Delaware at Christmas: The First State in a Merry State

Name: Delaware at Christmas: The First State in a Merry State
Rating: 4.666666507720947 (3 reviews)

Dave Tabler

Jul 2025 · Dave Tabler

3 reviews

Ebook

134

Pages

Eligible

About this ebook

Delaware at Christmas uncovers the rich and surprising ways Delawareans have celebrated the holiday season across four centuries. From colonial-era customs brought by Swedish, Dutch, and English settlers to modern multicultural observances, this book blends history, folklore, and festive tradition into a vivid portrait of Christmas in the First State.

Readers will discover the origins of outdoor Christmas decorations, the rise of the state’s holly wreath industry, and the stories behind local favorites like eggnog, wassail, and plum pudding. The book shines a light on forgotten practices — from mumming parades and house tours to the music of handbell choirs and the enduring power of church lovefeasts.

Delaware at Christmas also gives voice to the holiday experiences of Black Delawareans during the antebellum period, alongside the customs brought by Irish, Italian, Polish, and Hispanic communities who shaped the state’s evolving identity.

Whether exploring 19th-century sleigh bells, Victorian Christmas cards, or the curious history of IBM punch card wreaths, Dave Tabler captures Delaware’s holiday spirit with meticulous research and a storyteller’s eye.

Perfect for history lovers, regional readers, and anyone drawn to the enduring magic of Christmas traditions.

Delaware at Christmas uncovers the rich and surprising ways Delawareans have celebrated the holiday season across four centuries. From colonial-era customs brought by Swedish, Dutch, and English settlers to modern multicultural observances, this book blends history, folklore, and festive traditio...

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Ratings and reviews

3 reviews

Literary Titan

December 28, 2025

I would recommend Delaware at Christmas to readers who love regional history, to Delaware locals and expats who want to see their home through a festive lens, and to anyone who collects books on Christmas customs and folk traditions.

Literary Titan

August 22, 2025

Delaware at Christmas is a gift for anyone who loves the intersection of history, culture, and seasonal joy. It will especially appeal to Delawareans, history buffs, and those who enjoy Christmas lore. The images and illustrations on nearly every page bring the stories to life, adding texture and warmth that make the history feel immediate and tangible. This isn’t a book you rush through; it’s one you savor over several evenings.

amy campbell

November 2, 2025

I have loved reading Dave Tabler's books on the history of Delaware. I was honored to once again to have a chance to read his newest release, Delaware at Christmas / The First State in a Merry State. I loved reading the different past and present traditions and customs practiced in the state of Delaware. The book is in four parts: Cultural Traditions, 19th Century Celebrations and Customs, The Victorian Era and Early 20th Century, and Modern Traditions. I loved seeing the pictures and photograph

About the author

Dave Tabler is a Delaware historian and author of six books on Delaware's past, including "Delaware Behaving Badly" and "Delaware Keepers." Drawing on diaries, period newspapers, and archival records, his work uncovers the overlooked stories of everyday Delawareans. He also publishes AppalachianHistory.net, and is a member of the Delaware Press Association and the Delaware Historical Society.

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