Books about Yuletide from Amazon.com

An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas

• Analyzes the symbolism of the many plants associated with Christmas

• Reveals the shamanic rituals that are at the heart of the Christmas celebration

The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual.

Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling show how the ancient meaning of the botanical elements of Christmas provides a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity. The fir tree was originally revered as the sacred World Tree in northern Europe. When the church was unable to drive the tree cult out of people’s consciousness, it incorporated the fir tree by dedicating it to the Christ child. Father Christmas in his red-and-white suit, who flies through the sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, has his mythological roots in the shamanic reindeer-herding tribes of arctic Europe and Siberia. These northern shamans used the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom, which is red and white, to make their soul flights to the other world. Apples, which figure heavily in Christmas baking, are symbols of the sun god Apollo, so they find a natural place at winter solstice celebrations of the return of the sun. In fact, the authors contend that the emphasis of Christmas on green plants and the promise of the return of life in the dead of winter is just an adaptation of the pagan winter solstice celebration.
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The Finest Gift by Lauraine Snelling

A plain Jane without any suitors, Arley Hoople doesn't dare dream of romance this Christmas So she brings holiday joy to others: repairing her grandmother's nutcracker and commissioning a dollhouse for the girls at the orphanage. Yet one knock at the woodcarver's door unexpectedly brings Arley a gift of her own: love.

A Blessed Season by Jillian Hart

An abandoned girl asks bounty hunter Rafe Jones to track down her long-lost mother for Christmas. The holiday wish breaks through his hardened heart, and he easily finds Cora Sims in Montana Territory. She's definitely the woman Rafe has been looking for. But is she actually the girl's mother?.
Price: $1.51 [Notify me when price goes down.]

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder...

Jessica Fletcher is planning to spend a cozy Christmas in Cabot Cove. But when Rory Brent is found shot to death on his farm, there will be no peace on earth until his killer is found. Snooping into the small town’s past for a motive, Jessica is determined to deliver the killer before Christmas. The trouble is, the next sound she hears this silent night may be a scream—her own….
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A Gift Of Love captures holiday magic as it transports us...to New York City, where a schoolteacher slips an antique gold ring on her finger and travels back in time to a man who desperately needs her love...to a village in Victorian England, where an embittered earl seeks a governess for a lovely, defiant little girl named Noelle...to a starry London night, on which a Christmas pony heralds a gift greater than any king's ransom...to the snow-covered hills of Virginia, where a young widow learns during a holiday trip that miracles really do come in the least expected packages...and to a reclusive tycoon's Newport estate, where a determined young woman sets out to unlock the secrets of a man's heart.

Let A Gift Of Love open the door to worlds of passion and adventure, where love -- and miracles -- are always in the air!.
Price: $3.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The arrangements in this book are carefully written for intermediate-level guitarists Each solo combines melody and harmony in one superb fingerpicking arrangement. The book also includes an easy introduction to basic fingerstyle guitar. 16 holiday favorites: Blue Christmas * The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) * Do You Hear What I Hear * Frosty the Snow Man * Happy Holiday * Happy Xmas (War Is Over) * Here Comes Santa Claus * A Holly Jolly Christmas * I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus * I'll Be Home for Christmas * Jingle-Bell Rock * Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! * Merry Christmas, Darling * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer * Silver Bells * This Christmas..
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The author of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories sets the record straight on beloved seasonal tales--including ""A Christmas Carol,"" ""The Story of Hanukkah,"" and ""The Night Before Christmas""--freeing them from sexism, ageism, and political imperialism..
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More than 50 wonderful Christmas tales and poems make this the brightest package of the holiday season. Traditional and modern, funny and touching, these works by great writers shine with Christmas spirit, warmth, and good cheer. Includes works by Tennyson, Longfellow, Dickens, Frost, and many more..
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This VeggieTales board book is a countdown to Christmas fun as kids get ready to share God’s love with their favorite characters..
Price: $3.80 [Notify me when price goes down.]

New from WheelMan Press! Enjoy these magical, moving, and inspirational Christmas treats, comprised of short stories and poetry about this beloved holiday season. Not only contains the highly acclaimed tale, "Living with Mrs. Klase" but also "Shadows from a Christmas Past," a never before published tale from Gregory Bernard Banks. (Updated: 11-24-08). .
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