Christmas Explained: M is for Myrrh

In the immortal words of Brian's mother, in The Life of Brain, "What is myrrh anyway?"

To find out, read Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts.

Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts

Coming to a Christmas stocking near you soon from Snowbooks* is Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts.

Some readers of this blog may already have What is Myrrh Anyway? in their collection of Christmas books (published in 2008 by Icon Books), Well Christmas Explained is the brand new hardback edition of the book (and actually has the word 'Christmas' in the title).

If you have already read What is Myrrh Anyway? then you'll know that the book's a great read - "As welcome as a warm glass of mulled wine on a wintry night," according to the Good Book Guide - but you will also be thinking, "Why do I need to buy it again?"**

And to you I would say, "Because the text has been completely revised and updated, and at least another 10,000 words of content added. That's why."

So if you want to know where tinsel comes from, or when a frost fair was held actually on the surface of the River Thames, or if you've ever wondered why we build snowmen at Christmas***, then add Christmas Explained to your wish list this festive season.


* Rather appropriately.

** Unless you're buying it as a suitably festive gift for someone else.

*** If it actually snows.

Advent at TheChrismologist.com

It's 1st December, which means it's time to open The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar again!

In case you didn't already know, a few years ago now I wrote a book about the history of Christmas and its many traditions. You can find out more about the book, and The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar, by following this link.

Only one month to go...

... until Christmas Day!

Which means it won't be long before I dust off The Chrismologist's advent calendar, ready for another year.

So, come 1 December, make sure you check out TheChrismologist.com for a new fascinating festive fact every day...

Call the Chrismologist!

It's getting to be that time of year again. In only five weeks' time people all over the world will be making their final preparations for Christmas. For some, those preparations include producing items of media, whether they be radio shows, TV programmes, or newspaper articles.

So, if you're wondering what to include this year, why not Call the Chrismologist? I am very happy to appear on radio or TV and have been interviewed for numerous pieces for the press before. Ask me your Christmas questions or simply consult my Christmas book What is Myrrh Anyway? to gather some ideas.

Happy Apple Day

In case you didn't know already, 21 October is Apple Day, an annual celebration of apples and orchards.

Now I like apples as much as the next middle-aged man minded to make sure he has his 5-a-day (I even wrote a bit about them in What is Myrrh Anyway?) but I'm also quite keen on the other Apples - the kind you don't eat.

So far I have one Apple app available - Temple of the Spider God - but there's another in the works, and hopefully Warlock's Bounty will be released for iOS in due course.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About...

I've had two titles published in America (by Skyhorse Publishing) in the Miscellany range.

Scottish Miscellany came out in 2010 but has only just received its first Amazon review - but it was worth the wait!

Fantastic book! It is full of great history on Scotland, Scottish lore, famous Scots, just about anything you want to know about the land, it's people and customs! A great read and a good reference book you'll go back to time and again! (5 out of 5)

Christmas Miscellany (called What is Myrrh Anyway? in the UK) came out a year earlier, in 2009, and has so far received two reviews on Amazon.com. One was 5 out of 5 again, but the one which really interested me was this:

This book is meant to give insight into Christmas traditions and is kind of a hodge podge of of tidbits with no particular order. It does contain good information like answering the question about what are the twelve days of Christmas? What is the yule log,etc.? The author is not a historian however, and makes, in my opinion, wrong historical assessments. For example, the fact is that there is more historical evidence for the birth of Jesus being on December 25th than there is against. Yet the author does not share any arguments in either direction, but parrots those who say that Jesus was not born in December. This book, though having some good information does take a poor view of the Church.

Wrong historical assessments, eh? The writing of Christmas Miscellany involved a very great deal of research and I would love to know what research the reviewer has to back up the statement, "there is more historical evidence for the birth of Jesus being on December 25th than there is against". Really?

Oh and I do not feel that I, "take a poor view of the Church". I was raised as a Christian and have great respect for the Church. What I don't have great respect for is people who's faith is so easily shaken by having elements of dogma challenged and questioned.

Anyway, if you've not read  Scottish Miscellany or Christmas Miscellany yet, do so and then you can make your own assessment of the quality of my historical research.

The Countdown to Christmas...

... starts here! Or rather here.

There's only one month to go until the Feast of the Nativity of the Christ Child* and so from now until then, I'll be posting an A to Z of Christmas over at TheChrismologist.com. Some of the subjects chosen will be familiar, some not so much, but all shall be enlightening and maybe, sometimes, amusing.

So why not stop by every day of the working week to see what nugget of Christmas lore I shall be unearthing next? And remember that you can find many such tasty information morsels in my book What is Myrrh Anyway? - and its American counterpart Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas.

* a.k.a. Christmas Day.

C is for Christmas

I know, I know... It's only 4 April and here I am talking about Christmas. But this time two years ago I was writing my festive non-fiction book What is Myrrh Anyway? Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas for Icon books.

I have to admit, it was strange listening to Christmas carols in the spring and boring people with facts about Santa Claus at supper parties, but due to the nature of publishing, that was when my book for the festive season had to be written.

I had actually conceived the basic idea for the book years before, at first envisioning it as a Dorling Kindersley-style large format book full of beautiful colour photographs, but that was not to be. Instead I ended up with this.

Which later became this (which was closer to my original vision) when the American published Skyhorse Publishing bought the US rights to the book:

And each year now I find myself updating my TheChrismologist.com blog with fun festive facts and figures, and revealing a little more about the origins, traditions and eccentricities of Christmas along the way.

TheChrismologist.com

As long time followers of this blog (and my many others) will already know, I currently juggle about eight blogs, updating people on various aspects of my writing, and - to be honest - it was all getting a bit much, especially when there are effectively two blogs for the same book, only one of them for the American market and one for the UK.
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So, I've decided to merge the two blogs for Christmas Miscellany and What is Myrrh Anyway? in one, easy to manage, dot com, called...
.

Click this link and check it out for yourself. In fact, why not bookmark the site and add it to your favourites today?

It's still a work in progress at the moment, but over the coming weeks I'll be adding more features and content all the time. And you can already email me all your Christmas questions direct at info@thechrismologist.com.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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Scottish Miscellany - four months and counting...

I can hardly believe it's only about four months now until my next non-fiction title - Scottish Miscellany - is published by Skyhorse Publishing.

If you liked What is Myrrh Anyway? (a.k.a. Christmas Miscellany in the States) then you'll love this book too. From Scottish culture to the ancient history of the country to modern pastimes, this book has all this and more.

Find out why the thistle is the floral emblem of Scotland, how Scotch whisky is made, why the Scots celebrate Hogmanay, how to play the bagpipes, and much more. This delightful book is the perfect gift for anyone planning a visit to Scotland, with an interest in Scottish history, or a drop of Scottish blood.

Scottish Miscellany - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Scotland the Brave

So, time to come clean...

I'm onto the final stretch of my newest non-fiction book. Entitled Scottish Miscellany, in the best-selling tradition of What is Myrrh Anyway?, it answers all the questions you never knew you had about the Land of the Scots.

How do you play the bagpipes? What's the deal with men in skirts - sorry - kilts? What should haggis really taste like? Why is the thistle the national flower of Scotland? How do you toss the caber (and why would you want to)? When does a broth become Scotch Broth? Why is Scotland called Scotland? And is there really a prehistoric monster living in Loch Ness?

All these questions - and more! - are answered in the book, which includes recipes for traditional Scottish fare and even a beginner's guide to Gaelic. And to support its publication in the autumn, I've started a dedicated blog, which you can find here.


Scottish Miscellany is being produced by Skyhorse Publishing, who are based in New York. They were the guys behind the American edition of What is Myrrh? entitled Christmas Miscellany. (Do you see a pattern forming here?)

Here's Bill Wolfsthal to tell you a little more about the company...

What is Myrrh Anyway? The Ultimate Christmas Quiz

Christmas is over and it's time to find out how you got on...

What is Myrrh Anyway? The Ultimate Christmas Quiz

With Christmas just over a week away and with the prospect of little more than repeats or seasonal versions of the same old shows on the TV, there couldn't be a better time to sit round with friends and family and take part in the Ultimate Christmas Quiz!

What is Myrrh Anyway? Now on Facebook!

You can now follow my Christmas updates, as inspired by the book of the blog What is Myrrh Anyway? on Facebook. Do pop along and become a festive fan.

Twitter next...

JG on BBC Radio WM this Friday

With only 16 days to go until Christmas Day itself(!) you're going to start finding me popping up from time to time in the media.

First off, if you live in the Birmingham area, you can listen to me on Ed Doolan's show on BBC Radio WM on Friday 11 December, between about 1.15 and 2.00pm. I'm going to be on talking about the origins of familiar Christmas traditions and fielding questions from callers.

So, why not call in with your own burning Christmas-related query and I'll do my best to help!

The Fighting Fantasy Newsletter

The latest official Fighting Fantasy newsletter is out and it's a bumper Christmas edition. Night of the Necromancer gets a mention, as does my Christmas book What is Myrrh Anyway?!

Check it out for yourself here.

The Ultimate Christmas Quiz at the UCS Beyond Words Festival 2009

Well I survived the What is Myrrh Anyway? Ultimate Christmas Quiz experience at the UCS Beyond Words Festival and sold a few more books, which is always nice. It just remains for me to thank Martin Hitchcock and his able assistants Sophia, Katie, Hal and Ian, for all their help and for making me feel so welcome, and Najma of Icon Books for arranging the session.

Non-Fiction

I have written a number of non-fiction titles. There is the highly popular Go, Go Crazy For Those Bones (2008), Match Wits with the Kids: A Little Learning For All The Family (2008), and What is Myrrh Anyway? Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Christmas (2008) which now has an American edition, re-titled as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Christmas (2009).

JG at Beyond Words 2009

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Tuesday 10 November, I shall be appearing at the Beyond Words Festival, at University College School from 2.30-3.45pm. I shall be talking briefly about the how I came to write What is Myrrh Anyway? and will then be hosting a fun - but challenging - Christmas quiz, as well as signing copies of my books. It's not too late to reserve your ticket for this event, just ring the UCS Box Office on 020 7433 2219, or you could try turning up on the day.


Might see you there.