Cultural and historical background and traditions of forty-five major American holidays, both secular and religious, Christian and Jewish.

Whether they're decorating Easter trees or celebrating Wagner's birthday by playing recordings of his Ring cycle operas and incinerating a model of Valhalla on

This dazzling collection of recipes, style advice, and decorating ideas will help every family bring grace and passion to the holiday season.

With this resource in hand, teachers and parents will never be without an activity to make the day unique and educational for their children.

Reexamining the story of holidays in the United States, Leigh Schmidt shows that commercial appropriations of these occasions were actually as religious in form