A celebration of Christmas past presents a treasury of holiday decoration tips, letters to Santa, gift suggestions, traditional recipes, and customs that evoke the charm of the Victorian era.

Wouldn’t it be great to understand all our Christmas traditions? Here, Jonathan Green offers the fascinating history behind our most beloved holiday traditions. For example, myrrh is incense made from the resin of a North African bush and was a special gift during biblical times. To the Romans, mistletoe was a symbol of fertility, so today we are encouraged to kiss when it is near. The Yule log was originally used to brighten homes during the dark, cold Scandinavian Christmas season. Packed with all manner of delightful surprises and delicious morsels, A Christmas Miscellany demystifies the origins of familiar festive customs such as caroling and Christmas cards, and entertains with fun, little-known facts. This is the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the curious-minded during the holiday season.