As our consumer driven culture knows, Christmas often brings out the worst in our fellow man. In a season where teachings are to pass along wishes of good will and merriment, anxiety and impatience stand as substitutes. Many churches show outrage and fiercely state, “Put Christ back in Christmas,” but the holiday they fight viciously to reclaim to its roots would be unrecognizable in its original form. Before the modern idea of Christmas, historians have found evidence of celebrations in the way of mid-winter festivals. In the opening chapters of his book, Forbes points out those festivals were held throughout Europe even before the existence of Christianity. This way, winter was broken down into two parts. The people had something to look forward to for the first half and the remainder seemed that much shorter. During these celebrations, the preparations would have been a large part of the festivities. Candles, torches and burning logs highlighting the evergreens, pushing back the oppressive darkness, is a scene described in the first chapter. Although much is speculation regarding the exact activities at the bash, feasting and drinking are commonplace at any gala.
Another element that Forbes is quick to point out is the idea of everyone’s favorite holiday icon: Santa Claus. Today, we picture a jolly elf of a man with ruddy cheeks and a rotund figure but many would be surprised to know the legends behind Santa. Saint Nicholas was a real person who lived circa the 4th century in modern-day Turkey. Historically, not much can be verified about the man’s life other than he lived and died around a vague time-period. Many legends involve him being the only child of prosperous parents who wanted to spread his wealth. He delivered bags of gold either down chimneys or into windows of the less fortunate. Saint Nicholas is also rumored to have stilled the raging seas and returned breath to a sailor who had none. This is distinctly different from how we have come to view Jolly Ole St. Nick. As time rolled on, he began to take on the well-known modern form. His visits often brought treats and trinkets to the well-behaved, but left switches or lumps of coal for the naughty children of the villages. Forbes effectively shows how people assimilate cultural traditions while preserving an element of historical truth.
It would be disconcerting to many to hear that Charles Dickens’ famous novella, A Christmas Carol, is primarily responsible for Christmas as we know it today. At the time it was published, 1843, Christmas celebrations had waned. When we view or hear an adaptation of the famous story today, we assume we are witnessing an authentic 19th century English Christmas. This was certainly not the case. Dickens did not reiterate Christmas: he recreated it. For example, today it is standard fare for businesses to be closed on Christmas Day, but during this time, this was simply not the case. The treatment seems cruel to us today, but was ordinary life then. What many people do not notice from the work, is the absence of the baby Jesus’ birth. The only religious element found is when the characters retell their day and mention going to church. Forbes points out that what Dickens was able to do was push the spirit of Christmas. He professed a message that both the religious and secular populations could endorse. Spread goodwill and selflessness and especially remember the less fortunate; this is the basis of the Christmas Spirit that we have come to know.
In this concise volume, Forbes presents age-old questions about Christmas and attempts to shed some light on them in a forthright way. He takes us from the pagan roots of Christmas to the significance of what it has become today. He uses a snowball to illustrate the eclectic nature of Christmas. As with any tradition, different cultures, societies, and periods in time have all added their own interpretations and opinions to the holiday that we know today. Being a pious man as well as an instructor, Forbes investigates the festivities thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned. He recognizes the religious importance but understands the secular influences as well. The book is informative yet entertaining. A compliment to both the craziness and serenity that is Christmas, Forbes definitely did the holiday justice.
