The Hidden History of the Holidays

by Hannah Harvey

Listening Length: 8 hours and 3 minutes

What are the origins of dressing in costume for Halloween? Why did the barbecue grill become an iconic image for Father’s Day?

From Halloween costumes to patriotic parades to belly-busting meals, every holiday tradition tells a unique story—one encoded in symbols and layered meanings that stretch back over the centuries. In 19 lectures, professional storyteller Dr. Hannah B. Harvey takes listeners through the seasons and investigates the surprising stories behind seemingly odd holiday traditions. Dr. Harvey explores the social, political, and performative history of holidays, ranging from Hanukkah and Mardi Gras to Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving, illustrating the way traditions survive across time and cultures.

In these fascinating lectures, Dr. Harvey turns the spotlight on the histories of American and international holidays, and listeners will discover the answers to such questions as

• How did Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria save Christmas from disappearing into obscurity in the 19th century?
• Why is "Auld Lang Syne" considered the "official" song of New Year’s celebrations?
• How did the iconic masculine images of fishing rods, barbecue grills, and lying in hammocks become synonymous with Father’s Day?
• Why should we thank ancient Rome’s Romulus and Remus for Valentine’s Day?
• To what cultures do we owe such loveable creatures as Easter bunnies and spring-predicting groundhogs?
• Why did Puritans seek to stamp out Christmas celebrations in America?
• How are the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria and today’s April Fool’s Day alike?

The Hidden History of Holidays is an eye-opening and entertaining look at what makes these festive celebrations so pervasive and powerful. By the end of these lectures, listeners will never think about greeting cards, broomsticks, or barbecues in the same way again.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Christmas, Holiday, The World, Historical

9 pages, Audible Audio

Published November 19, 2019

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cried over the Mother's Day thing.
God, it's been more than 30 years and I still miss my mom.



I kind of figured I knew a lot of the hidden histories, but it turns out I didn't know as much as I thought. That's...not all that surprising. I tend to think I know more than I really do on any given day.
But even with my track record of ignorance, I was still surprised by how much I learned. And I came out of this thing with a whole new appreciation of holidays and the history behind them.



Ok, so Hannah Harvey starts with Christmas and works her way around the year to all the big (mostly) American holidays. Or I guess I should say that she gives us the background on why we celebrate the holidays the way we do in America.
And can I just say it was nice to hear a Southern accent from one of these professors?
Which means there is a southern flare to quite a few of her stories, and she leans very heavily into her own Southern heritage in these lectures.
I mean, I wasn't upset by the story of her husband shooting groundhogs on their farm. But her storytelling style may not be for everyone.
Happy Groundhog Day! <--I birthed a child on this glorious holiday, btw



Harvey does a deeper dive than I thought she would with such a short lecture and really opened up a whole new world of backstory that I had never heard of before.
Did you know that Christmas was initially banned in the US?
Holidays that weren't specifically mentioned in the Bible were considered sacrilegious.
Man, our Puritans were even weirder than I thought. Like, there were Puritans, and then there were the Puritans that hopped on a boat and landed in New England.
The UK should really thank its lucky stars that they had cruise ships willing to offload those wacky bastards on an unsuspecting continent.



Fun lecture! Though, I could have lived without her "performances" of all the stories she told. That sort of thing kind of gives me the ick for whatever reason. Your personal milage will vary.
Recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really really wanted to love this, since it's right up my proverbial alley. Not sure if it was the lecturer's voice, or the random asides from her own, I'm sure wonderful, Appalachian upbringing. It was EXTREMELY North American centric with really only delving into the backgrounds for pretty US specific holidays. Whilst all holidays seem to come from some pre-Christian pagan rituals, they were strongly European in sourcing. There are sooooo many others out there that hardly made any mention. Not even Chinese lunar new year!!

The information presented on the US holidays was pretty extensive, if a bit Christian in orientation. As if the secularization, or even a veering away from some fundamental position, of holidays was a bad thing. Awareness that there may be other opinions was not given an overly prominent consideration.

A bit disappointing, but will give The Great Courses another go.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the author/narrator is certainly entertaining, I am left suspecting the veracity of everything she says.

So here's my issue: I only listened to the first three chapters. I listened to those chapters at 2.25x speed and while halfway absorbed in something else. Despite this, I still noticed two factual inaccuracies.

1) Julius Caesar did not name the month of August after himself. It was named after Augustus in 8 BC (well after Julius Caesar's death). I realize she was telling a joke, but this is a lecture series. Her jokes still need to be accurate.

2) "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was not written as a mnemonic device meant to help persecuted Catholic children learn their catechism. Hannah Harvey says, "there are several Catholic connections for the song. The one you may be most familiar with is that, because at this time in history Catholics were under persecution in England, the song served as a symbolic catechism for remembering your faith. God is the true love and the symbols are as follows." She then goes on to list the supposed symbols in the rest of the song. Snopes says she's wrong: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/twe...

This second error is far more egregious than the first since it is a key topic in her lesson: Christmas Carols and Traditions. Yet she spouts it off as fact alongside everything else. This audiobook is a lecture in the Great Courses series. The listener expects Hannah Harvey's information to be accurate. They expect her to be an authority on the subject; she obviously isn't.

Finding two errors while casually listening to this audiobook left me certain there were more. Sure enough, another reviewer noted a third error. Hannah Harvey says, "there's a famous story about how during World War I there was a time of truce at Christmas. And American soldiers heard German carols wafting over the cold night air." Problem? The Christmas truce was in 1914. The United States didn't enter the war until 1917. Perhaps British soldiers heard these carols; it's exceedingly unlikely that American ones did.

So there's three errors in the first 3 of 19 lessons. I'm certain there are many more.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sort of book that you ought to listen to slowly, over the course of a year, as each new holiday occurs. It’s packed full of trivia about holiday celebrations and how they originated. It’s more for fun than deep thought, but who doesn’t need a little more fun in their lives?

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author works to find the origins of holiday celebrations. She does a good job of tying together pagan and religious celebrations, as well linking most of the holidays to a seasonal calendar. The book is a little dated as Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 (she still refers to it as a regional/state holiday). She also says it's the tryptophan in turkey that makes us sleepy (recently shown to not be the cause of our Thanksgiving naps), and she quotes the myth that the turkey was proposed to be our national bird. That's not true either. So for a historian, she does still fall back on myths. My advice is to listen to the book as it's easy listening, and then do more research to confirm some of the things she says.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from this! It was really interesting and I appreciate that she included so many details from multiple cultures. This was a very American-centric take on holidays (in that it really only covered the holidays we celebrate here), so if you're looking for something that discusses holidays from around the globe, this isn't it.

Hannah was an excellent storyteller and an engaging teacher. I'll definitely go back and re-listen to some of it when I've forgotten details.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

One of the longest great courses I listened to, and maybe one of my potential favourites. I love to learn more about holidays, both on the pagan and religious sides! I loved that it was chronological, starting from Christmas to Thanksgiving.
At some point, I lost track because some of the holidays aren't celebrated in my country; still, I had a good time and would still like to learn more!

[April Lundquist · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, what to say about this book.

-If you're only going to talk about euro-centric holidays, MARKET IT THAT WAY.

-I listened to this book and was not expecting a fictional narration experience. I felt like a child at story time. Wtf?

-It's obvious this woman is a christian. And when I'm reading a nonfiction book, I SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL.

-I love how Thanksgiving is mentioned yet the slaughter, rape, crop burns, business destruction, and genocide of Indigenous Peoples are not. If you're going to share about a holiday, do it in its full truth or not at all.

I AM SO SICK OF WHITE-WASHED CHRISTIAN-CENTERED PROPAGANDA.

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down because of the strong biases of the lectures, both towards her Christian beliefs and the Confederacy in the civil war. For example, I still know little about the history of Santa, but I know details about how Joseph responded to when he learned Mary was pregnant. The author is a performance scholar and while I understand her premise that holidays are a form of performance, it doesn't mean a performance academic is actually the best person to discuss the "hidden" history (emphasis on history) of the holidays.

[Jonas Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this one up last year, after all of the holidays were past. Just got to it and I loved the history and the storytelling aspect that Dr. Harvey brings to her work. Would read more from her and set to repeat.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lectures about the origins and historical practices of holidays. I started with Christmas, intending to just listen to those lectures, but continued on because of how enjoyable it was.

[Anastasiya M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curiosity about familiar traditions turned into a genuinely absorbing listening experience that reshaped how holidays were viewed altogether. The premise dug into the strange, layered origins behind celebrations most of us take for granted, from costumes and parades to food rituals and greeting cards. The tone stayed warm, curious, and quietly witty, making history feel alive rather than dusty. It explored how culture, power, religion, and performance all collided to create traditions that somehow survived centuries of change.

The structure worked beautifully, moving through the calendar in a way that felt natural and easy to follow. Each section built on the last without feeling repetitive, and the pacing kept things lively while still allowing ideas to sink in. Even without traditional characters, the storytelling created strong emotional beats by tying customs to real human needs like belonging, rebellion, remembrance, and joy. Some of the history was familiar, but several details caught me completely off guard and made me pause and rethink things I thought I already understood. It also felt like one of those listens people might benefit from before diving into heated holiday debates, because context really did change everything.

What stood out most was how well it delivered on its promise to make everyday traditions feel richer and more meaningful. Classic tropes like reclaiming forgotten histories, peeling back myth versus reality, and uncovering the political roots beneath cheerful surfaces were handled with care rather than cynicism. By the end, holidays no longer felt like random traditions but like stories we kept retelling, whether we realized it or not. It was informative without being heavy, thoughtful without being preachy, and left me both entertained and quietly smug with new facts ready for the next dinner table discussion.

Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....

[Klee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating audiobook explores the origins, evolution, and cultural significance of American holidays, offering a deep dive into the ways celebrations blend sacred and secular traditions. Hannah Harvey presents an engaging narrative as part of "The Great Courses" on audible, that examines how holidays provide continuity, symbolism, and sometimes even tension management in society.

With a focus on American observances, Harvey uncovers surprising historical connections - how Christmas and Hanukkah reflect cultural blending, why St. Patrick’s Day is more American than Irish, and how Mother’s Day was originally tied to activism. Lesser-known details, like the maritime roots of the New Year’s Eve ball drop or the German origins of Groundhog Day, add rich layers to familiar traditions. Throughout, there’s a recurring theme of how Puritans often sought to suppress festivities, contrasting with modern-day commercialism and performative celebrations.

A particular highlight was the discussion on Juneteenth, emphasising how the delay in news of emancipation shaped its legacy. From the Saturnalian roots of Mardi Gras to the confetti researcher studying New Year’s Eve, the audiobook is packed with intriguing tidbits. Harvey’s storytelling makes it both informative and delightful, and I’m glad the Bookstagram community led me to this choice. A must-listen for history lovers!

[Lindsay Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to these lectures to wind down at bedtime, and they were fine for that purpose - just interesting enough. The author specializes in storytelling and oral history, and these were presented in that fashion, each one even started with random people talking about how they experienced these holidays. The people weren't named, but their accents gave them away as southerners.
All the lectures were heavily influenced by the author's background and personal experience as a Southern Christian in the US. Growing up on the edge of the South, I knew about some of these customs and found it interesting to learn more about them. A better title would be "The Hidden History of Holidays in the South" or "A Southern History of Holidays", then people would have a better idea of what to expect. There were some things that the author is wrong about historically but correct in the sense that many people in the South believe these stories to be true.
This was what I would expect if I went to a public library presentation for an audience ranging from kindergarteners to grandparents. I enjoyed it, but a more suitable title would prevent people from wasting their time when they're actually looking for something more.

[Gregory Eakins · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Hidden History of the Holidays is a series of lectures covering some of the long lost origins of modern (mostly Western) holidays. The big ones like Christmas, Mother's Day, and New Year's are covered here.

It's a mildly entertaining listen, and Harvey is a good narrator, but there were a couple of factual things that stood out to me as questionable, and after a brief internet search, I discovered that they were just plain wrong. For example, if you search for, "the twelve days of christmas persecuted catholics" you'll get a Snopes article on the first page that debunks one of her major claims about that holiday. Another incorrect claim was that tryptophan is the cause of the post-turkey sleepiness of Thanksgiving.

The smattering of facts that sounded like they were pulled from a forwarded email chain made me question the merits of the author. I thought that Hannah Harvey might have a relevant background in something like Holidayology (or history, maybe), but instead, she holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies, which makes sense, because this lecture series felt like it leaned more towards entertainment rather than academics.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty middle of the road for me. Some of the chapters were interesting, with heretofore unknown to me origins of holidays that I found fascinating. I didn’t know about the quarter and cross-quarter associations, and found that interesting as well. But many of the holiday entries felt uninteresting, bland, or simply too lengthy. I also didn’t much care for the narrator’s embellishments and voices. I know storytelling is her profession, but in this context of “lectures”, it felt weird.

I noticed, as others have mentioned before me, that several of her facts seemed off, which throws into question the validity of the rest of her research. But honestly, given that I’m not using this as my own research, it doesn’t matter that much in the end. This was my first great courses book, and I’m not sure if I’ll give any others a try. I love to learn new things, but this didn’t capture and hold my attention well.

[Gregg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine a college elective on holidays—it would cover history, culture, social science, agriculture, economics, biology, mythology, theology, astronomy, anthropology, etc. al. via the lens of our cultural holidays. If imagining such an elective is too taxing, you could just take this course since it exists. In addition to over-arching background on holidays. This collection of lectures provides insights and background into every major—and some minor—holidays. I plan to start reviewing some of these lectures prior to each holiday and making more of an effort towards some of these traditions. There is much to teach my kids and some benefits to marking time through these rituals. Highly recommended! 4-stars.

[GoBeIt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, but decidedly uneven. I began listening for just the next holiday, and intended to proceed at that pace through the year, but some later lectures referenced earlier lectures in a way that made me think it might be best to not let months pass between listening to them. So parts were great, some slightly tedious, and for me, some were derailed by the author-narrator’s detours into personal stories. I think this is a collection that was trying to be for every possible audience, rather than a specific one, and so the tone and content shift in ways that kept losing my interest. 2.5 stars.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the aims of this title but I'm skeptical of some of the connections made by the author. I'll use the example of Lupercalia here. In a Roman History course I'd taken in college in Spring 2012, I vividly remember being introduced to that feast day because it was so strange and asking my professor if it had anything to do with our modern celebration of Valentine's day. My professor, who has a PhD in this stuff, said there wasn't a definitive connection and that any relation between Lupercalia and Valentine's day is speculative. It feels like the author is taking the leap in many of her lectures asserting that coincidence is fact.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be titled 'Euro-Christian Holidays in the US.' As such, it's not bad, although the constant references to the Appalachian area where the author is from get to be a bit much. As some reviewers point out, there are factual errors; I noticed the August one (named after Augustus Ceasar not Julius Ceasar) and a few other things seemed suspicious to me, but I didn't make note of them.

I really didn't care for the chapter openers with random people (her family?) sharing personal comments about that chapter's holiday. I did appreciate how honest it was about how tied our holidays in the US are to retail industries.

[Mark Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mostly enjoyed this Great Courses book and then read a few reviews that pointed out some blatantly false information presented as fact. There's interesting tidbits in here to be sure, but Great Courses needs to do some fact checking and editing and release a new edition to fix this. I expect better from a brand like Great Courses and Audible.

Just to back up my claims, the most egregious error is the reference about the 12 Days of Christmas song. Here's the Snopes article that another reviewer so helpfully provided:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/twe...

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short accessible history of America's major holidays. Entertaining. I wanted s little more about some other holidays common in the US, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and Chinese New Year. These were all mentioned but not explored as deeply, as say, Ground Hogs Day or May Day.

One aspect I liked of the tone is just how arbitrary everything is. Traditions only need to exist for one generation to have the feeling and meaning of being old. But the arbitrary symbols and practices must fulfill a psychological need.

[Michele Cacano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting with the alliteration of this title and author's name, I was hooked.

I've always been interested in the history and origins of culture, language, and customs. I've read about a fair bit of this subject, and I still learned many things I didn't know. I was particularly surprised by some of the origins of Christmas- how did I not know how much Dickens and the Queen had to do with it?

The book starts and ends at Christmas, following the Wheel of the Year for 19 chapters. I will probably be referencing this book forever.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent detail. Interesting living histories mixed with historical fact and legend. Some holidays the author focused on her own family's history and traditions more than I enjoyed. My teen and preteen didn't enjoy this much. But listening to each holiday as it occurred in the calendar month gave them a learning opportunity without the frustration of listening to this author in too long doses. She has a pleasant voice; easy to hear in the caror over head phones. Worth a listen to expand understanding of holidays in the USA.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one has quite a few errors in it, and I found the constant mention of the author’s upbringing a little off topic for a great courses plus series. Sometimes it was worth mentioning, but others it felt like an unnecessary inclusion.

All in, I found myself bored and wishing it was over after the Christmas chapter, and that says a lot as Christmas is my least favorite. I stuck with it to see if it got better, but it really didn’t. Bummer.

[Rebee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of her information was wrong and her research seems to have come primarily from a small handful of sources. But it was otherwise a nice introduction to American Holiday traditions. I was surprised by the insight that the more popular and important holidays are traditionally the cross quarter holidays...

[Phil Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fascinating! I loved it. If you’re the type of person that enjoys history, the origins of traditions, useless trivia to tell at parties, seeing how the sausage is made, or sausage (period) you’ll love this set of lectures.

It’s remarkable how new most of our holiday traditions are. It was also fascinating to learn about some of the holidays I don’t celebrate as well. 👍👍

[Danielle L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book rich in history of holidays, why, how, and when. why does the new year's ball drop? why fireworks on 4th of July? even why Mayday isn't really celebrated in the US. The author/ reader is enthusiastic about the subject and it shows. it does get a bit dry here and there which is why it's short a star.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic trip through a year’s worth of holidays. The research is obvious and the author references/recommends other books with which to continue exploring the topic. Well done and worth the listen.

[Angela N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and interesting. I wonder about some of the history as it was different than what I have heard from other sources but I haven’t researched it. Probably more fun to only listen to the pertinent chapters in the season rather than listen to the whole class straight through.