The Philosophy of Christmas by Caroline Taggart

Caroline Taggart’s The Philosophy of Christmas was my most anticipated read this holiday season. The gorgeous cover captivated my imagination, and I was very eager to see inside, which is why I am so excited to be sharing some of the delights this book had to offer. Get ready for a photo heavy review. But if you are at all concerned that I’ve shown all the best bits. Not to worry! I’m only displaying a fraction of the many gorgeous illustrations to be found inside of this book.

Despite my enthusiasm for this title, as someone who does not gravitate towards nonfiction, I was a bit worried about how I would get on with this book. Would it be one of the books that fall under the category of those I want to like, but are ultimately not for me? My mind was put at ease as soon as I read the introduction. The tone leans more towards the conversational than the textbook and I knew that this was one nonfiction book that I could enjoy with a cup of tea and a mince tart in the evening without overtaxing my tired brain.

I love that the first section is entitled “In the Beginning...” an illusion to the book of Genesis that plays on the multilayered origin of Christmas as being rooted in the Midwinter festival of Saturnalia celebrated by the Ancient Romans and the Winter Solstice celebrations of the Pagans of northern Europe. These celebrations were then adopted by Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. The book goes on to explain the creation of St. Nicholas as a way of redirecting the focus of away from the gods Saturn and Odin, which the festivals of Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice had at the basis of their beliefs.

But before you start to think that this book is just about ancient history, I will assure you that it moves on to sections describing the foods of Christmas and how they developed, the decorations, especially the plants associated with the holiday, greeting cards and how they have changed through the ages, as well as festive entertainments, such as carols and games.

Besides the tone, what really worked for me in this book is that instead of merely starting with the earliest origins of Christmas then working its way through to the present day, it starts with the early origins and then goes through the different subjects mentioned above, while moving back and forth in time. That might sound like it would be confusing, but I assure you, this method goes with the conversational tone of the book, as well as providing a logical progression that feels easy and natural. 

One of the tidbits of information I found interesting was the explanation for how Santa’s elves came about. 

In many northern European cultures elves have long been benevolent characters who work behind the scenes (they help out a poor shoemaker in a story by the Brothers Grimm), so, once you'd decided that Santa must have a workshop in which to produce all those toys, staffing it with elves was a logical thing to do.

The first use of this idea is credited to Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), author of Little Women, who wrote but never published a book called Christmas Elves. But it took off when the influential American magazine Godey's Lady's Book used an image of toymaking elves on the cover of its Christmas issue in 1873. (33)

Like this idea of Santa’s elves, many of the traditions and beliefs surrounding Christmas have grown and developed over time. It’s a fascinating hodgepodge that is ever changing.

At just over 100 pages long, this slim book makes for an enjoyable way to spend an evening, or with its short sections, you could dip in and out of it over a number of days. This slow reader enjoyed it over two evenings, taking time to pour over the beautiful illustrations, which, in addition to the red and white framed sections that had me reaching for the candy canes, and the multicoloured pages of salmon red, light teal, and muted gold, make this book a delight for the eyes. 

I will admit I did know a lot of the history behind the holiday before picking up this book. However, it was through facts I had read and heard over the years and I did not have a book like this on my shelves. The Philosophy of Christmas is so beautiful, I know, I will enjoy it just as much as I did this year in the years to come.

This book is a great jumping off point if you don’t know a lot about the origins of Christmas and want to learn more about how the holiday that is celebrated today has come into being. It has inspired me to find some more books on the subject that go into a little more depth. Caroline Taggart has anticipated just such an event, and in the back of the book you will find a list of the sources she used and titles for further reading on the subject. If anyone has any recommendations for other books one the subject, especially about how the Victorians celebrated Christmas, I would love to hear about them in the comments.

I think this lovely book would make a great gift. It’s a sturdy little hardcover that is small enough to slip into someone’s stocking. You could wrap it in paper or if it’s going in a stocking I would simply add a red ribbon, allowing the plummy purple and gold accented cover to shine.

I’m willing to admit that I caught myself singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, while taking photos these photos. I will also admit, I do not know all the words! That should show you to what extent this book brought out the festive spirit within me. I hope it does the same for you and yours!

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of The Philosophy of Christmas for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

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