Both a holiday and a holy day, Christmas is celebrated with traditions and practices that are both secular and religious. Sure, we exchange gifts, decorate trees, attend church, share meals with family and friends and, of course, wait for Santa Claus to arrive, but given its ubiquity as a religious, cultural and commercial phenomenon, one wonders, after all this time, if there could be anything more we don't already know about this annual celebration. No matter how familiar the traditions, how memorable the music, how timeless the story, the answer is, yes, there's a whole book worth of things most of us will be surprised to learn. Wholly Christmas is brimming with amazing history, corrected myths, and particular particulars about a holiday (or holy day) observed by more than one-third of world's population. It's not meant to provide a comprehensive nor com-plete academic reference, but rather an accessible distillation - a seasonal confection in its own right - about a beloved celebration that has resonated across the world for two millennia."