Washington Irving
Old Christmas collects Washington Irving’s best-loved chapters from The Sketch Book of Geoffroy Crayon, Gent., (1819-1820) wherein that gentleman, while traveling in England, is invited to the holiday celebration at the old Bracebridge family manor. Irving, expressive in his nostalgic yearning for those charming traditions and his romantic description of Christmas customs in Merrie Old England, is credited with the revival of the holiday in America. Illustrations are by Cecil Aldin, who is here in his element. His pictures have a peculiar Old-World, coaching-days charm exactly in harmony with Irving’s delightful story.
