Why is Christmas the way it is? How did we get from the birth of Jesus to everyone maxing out their credit card – and their belts?Starting with the nativity itself, this book takes us through the centuries of commemoration, celebration and over-consumption. Along the way we’ll find out why we eat turkey, how an obscure Turkish saint turned into a man flying a sleigh, and why that tree in your house should rally contain an apple and a snake. Combining in-depth historical research with cheerfully irreverent humor and a dash of cutting-edge guesswork, Nick Page shows us how many of the things we believe about Christmas are actually a load of old baubles – and helps us get back to something real and true beneath all the wrapping.