Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

English

First Advisor

Barbara Black

Second Advisor

Catherine Golden

Abstract

Christmas is an almost universal experience in the Western world. Its symbolism as a moment of community and connection reveals the human need to be with one another and fight our greatest fear—loneliness. Christmas is one of many winter festivals around the globe that demonstrate this need for connection, but because of Western media and culture it has become a holiday celebrated within and outside of the Christian faith and thus reaches a wide audience. It is a time when people come together to perform the same rituals every year and reflect. Christmas is a dedicated time to celebrate the ways in which we have forged communities and honor these bonds. The study of Christmas allows readers to understand the ways in which humans create collectives because Christmas occurs during a time of year best known for death and darkness, Christmas stories remind readers that there is light everywhere, in each of us.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Download

Share

COinS