Join our lecturers as they explore the history behind Christmas as we know it, and discuss how the traditions have been shaped.
Talk 1: Tinsel & Tinkering: The Christmas traditions of craft and decoration in a modern society
It wouldn't be Christmas without 'decking the halls' or Nanna's handknitted jumpers. Join us as we explore gift giving, decoration and Christmas craft and how they are connected to gender and class.
Talk 2: Christ-less-mass: the Pre-Christian and secular winter festival
This talk will explore how pre-Christian winter festivals informed and shaped Christmas practices and how Christmas has transformed into the largest annual festival in the UK despite a decline of Christianity and the rise of secular and/or multifaith society.