THE MODERN CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA A Cultural History of Gift Giving

Christmas was a relatively modest occasion in the English-speaking world, celebrated by the exchange of modest handmade gifts, until the Victorians invested the holiday with immense significance as part of a larger effort to celebrate home, family and a mythic past of well-ordered communities. By the late 19th century, Christmas had become a major American festival. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and easily the most important seasonal event of the year. holiday emerged, tracing its evolution from the days prior to 1880, when people presented one another with simple crafted presents, to the turn of the century, when industrialisation brought with it waves of inexpensive, tawdry gimcracks. Christmas prompted a backlash against this cheapening of the Yule tradition, and the Christmas card was born. Henceforth, family members and close friends exchanged useful, costly items, while cards were sent to acquaintances and distant relatives. These reformers also persuaded retail stores to keep their regular hours of business during the holiday, rather than lengthening them, to give trade workers the opportunity to join in the celebration. They also rationalised the collection and distribution of holiday charity, resulting in the Christmas celebration we have today. Waits' book aims to illustrate the notion that Christmas is uncontrollable is simply untrue. The Modern Christmas in America also examines the differing traditions of giftgiving among friends, employees, the poor and entire communities.