Launched in the late-1840s and known as ‘Bangs of Expectation’, Tom Smith’s crackers sparked a whole new Christmas custom, later evolving to include jokes, hats, gifts and jewellery.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden ... because truly Love was born on Christmas Day. The partridge in the pear tree also represents Him because that bird is willing ...

It's hard to imagine now, but at the beginning of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated. Many businesses did not even consider it a holiday. However by the end of the century it had ...

Who invented Christmas? Historian Lucy Worsley traces the roots of Christmas by exploring the Anglo-Saxon tradition, wassailing where people sing to the apple trees to celebrate the winter solstice.

From The London Chronicle, Dec. 26. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Full text is unavailable for this digitized archive article. Subscribers may ...

These visions of the holiday season are potently evoked by one of the most popular, secular Christmas songs of all time: ...