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Four Centuries of Virginia
Christmas
"In the beginning, all America was Virginia." So wrote the colonial aristocrat William Byrd II in
the early part of the eighteenth century. No one at the time thought this statement an idle boast. Educated people knew that
when England laid claim to most of North America in the fifteen hundreds, the colony named for "the Virgin Queen" swept grandly
from Atlantic to Pacific. Never mind that no one had any idea what lay in between those two oceans or that British possession
was more wishful thinking than actuality, the fact remains that most of the United States and even portions of Canada were
once considered part of Virginia. On the edge of this vast Virginia continent, in a forlorn settlement called Jamestown, America's
Christmas celebration began to take shape.
On one level, this is the
story of Virginia's Christmashow its customs evolved from pagan, Roman, English, Dutch, and German precedents and how its
own homegrown traditions developed . But in a larger sense, it is the story of America's Christmas, for the American celebration
is rooted in Virginia.
America started in Virginia. So did its Christmas.
List price $16.95 soft cover
A Note from Mary
America's Christmas started in Virginia?
What about the Pilgrims? Well, if you recall from your history lessons, the Puritans were enemies of Christmas,
going so far as to ban the slightest hint of celebration on that day. In one northern colony, even baking a
mince pie for Christmas dinner brought a stiff fine! But Virginians had no such qualms about the English holiday
they loved so much. It was their way of celebrating it that took hold, spreading north, south, and west to
other American colonies and states, absorbing aspects of the Dutch and German traditions as it grew, until it gradually
became the unique American holiday we enjoy today.
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Reviews and Blurbs
"Engagingly written delightfully illustrated,
and carefully annotated, Four Centuries is a treasury of the history, the anecdotes, the traditions,and the joys of
the keeping of the best of holidays in the splendid Old Dominion." --Dennis
Montgomery, Editor, Colonial Williamsburg Magazine
"The witty and well-researched text explains
how our 'traditional' Christmas came to be. Tracing the customs and traditions of Christmas in Virginia, the book shatters
a few myths along the way." --Diane Dunkley, Director, DAR Museum
"Everyone will enjoy reading about the
wonderful traditions we celebrate in Virginia." --Roxane Gilmore, First
Lady of Virginia
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