Amazon.com description: Product Description: In The Roots of Christian Festivals, David Self succinctly explains the social, folkloric and historic roots, customs and developments of the major Christian festivals, including those that are more modern in their invention, and shows how the sacred and the secular have fed upon one another to result in the celebrations we have today. A great source of information for teachers and preachers, David Self includes all the major dates, including Christmas Day, Easter, Pentecost, Mothering Sunday and Thanksgiving as well as some of the more obscure, such as Epiphany, Candlemas, Rogationtide, Lammas and All Hallows. The result is an absorbing volume that will prove both enlightening and enjoyable for a wide audience.