Words Christmas Gave Us by Grace Tierney

Pages: 223

Publisher: Wordfoolery Press

Release Date: September 9, 2024

 

Blurb

“Words Christmas Gave Us” unwraps the stories behind the season, via festive words from advent to yule and grinch to scurryfunge.

This book, the third in the series, explores the influence of Greeks, Romans, Vikings, Tudors, Dickens, and of course Santa Claus on worldwide traditions, merry music, decorations, feasts, and more. Discover why Jean-Paul Sartre wrote a nativity play, when Jingle Bells was sung in space, who gave us gingerbread houses, what Christmas decoration used to contain false teeth, and how a newspaper typo started Santa tracking.

Pull on your Santa hat, make a wish, and dive into the words and history of Christmas.

Ideal for word geeks, Christmas enthusiasts, and anybody who’s ever said Bah Humbug or Ho Ho Ho.

 

Review

Words Christmas Gave Us, is, as the title and the blurb suggest a book all about words about and relating to Christmas. Over the course of thirteen chapters with titles ranging from Christmas Feasting to Salmangundi a host of Christmas-related words and customs, presented in alphabetical order within each chapter, are introduced and explained.

While that description of this book is accurate, it doesn’t do the wonders you’ll find on its pages justice. By the time I finished reading I had six pages of handwritten notes. Don’t worry, I won’t be sharing all of them here. After all, I don’t want to spoil the joy of discovering where words and customs originated for you. But if you’ve ever wondered why there are no figs in figgy pudding or mince in mince pies, if you’re curious about where the idea of a flying sleigh originally came from, or surprised to hear that there are two types of chestnut tree in Ireland and that only one of them produces edible chestnuts, this might well be the book for you. In fact, if you’re still trying to figure out what on earth the salmangundi I mentioned in the previous paragraph might be, you should pick up a copy of Words Christmas Gave Us.

Apart from a Christmas-themed Lexicon, Words Christmas Gave Us is a well-written, easy-to-read, and captivating work of non-fiction. Some words, such as gizzard and the aforementioned salmangundi (yes, I fell in love with that word), were new to me while I also found myself learning more about words and customs I considered myself familiar with.

This book can easily be read and enjoyed from cover to cover but would work just as well if you prefer to dip in and out based on what particular Christmas-related word or custom you’re curious about. I can see myself returning to these pages in the future for a reminder or to double-check something. And if there is a better Christmas present for any person in your life with an interest in words and their origins I have yet to find it. I am sure the logophile in your life would only be too happy to spend their twixtmas between the covers of this captivating book.