Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th and why was it first celebrated? How, for so many people, did Christmas later come to replace Easter as the central holiday of the Christian year? These are among the questions Prof. Stephen Nissenbaum will discuss in his talk about the shifting history of America's most important holiday, from the Pilgrims to the present.

Stephen Nissenbaum taught U.S. History at UMass/Amherst before retiring to Underhill 20 years ago. He has written books on a variety of topics, including Salem witchcraft, sexual and dietary reform. His Pulitzer Prize finalist, The Battle for Christmas: a Social and Cultural History of America's Favorite Holiday, shows how it was transformed from an unruly carnival season into the quintessential American family holiday.

Sunday, December 17, 1:30 pm
Deborah Rawson Memorial Library
Sponsored by the Underhill Historical Society

Event Info

Dec 30, 2024, 5:30 to 6:30 PM

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