Online Resource of the Week: The History of Christmas

The History of Christmas

OK, so this isn’t a scholarly resource, but in between finishing projects and grading papers it might provide some entertainment. This site is from the History Channel, so you’ll have to put up with some annoying ads, but it provides a multimedia history of the celebration of Christmas, from the tradition of Christmas trees to the importation of Santa Claus to the United States. You can watch a film short of an obviously ailing Babe Ruth playing Santa Claus or a piece on the impromptu Christmas cease fire during the First World War. So grab a cookie and some eggnog and enjoy. [Image: Thomas Nast, "Merry Old Santa Claus," from Harper's Weekly, January 1, 1881.]