Review: Very Well Researched and Lots of Holiday Ideas
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 23, 2011
"The Everything Christmas Book" is a trip down memory lane and a good place to pick up some holiday traditions. This book reminded me of Christmas hymns we sung as children and also reminded me of Christmas traditions I've participated in over the years.  We used to play Secret Santa and it was always fun. I also remember pulling crackers when I lived in Africa. We had some English traditions.Some of the most interesting sections of this book are the chapters on the history of Christmas and how Christmas is celebrated around the world. You may be surprised by the many pagan origins of your favorite Christmas traditions. You may be surprised that the Yule Log Cake you love was actually inspired by real logs that were burned in celebration of the sun. I was also surprised that Christmas was outlawed in some countries in the past. Other things I found interesting was the story about why we hang up stockings on the fireplace.Christmas is the main theme of this book but the author also briefly discusses the eight days of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Ramadan.There are also several stories and poems that can be read at Christmas time. I especially enjoyed reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" which is perfect to read to kids.Some of the fun things about this book are the craft projects. And let's not forget all the lovely recipes! If you have never made a fruitcake this book has three recipes.  There is also a recipe for Fudge, Wassail and Gingerbread Men.A special section explains how to prepare for guests to make their visit comfortable. There are also some safety tips and decorating tips to make the holiday season safe.This book is especially well researched and perfect to read a few weeks before Christmas, preferably while Christmas music is playing.~The Rebecca Review