About the book
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • Drawing on a wealth of research, this \"fascinating\" book (The New York Times Book Review) charts the invention of our current Yuletide traditions, from St. Nicholas to the Christmas tree and, perhaps most radically, the practice of giving gifts to children.
Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor \"wassailers extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Stephen Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas's carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.
Bursting with detail, filled with subversive readings of such seasonal classics as \"A Visit from St. Nicholas” and A Christmas Carol, The Battle for Christmas captures the glorious strangeness of the past even as it helps us better understand our present.
Editions of The Battle for Christmas
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780679412236
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780679740384
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307760227
Read an Excerpt
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • Drawing on a wealth of research, this \"fascinating\" book (The New York Times Book Review) charts the invention of our current Yuletide traditions, from St. Nicholas to the Christmas tree and, perhaps most radically, the practice of giving gifts to children.
Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor \"wassailers extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Stephen Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas's carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.
Bursting with detail, filled with subversive readings of such seasonal classics as \"A Visit from St. Nicholas” and A Christmas Carol, The Battle for Christmas captures the glorious strangeness of the past even as it helps us better understand our present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Battle for Christmas about?
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • Drawing on a wealth of research, this \"fascinating\" book (The New York Times Book Review) charts the invention of our current Yuletide traditions, from St. Nicholas to the Christmas tree and, perhaps most radically, the practice of giving gifts to children.
Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor \"wassailers extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Stephen Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas's carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.
Bursting with detail, filled with subversive readings of such seasonal classics as \"A Visit from St. Nicholas” and A Christmas Carol, The Battle for Christmas captures the glorious strangeness of the past even as it helps us better understand our present.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Battle for Christmas?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of The Battle for Christmas?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780679412236
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Battle for Christmas?
Stephen Nissenbaum
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Battle for Christmas is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780679412236) and paperback(ISBN 9780679740384) and ebook(ISBN 9780307760227)
Where can I buy The Battle for Christmas online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Battle for Christmas from below
Where can I buy The Battle for Christmas?