Santa's Whiskers
Internet Resources
At one time real research into something like the history of Christmas had to be done by reading books. But in today’s world the Internet can also be a great resource for information. If you want to know more about the holiday, or want more in depth information, here are some sites you might want to visit.
http://www.historytoday.com/search/apachesolr_search/Christmas
“The original history magazine, History Today has been published monthly in London since January 1951. Our founder was the enigmatic Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information during the Second World War, publisher of the Financial Times and faithful lieutenant of Winston Churchill.” There is an excellent section on articles about Christmas.
http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/xmas/index.htm
“This website offers a guide to resources available online which deal with the origins, evolution and lore of Santa Claus and Father Christmas. The main part of this guide consists of links to other sites, with some commentary describing the contents and quality of these sites.”
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/
“The purpose of this site is to preserve the rich history of Christmas carols and hymns that might otherwise be lost.” But there is also an excellent section devoted to St. Nicholas and Santa Claus.
http://www.christmasarchives.com/index.php
“For anyone who likes Christmas and all its customs, but does not share the Christian beliefs, please read on, you will find everything here relating to British Christmas social customs and traditions.”
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/home/
“St. Nicholas Center is a virtual center, a website, where people can learn about St. Nicholas; it provides resources for families, churches, and schools. It is also a world-class professional traveling exhibit and offers display and activity kits appropriate for churches and schools.” Our purpose is “to educate people of faith, and the wider public, about the true St. Nicholas, and why he is important in today's world.”
http://americanantiquarian.org/
“American Antiquarian is a national research library of American history, litertature and culture through 1876. The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) library houses the largest and most accessible collection of printed materials from first contact through 1876 in what is now the United States, the West Indies and parts of Canada.”
http://www.hathitrust.org/
“To build a reliable and increasingly comprehensive digital archive of library materials converted from print that is co-owned and managed by a number of academic institutions.” With a large section devoted to Christmas.
http://www.foodtimeline.org/christmasfood.html
“Ever wonder how the ancient Romans fed their armies? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip . . . and why? So do we!!! Food history presents a fascinating buffet of popular lore and contradictory facts. Some experts say it’s impossible to express this topic in exact timeline format. They are correct. Most foods are not invented; they evolve. We make food history fun. Look for the Christmas food history section.”
http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/
“Explore the History of Christmas beginning with its roots - and earlier. This 'winter holiday' has been the subject of many an argument for 2000 years. Whether religious or not, you'll find common ground and a number of 'surprises' to what we may have been taught about this popular holiday.”
https://www.whychristmas.com
“Everything about Christmas at Christmas. . . What is Christmas all about and what does it mean? . . . What are different traditions at Christmas time? . . . Christmas history, stories, recipes and more.”
http://www.thecompletevictorian.com/Christmas.html
“This site is for you, full of wonderful information on the customs, inventions, and everyday life in the Victorian era.” The relevant section is A Victorian Christmas.
http://www.victoriana.com/christmas/default.htm
“Victoriana Magazine captures the pleasures and traditions of an earlier period and transforms them to be relevant to today’s living - Fashion, Antiques, Home & Garden. Victorian style is found in fashions and weddings, décor and houses, holidays and parties, literature and music from the Victorian era. “ The relevant section is the “Christmas” section.
http://sacred-texts.com/index.htm
“This site is a freely available archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. Texts are presented in English translation and, where possible, in the original language. . . This site has no particular agenda other than promoting religious tolerance and scholarship.” Especially helpful is their Christmas section at: http://sacred-texts.com/etc/xmas/