William Leith

The spirit of Christmas past

The Yule Log and mistletoe have roots in Druid and Viking worship, and the Roman festival of Saturnalia celebrated the winter solstice

  • The Book of Christmas: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Festive Traditions

    Christopher Winn

    Hardie Grant Books, pp. 152

Already a subscriber? Log in

This article is for subscribers only

Get a free bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label when you subscribe to The Spectator for just £12 in our Black Friday sale

  • Free bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky, worth £30
  • Unlimited access to our website and app
  • Enjoy Spectator newsletters and podcasts
  • Explore our online archive, going back to 1828

Read next

Trending

Also in Book Reviews

Also by William Leith

Latest

Comments

Black Friday sale: Get 10 weeks for just $1

Unlimited access to the The Spectator, online and via the app

Already a subscriber? Log in