Book Description:
The 'Psychology of Santa' examines decades of psychological research, as well as studies in sociology, communication, history, and advertising, all of which deal with Christmas. The book examines what research can reveal to us about how psychologists and others view these customs and what they represent to our culture. A number of aspects of Christmas are explored, and this book offers an intriguing interpretation of our lives and customs. Topics covered include how Christmas is celebrated during wars, a history of selected customs and whether families today still engage in them, how different traditions of psychologists view Christmas, Christmas and stress, Christmas and depression and suicide, children’s letters to Santa Claus, and children's beliefs in Santa and how they change with age.

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Table of Contents:
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. I'll be home for Christmas... Christmas in War, pp. 1-20

Chapter 2. Christmas Tradition Origins, pp. 21-41

Chapter 3. "So, Santa, Tell me About your Childhood...", pp. 43-63

Chapter 4. The Santa Letters, pp. 65-89

Chapter 5. Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus, pp. 91-111

Index

Author affiliation:

Dr. Carole Slotterback received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Northern Illinois University in 1994 and is a professor at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.