Kenneth will share his well-illustrated lecture "The Spirit of Christmas Past: Four Centuries of Christmas in America" that traces the development of the celebration of Christmas from the time it was outlawed in 17th Century New England through the beginning of the 21st Century when all the recognizable traditions of Christmas were in place. But many of the customs which we take for granted as part of the current holiday festivities and religious celebrations are actually a product of more recent history, and Christmas was transformed from a rowdy celebration to a family centered event, such as how the Christmas tree became popular, halls were decked, and Santa Clause came to town.