Loved, loved this examination of the invention of Christmas traditions--most of which happened in the 19th century. During that space of 100 years, Christmas went from being a rowdy, drunken holiday to one centered around home and family. Some fascinating stuff here that made me keep reading.
But, unfortunately, it is written in the way so many history books are--lots of long quotes, footnotes, and at times, it's pretty dry. This is a story that deserves wider attention (especially in light of our current "Christmas wars"), but this book will never hit the best-seller list.