Overview

In this delightful sleigh ride through Christmas history, Paul Kerensa answers the festive questions you never thought to ask… Did Cromwell help shape the mince pie? Was St Nicholas the first to use an automatic door? Which classic Christmas crooners were inspired by a Hollywood heatwave? And did King Herod really have a wife called Doris? Whether you mull on wine or enjoy the biggest turkey, the biggest tree or the biggest credit card bill, unwrap your story through our twelve dates of Christmas past. From Roman revelry to singing Bing, via Santa, Scrooge and a snoozing saviour, this timeless tale is perfect trivia fodder for the Christmas dinner table.

Full Product Details

Author:   Paul Kerensa
Publisher:   SPCK Publishing
Imprint:   Lion Books
Edition:   New edition
ISBN:  

9780745980171

ISBN 10:   0745980171
Pages:   288
Publication Date:   22 September 2017
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

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

Reviews

I love Paul, I love Christmas, no surprise I love this book - the perfect stocking filler. -- Miranda Hart If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, and would like to know how you're in this position in the first place - this funny and interesting book could solve both your problems at once. -- Milton Jones

""Christmas sits among us like a familiar member of the family - but its history, as told here, is a story-and-a-half. A brilliant book."" - Jeremy Vine * Source TBC * ""If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, and would like to know how you're in this position in the first place - this funny and interesting book could solve both your problems at once."" - Milton Jones * Source TBC *

"""Christmas sits among us like a familiar member of the family - but its history, as told here, is a story-and-a-half. A brilliant book."" - Jeremy Vine * Source TBC * ""If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, and would like to know how you're in this position in the first place - this funny and interesting book could solve both your problems at once."" - Milton Jones * Source TBC *"

Author Information

Paul Kerensa is an award-winning writer of TV, radio, books and his own stand-up comedy. He is the author of the kids' books Noah's Car Park Ark and Moses and the Exodus Express and co-author of Planet Protectors, all published by SPCK. He is also the author of Hark! The Biography of Christmas — an enlightening sleigh ride through festive history published by Lion. Paul is a regular speaker at Spring Harvest, has toured with the Bible Society and often does gigs at local churches. Paul is part of the British Comedy award-winning writing team for BBC's Miranda and the Rose d-Or Award-winning writing team for BBC1's Not Going Out. He's written for cult shows like C4's TFI Friday and BBC Radio 4's The Now Show and Dead Ringers, as well as mainstream hits like BBC's Top Gear, Buble at the BBC and the BBC Music Awards.

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