I loved listening to this book! The reader's voice was soothing, and the stories and history conjured all sorts of memories of Christmas as a child. Maybe it's because I love Christmas, but I see myself listening to this book as I work for many Christmases to come. Thanks for an excellent audiobook!

As someone who is fascinated by traditions and where they came from, I enjoyed this book. There were some fun facts and a lot of history that I definitely didn’t know.

🌀Synopsis
Ever wondered why fruit cakes are associated with the holidays?

Did you know Rudolph was written after a foggy night in Michigan?

If you’re like me and you hate eggnog but also wonder who was weird enough to think of such a thing, you may enjoy this book. It traipses through history to tell all about the Christmas favorites we know and love (well, mostly love).

“Behind every Christmas tradition is a story — usually, a forgotten one. Each year, as we decorate a tree, build a gingerbread house, and get ready for a visit from St. Nicholas, we’re continuing generations-old narratives, while being largely unaware of their starting chapters. But knowing how these traditions began adds a new level of depth to our Christmas spirit, as well as an arsenal of anecdotes to share at Christmas parties. Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year.”

Normally, I wait until November before breaking out the Holiday Cheer, but I’ll make an exception for this book.

Brian Earl started out as a podcaster. In 2016, he started a ‘cast of the same name, to take long looks at our most beloved holiday traditions. In 2022, he turned it into a 200 page book, highlighting his favourites, as equal parts “nerdy deep-dive, and warm-hearted celebration.”

The audiobook is particularly robust as, not only does Earl, himself, narrate, but he uses actual clips from his podcast (headlines from yesteryear, interviews with experts, poetry, etc.) to bolster the prose.

Really, my only negative note is that the author tends to gloss over the negative. He obviously comes from a childhood of privilege, so #notallchildren, but he also glosses over some pretty un-jolly moments in history when he talks about the “booming Caribbean rum trade.”

Now, this is a secular look, so if you’re looking for The Reason for the Season (no, not Bailey’s Irish Whiskey) you won’t find Him. If, however you’re looking for insider info on everything from St. Nik, mistletoe, and fruitcake (the only reason you don’t like fruitcake is because you haven’t tried MY fruitcake. I will fight you on this), this is your book.

8/10

Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for this festive ARC.