In some respects, the contrasts of Christmas are what make it the most delightful time of the year. It is a time of generosity, kindness and peace on earth, with broad permission to indulge in food, drink and gifts. On the other hand, Christmas has become a battleground for raging culture wars, marred by debates about how it should be celebrated and acknowledged as a uniquely Christian holiday. This text argues that much of the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's core character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe's Christianization, this history explains that the true "reason for the season" has as much to do with the earth's movement around the sun as with the birth of Christ. Chapters chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the holiday appears so separated from traditional Christian beliefs.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year--or at least we want it to be. Too often our celebration of Jesus' birthday is overwhelmed by bright lights and tinsel, overspending and overeating, plus constant chatter about a "war on Christmas." Can't we do better than this? There are two Christmases. One is sacred. One is secular. The two have clashed in one "culture war" or another for 1,700 years. Christmas is not (as some falsely claim) a pagan holiday, but pagan-influenced traditions are part of the seasonal clutter. Keeping Christmas is about helping you find joy in a season of excess and strife. Part survival guide, part history, part cultural commentary, and all laced with spiritual reflection, this book is about how you can celebrate in ways that are most meaningful to you and your family. It's not easy to thread your way through the Christmas maze. But if Ebenezer Scrooge could learn to keep Christmas well, so can you. Maybe it's time to reinvent Christmas. Maybe we can get it right this time.

A guide to hundreds of symbols associated with 224 popular holidays from around the world, covering foods, places, people, legends, and other aspects.

Three sexy and sizzling-hot holiday stories... Tuscan Nights by Farrah Rochon It's not the breathtaking scenery that brings Aiden Williams to Italy for Christmas—it's gorgeous pastry chef Nyla Thompson. Five years ago, Aiden's older brother was fool enough to let Nyla go. Now a mature and sexy Aiden is determined to turn their Italian fling into everlasting amore... Christmas Tango by Terra Little Professional dancer Wendy Kincaid thinks she knows her best friend, Frazier Abernathy, inside out. But he's got a season of surprises in store for the woman he's always desired, leading to a sensual rendezvous, where he'll raise the stakes in an all-out merry seduction... Tied Up in Tinsel by Velvet Carter Entertainment agent Landis Keates is stunned to learn that his old college classmate is now an international singing sensation! Back then, he was too clueless to notice Brooke Lynn Samuels. Now a friend's winter wedding in picturesque Bridgehampton is the perfect backdrop to a very intimate Yuletide reunion...