oxford : Oxford University Press,
1995.
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 colonia
Description based upon print version of record.
Cover Page; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Foreword; 1 European Inheritances: Christmas in the Colonies; 2 Red-Letter Days: Christmas and the New American Calendar; 3 The Beginnings of a Modern Christmas; 4 Home for Christmas: Family, Religion, and Santa Claus; 5 Home for Christmas: Christmas Trees and Christmas Giving; 6 Christmas in the Slave South; 7 A Holiday for the Nation; 8 A Traditional American Christmas; 9 Gilding Christmas: Gifts, Charity, and Commerce; 10 The American Santa Claus; 11 A Frame of Mind: Christmas in the Twentieth Century; Notes; Index
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 colonia
Description based on print version record.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Christmas -- United States -- History.
United States -- Social life and customs.
Christmas
Anthropology
Social Sciences
Manners & Customs