referencebooks

The Christmas Encyclopedia

By William D. Crump

Published by McFarland, 2001.

This is a 7" by 10" hardcover book, running to 346 pages including the bibliography and index, plus the acknowledgments and a preface.

This book would be better titled, An Historical Encyclopedia of Christmas, because most of the entries are about the history behind various Christmas traditions and the celebration of Christmas in different countries, with an emphasis on popular culture.

For an idea of what's here, the first fifteen entries in the "R" sequence, including see references, are:

• Reindeer See Saint Nicholas
  
• Remember the Night
  
• Republic of South Africa See Africa
  
• Resonet in Laudibus See Joseph, Dearest Joseph Mine
  
• Revenge is Sweet See Babes in Toyland
  
• Rich Little's Christmas Carol
  
• The Right to be Happy See A Christmas Carol
  
• Ring Out, Wild Bells
  
• Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
  
• Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
  
• Rocking
  
• Rocking Carol See Rocking
  
• Romania
  
• Rose Bowl See New Year's Day
  
• Rosemary See Christmas Plants
  

The entries are very informative and interesting, but seem to lack what many would like to see in terms of drawing those connections between our popular Christmas traditions and their pagan origins. The Non-Christian European and Classical origins of a few Christmas traditions are acknowledged, but not really explored. That's a decision which in effect denies the reality that Christmas remains mostly a pagan holiday adopted (and tamed) by Christianity. Still, it's a somewhat useful and entertaining book.