First read of the Festive Season and this was an enjoyable read.

The book is full of lots of info about Christmas, not just contemporary Christmas but the Christmases of the past too, explaining the origins and how really the date of Jesus birth was decided by Bishops and isnt mentioned in the bible and how what we take for a nativity is not mentioned either with two versions (the poor [shepherd] and the rich [Magi] versions). Christmas replaced pagan festivals like Saturnalia.

The book delves into so many aspects of christmas from the hymns and carols to the Lords of Misrule, Child Bishops, food, christmas plants, party games and the evolution of the Christmas tree (may also be pagan) and it was not Prince Albert who introduced it to the UK but Queen Charlotte! It is a British orientated book.

As enjoyable and interesting as the book is it does get a little repeitive with some people mentioned again and a few pages of recipes for things like Bread Sauce, Brandy Sauce etc.

All in all a great read and fun overview of how our Christmases came to be and the origin of many traditions. Like how what we call mince meat today was actually chock full of meat. That is a mice pie I would happily dodge instead of scoff.