The Art of Manliness The Unexpected Origins of Our Christmas Traditions
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Dec 21, 2022 Brian Earl, host of the podcast Christmas Past and author, dives into the fascinating origins of our holiday traditions. He reveals how Christmas evolved from a minor religious observance to a massive cultural celebration. Listeners learn about the surprisingly recent image of Santa Claus, the reasons behind bringing evergreen trees indoors, and the quirky history of fruitcake. Earl also discusses the decline of quaint traditions like roasting chestnuts and shares tips on rekindling the Christmas spirit in today's festive landscape.
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Christmas's Rise
- Christmas wasn't a major holiday in the West or U.S. until the 19th century.
- Though a Christian holiday, its cultural celebration grew larger than its religious observance.
Early Christmas Observances
- Pre-19th century Christmas celebrations were small religious observances, if celebrated at all.
- Regional differences in the U.S. led to varied celebrations; some areas even banned it.
Victorian Christmas Shift
- Early American Christmases were not always family-centered; some were raucous public events.
- The Victorians shifted Christmas to a domestic holiday, influenced by factors like rail travel.
