CONTENTS Foreword by Chris Evans 10 On my first page of Christmas. 12 Prologos: In the Bleak Midwinter 15 Chapter 1 The First Nowell (4 bc-ad 300) 25 Chapter 2 Roman Holiday (753 bc-ad 325) 49 Chapter 3 Ho Ho Who? (270-1100) 65 Chapter 4 Merrie Olde England (935-1588) 89 Chapter 5 Caves and Carols (1181-1610) 115 Chapter 6 Cancel Christmas (1517-1800) 129 Chapter 7 All is Quiet (1700-1861) 149 Chapter 8 The Night Before (1809-1931) 161 Chapter 9 God Bless Us, Every One (1827-1901) 175 Chapter 10 A Lesson in War (1862-1928) 211 Chapter 11 Through the Marvels of Modern Science (1906-2012) 231 Chapter 12 Bing to Bublé (1934-present) 247 Wrapping Up: Last Christmas. and Next 268 Bibliography 274 The Big Christmas Timeline (Abridged) 276 A Christmas Quiz! 282.
Hark! : The Biography of Christmas