A Short History of Christmas

Sally Lee's 2015 Capstone Press nonfiction title walks elementary-age readers through the historical origins and development of Christmas traditions, from early Christian roots to the customs families practice today. It is a school-and-library title first, designed for classroom use rather than read-aloud pleasure, and it delivers on that purpose cleanly. The Christian origins of the holiday are acknowledged in historical context, which faith-oriented families will appreciate. The honest limitation is that informational nonfiction for this age group is rarely a page-turner: the format is organized and educational rather than narratively engaging, and critical coverage outside the educational market is minimal. A solid, inoffensive resource for a school project or a curious child who wants to know where Christmas traditions came from.