History of Holidays

[ Home ]

The History of the Holidays articles are written and collected by  
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
TM

If you'd like to be receive the articles before each holiday via email, simply click here to join the mailing list.

Bill Petro earned his degree in History at the University of California, Berkeley. He studied Ancient History as well as a comprehensive study of Christian and early Jewish History. His History thesis was on 19th century American Evangelicalism. He has done post-graduate work in History and has been studying History for thirty years. He began writing articles on History and distributing them electronically in 1984.

A Bibliography of some of the sources appears here

Most current articles:

Bill Petro

History of American Holidays

bulletSeptember
bulletIntroduction
bulletLabor Day
bulletPatriot Day
bulletOctober
bulletHalloween
bulletJack-o-Lantern
bulletMartin Luther
bulletInformation Reformation
bulletNovember
bulletVeterans Day
bulletGuy Fawkes
bulletThanksgiving
bulletFirst Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1676
bulletGeorge Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1789
bulletAbraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1863
bulletSquanto                             from Chuck Colson's Gods Instrument
bulletDecember
bulletChristmas
bulletJanuary
bulletEpiphany
bulletFebruary
bulletGroundhog Day
bulletValentines
bulletOn Love
bulletMarch
bulletThe Ides
bulletSt. Patrick
bulletApril
bulletApril Fools
bulletEaster
bulletMay
bulletMay Day
bulletCinco de Mayo
bulletMemorial Day
bulletMemorial Day: Why We Fight
bulletJune
bulletFather's Day
bulletJuly
bulletIndependence Day
bulletThomas Jefferson

horizontal rule

History of Christmas

bulletThe Date                             from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Season                         from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Year                             from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Star                              from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Magi                            from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletHerod                                 from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletChristmas Traditions
bulletSanta Lucia
bulletThe Creche
bulletThe Poinsettia
bulletSacred Oratorio
bulletChristmas Music
bulletSolstice
bulletThe Tree
bulletSanta Claus
bulletA Visit
bulletA Christmas Carol              excerpts from Prof. Gerhard Rempel, Lectures in Western Civilization, Western New England College.
bulletAugustus                            from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletEpiphany

horizontal rule

History of Jewish Holidays

bulletRosh HaShana
bulletYom Kippur
bulletChanukah
bulletPassover

horizontal rule

History of Easter

bulletMardi Gras
bulletAsh Wednesday
bulletEaster                             
bulletHistorical Climate           from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletPalm Sunday                    from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletPontius Pilate                  from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletHerod                             from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Sanhedrin                from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletMaundy Thursday
bulletThe Trial                        from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletGood Friday                   from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time
bulletThe Players                    from Paul L. Maier's In the Fullness of Time

horizontal rule

Miscellaneous

bullet J.S. Bach
bulletMovie Review: The Passion of the Christ
bulletMemorial at Dachau
bulletAmazing Grace
bulletMovie Review: Lord of the Rings
bulletVeterans Day: a tribute
bullet9-11-01: America Tested
bullet 9-11-02: One Year On
bulletJerusalem 1
bulletJerusalem 2
bulletJerusalem 3
bulletStar Trek
bulletStar Trek, redux
bulletMACH 1
bulletPromise Keepers
bulletPromise Keepers 97 - Washington D.C. "Stand in the Gap"
bulletAppendix

E-mail me here

[ Home ]

Professional Education Publications Talks Personal References History of Holidays Bibliography Trips S.Sgt John Petro