Have you ever wondered why we put up Christmas trees? Why we celebrate Jesus’ birth on Dec. 25? How the tradition of Santa Claus really got started?
If so, then this week’s special Christmas edition of Off The Grid Radio is for you. Our guest is Ace Collins, the author of the book Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas, which explores the fascinating background of more than 20 Christmas traditions – traditions in which we all participate, even if we don’t know exactly why.
Collins tells us:
- How Christmas landed on Dec. 25, even if it likely isn’t the real date for Christ’s birth.
- Why many Christians around the world didn’t even celebrate Jesus’ birth for 1,800 years.
- How World War II transformed Christmas into a month-long shopping extravaganza.
- Why Christmas, at one point in history, was bemoaned as a “Mardi Gras on steroids.”
- How the tradition of Santa helped spark a renewed interest in celebrating Jesus’ birth.
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Collins also explains how a 19th-century poem turned Christmas into the holiday we celebrate today, and why the practice of giving gifts grew exponentially in the past 150 years. And, he gives us the background for why we put lights on the trees.
If you enjoy Christmas, history and – as Paul Harvey would say – the “rest of the story,” then you won’t want to miss this week’s show!