Warwickshire’s Virtual Library Service has a sack full of goodies to offer you this Christmas….
Ironically, the use of the word ‘merry’ dates back to the sixteenth century in a letter from the condemned bishop John Fisher to Henry VIII’s trusted Minister Thomas Cromwell as he languished in the Tower of London. The Oxford English Dictionary Online will tell you more!
The Times Digital Archive gives you a flavour of what Christmas was like in 1785. Look at the fine coats that were for sale to ladies and gentlemen of polite taste. I would love to know what a Bath Beaver Great Coat felt like!
Did you know that Prince Albert popularized Christmas trees in England? You can find out a whole lot more about the customs and traditions of Christmas in Britannica Online.
Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras will get you into the festive mood. You can listen online to a selection of traditional Christmas music through the Naxos Music Library.
Who would have thought that Christmas carols could be considered as a social phenomenon! Grove Music Online explains why.
Of course Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without food for the palate and food for the mind. So here’s a concise list of recommended Christmas eBook, eAudioBook and eMagazine titles for you to feast on this Yuletide:
The Christmas Train
Christmas at the Corner Cafe
The Fun book of Christmas
Blackadder’s Christmas Carol
Staying Away at Christmas
Remember, you can get online anytime with Warwickshire libraries at:
Happy Christmas!
Warwickshire Libraries 