Christmas Had Nothing to Do with It -- The Secular Roots of Carols

"Carols originally had nothing to do with Christmas, nor even with Christianity," wrote Ian Bradley in "Sing Choirs of Angels" (History Today, December 1998). The word, "carol," derives from Greek choros, a circle...

Holly Hit Hard by Pollution

"Decorating the house with sprigs of holly is as much a pleasurable Christmas ritual for some folk as snuggling up by the fireside with an atmospheric Charles Dickens novel. 'The impact on the hollies is easily...

Alternative Holiday Carols

Sometimes "Fa la la la la, la la, la la," is enough to stir the heart; sometimes "Jingle bells, Batman smells," is the order of the day. Whether you're young, old, or otherwise, we all have our take on a remix...