What do you think?
Rate this book
Christmas Spirit
From the origins of jingle bells and mistletoe to recipes for delicious Christmas treats, this is a wonderful celebration of the holiday season with prayers, poems, carols, traditions, legend, lore, even daily readings for Advent and Epiphany.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1999
1 person is currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
George Grant
194 books215 followersDr. George Grant is an evangelical educator recognized by a Tennessee newspaper “Review Appeal” as the one who “lives and breathes” education.
Grant is known as a reformed scholar and evangelical activist who hopes to promote sound Christian doctrine, seeking honest answers to honest questions, developing true spirituality and experiencing the beauty of human relationships.
He founded Franklin Classical School, located in Franklin, Tennessee and the King’s Meadow Study Center, which seeks to help the modern church to develop a practical cultural expression of a Christian worldview in art, music, literature, politics, social research, community development and education.
Grant has also produced numerous writings of more than 60 works on the topics relating to theology, school curriculum, arts, fiction and politics.
Grant is known as a reformed scholar and evangelical activist who hopes to promote sound Christian doctrine, seeking honest answers to honest questions, developing true spirituality and experiencing the beauty of human relationships.
He founded Franklin Classical School, located in Franklin, Tennessee and the King’s Meadow Study Center, which seeks to help the modern church to develop a practical cultural expression of a Christian worldview in art, music, literature, politics, social research, community development and education.
Grant has also produced numerous writings of more than 60 works on the topics relating to theology, school curriculum, arts, fiction and politics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 21, 2021
I loved this book! It is simple, but contains just enough of everything you might want to know about Christmas to get you started, or to introduce you to something to learn more about. I wanted to read it for the explanations and ideas of traditions, but I came away with such a deeper respect and love for the carols and poetry of Christmas. (Oh my goodness, those "O Antiphons"! And G. K. Chesterton's Christmas poems!!) I checked this out at the library, but I didn't wait very long before buying one of the very few "very good" used copies online in order to keep it. I plan on skimming this book every Christmas for fresh reminders and inspiration.
January 6, 2023
This book has helped infuse more meaning into the Holiday season for me. Because of it, today will be my first time celebrating the Epiphany with friends.
December 24, 2023
A SAMPLING OF HOLIDAY TRADITIONS, OBSERVANCES, RITUALS, ETC.
Authors George Grant and Gregory Wilbur wrote in the Introduction to this 1999 book, “This anthology is an attempt to recapture the delectable essence of the season by gathering together in one place a sampling of all those elements of our most cherished holiday traditions, observance, and rituals to the observations of the wisest men and women of the ages on their essential meaning and significance. Here are all the whys and wherefores of mistletoe, plum pudding, holly and ivy, Advent wreaths, nativity scenes, caroling sleigh rides, Christmas trees, jingle bells, Pascha, wassailing, Twelfth Night, twinkling lights, Noel, gift giving, and Saint Nick. Each chapter profiles a particular aspect of the holiday season---which moves from the preparation of Advent, the celebration of Christmastide, and the reflection of Epiphany---and some of the great stories, carols, feasts, and traditions that… best exemplifies its essential spirit. The poetry, epigrams, quotations, and excerpts are not merely anthologized illustrations. They are instead definitive---of both the season and the spirit. Our aim is to reassert the substantiveness of our celebrations. It is to recover meaning. It is to revitalize our holidays by reviving their truest intent and deepest significance. Ours is a desire for a rediscovery of the profound joy of the ‘Christmas Spirit’ rather than the mere visceral pleasure of the ‘happy holidays.’” (Pg. 12)
They note that for G.K. Chesterton, “Christmas joy was undiminished by either the materialists who wished to over-commercialize the celebration or the methodologists who wished to over-rationalize it. Instead, Chesterton embraced Yuletide traditions and the thundering truth that they invariably teach us… For him, the commemoration of history’s most glorious advent, incarnation, and epiphany called for a radical kind of rearrangement of life that fully reflected its true import. Thus, Chesterton celebrated.” (Pg. 38-39)
They explain, “Christians have celebrated the incarnation and nativity of the Lord Jesus on December 25 since at least the early part of the third century… By 336… Christmas Day was already a venerable and tenured tradition. Though there is no historical evidence that Christ was actually born on that day---indeed, whatever evidence there is points to altogether different occasions---the conversion of the old Pagan tribes of Europe left a gaping void where the ancient winter cult festivals were once held. It was both culturally convenient and envangelically expedient to exchange one for the other. And so joy replaced desperation… Christmas feasts replaced new moon sacrifices.” (Pg. 103)
They observe, “Nicholas of Myra (c. 288-354), the fourth century pastor who inspired the tradition of Santa Claus, may not have lived at the North Pole or traveled by reindeer and sleigh but he certainly was a paradigm of graciousness, generosity, and Christian charity. His great love and concern for children drew him into a crusade that ultimately resulted in protective Imperial statutes that remained in place in Byzantium for more than a thousand years.” (Pg. 147)
They continue, “The transformation of St. Nicholas into Santa Claus is rooted in a number of intertwined traditions, legends and archetypes. But perhaps more than any other sources, the advertising of soft drink manufacturer Coca Cola and the holiday cartoons of New York newspaperman Thomas Nas[t] have profoundly shaped our perception. Cola Cola’s serving trays, signage, and print ads popularized the Nas[t] caricature of a rotund, jolly, fur-draped, gift-laden, and unbidden visitor who pops down chimneys and distributes gifts to children all over the world. Alas, thus stripped of his pastoral function and parish proximity, Santa has become almost fairy-like in his mythic proportions.” (Pg. 152)
This book may interest those studying the traditions of Christmas.
Authors George Grant and Gregory Wilbur wrote in the Introduction to this 1999 book, “This anthology is an attempt to recapture the delectable essence of the season by gathering together in one place a sampling of all those elements of our most cherished holiday traditions, observance, and rituals to the observations of the wisest men and women of the ages on their essential meaning and significance. Here are all the whys and wherefores of mistletoe, plum pudding, holly and ivy, Advent wreaths, nativity scenes, caroling sleigh rides, Christmas trees, jingle bells, Pascha, wassailing, Twelfth Night, twinkling lights, Noel, gift giving, and Saint Nick. Each chapter profiles a particular aspect of the holiday season---which moves from the preparation of Advent, the celebration of Christmastide, and the reflection of Epiphany---and some of the great stories, carols, feasts, and traditions that… best exemplifies its essential spirit. The poetry, epigrams, quotations, and excerpts are not merely anthologized illustrations. They are instead definitive---of both the season and the spirit. Our aim is to reassert the substantiveness of our celebrations. It is to recover meaning. It is to revitalize our holidays by reviving their truest intent and deepest significance. Ours is a desire for a rediscovery of the profound joy of the ‘Christmas Spirit’ rather than the mere visceral pleasure of the ‘happy holidays.’” (Pg. 12)
They note that for G.K. Chesterton, “Christmas joy was undiminished by either the materialists who wished to over-commercialize the celebration or the methodologists who wished to over-rationalize it. Instead, Chesterton embraced Yuletide traditions and the thundering truth that they invariably teach us… For him, the commemoration of history’s most glorious advent, incarnation, and epiphany called for a radical kind of rearrangement of life that fully reflected its true import. Thus, Chesterton celebrated.” (Pg. 38-39)
They explain, “Christians have celebrated the incarnation and nativity of the Lord Jesus on December 25 since at least the early part of the third century… By 336… Christmas Day was already a venerable and tenured tradition. Though there is no historical evidence that Christ was actually born on that day---indeed, whatever evidence there is points to altogether different occasions---the conversion of the old Pagan tribes of Europe left a gaping void where the ancient winter cult festivals were once held. It was both culturally convenient and envangelically expedient to exchange one for the other. And so joy replaced desperation… Christmas feasts replaced new moon sacrifices.” (Pg. 103)
They observe, “Nicholas of Myra (c. 288-354), the fourth century pastor who inspired the tradition of Santa Claus, may not have lived at the North Pole or traveled by reindeer and sleigh but he certainly was a paradigm of graciousness, generosity, and Christian charity. His great love and concern for children drew him into a crusade that ultimately resulted in protective Imperial statutes that remained in place in Byzantium for more than a thousand years.” (Pg. 147)
They continue, “The transformation of St. Nicholas into Santa Claus is rooted in a number of intertwined traditions, legends and archetypes. But perhaps more than any other sources, the advertising of soft drink manufacturer Coca Cola and the holiday cartoons of New York newspaperman Thomas Nas[t] have profoundly shaped our perception. Cola Cola’s serving trays, signage, and print ads popularized the Nas[t] caricature of a rotund, jolly, fur-draped, gift-laden, and unbidden visitor who pops down chimneys and distributes gifts to children all over the world. Alas, thus stripped of his pastoral function and parish proximity, Santa has become almost fairy-like in his mythic proportions.” (Pg. 152)
This book may interest those studying the traditions of Christmas.
December 30, 2023
This book was great for kindling a true Christmas spirit. I must admit I skipped over a lot of the poetry, hymns, and recipes and such. I enjoyed learning about the origins of traditions and prominent early figures in the faith. It struck me how many traditions were born from great suffering-juxtaposed with our current struggles to find the true meaning of Christmas in our relative material prosperity and freedom. I hope to reread during a season when my mind and time are more conducive to reflecting on the prayers and poems.
January 16, 2020
The title accurately describes what the book provides: joyous stories, carols, holiday menus, and traditions of the Christmas season. It includes Christian calendar readings from the Bible with historical and cultural stories of Christians through the ages.
Amy and I very much enjoyed reading this through in the mornings after breakfast together!
Amy and I very much enjoyed reading this through in the mornings after breakfast together!
September 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this book and plan to keep it out during the advent/christmas season. I am excited to read the origin stories of the Christmas tree, St. Nicholas, and King Wenceslas to Silas this Christmas.
It has traditional poetry, hymns, scripture readings, traditions, etc. that will definitely enrich my Christmas season. I highly recommend!
It has traditional poetry, hymns, scripture readings, traditions, etc. that will definitely enrich my Christmas season. I highly recommend!
December 7, 2024
Great little book on the forgotten origins of the Christmas traditions we all know. The authors also included many traditional prayers, readings, poems, and songs for the whole Yuletide season.
January 15, 2023
This is designed to be more of a coffee table or reference book, with tons of facts, quotes, hymns, poems, and recipes listed back-to-back in various sections. I really enjoyed the history of certain Christmas or Advent traditions, and I copied several rich poems and hymns I'd never encountered before into a Word document for personal/devotional use. However, reading the book straight through, as I did, does not seem to be its design. It might make a fun companion to home school morning times during Advent!
March 11, 2009
We love this book! Our favorite Christmas book. It has been a huge help to our family as we try to recover the church calendar. Lots of stories, songs, quotes, recipes, traditions...gotta have it!
Want to read
November 22, 2009Recommended in a comment on this femina blog post: http://femina.reformedblogs.com/2008/...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews