Happy Hour: The Surprising History of Santa and Christmas Traditions in America

Christmas in America has a much richer and stranger history than the cozy images we know today. This festive ESU Happy Hour explores why early New Englanders outlawed Christmas, how rowdy wassailing gangs once filled the streets, and how German, Dutch, and English traditions eventually blended into the modern Santa. We’ll trace the journey from medieval St. Nicholas and Alpine mischief-makers to Thomas Nast’s German-American illustrations, the Civil War era’s sentimental reinvention of the holiday, and the 20th-century rise of Rudolph, department-store Santas, Coca-Cola branding, and iconic Christmas foods. With a pint in hand, you’ll learn how a mix of immigrant customs, reform movements, and cultural trends brought today’s version of American Christmas into being.
 
Join us as Erica Benson brings a story-packed journey tracing how America invented its own version of Santa and reshaped Christmas into the celebration we recognize today. The ESU Kansas City Branch sponsors this special ESU Happy Hour. The program is online, free, and open to ESU members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link.

REGISTER HERE
 
About Erica Benson:

Erica Benson, founder of Third Place Historian, is a seasoned historian and educator with over a decade of experience teaching U.S. history at the college level. She holds multiple degrees in history, including a master’s degree in North American history, and brings a deep scholarly background to her work in both academic and public history.
 
A recipient of the prestigious James Madison Congressional Fellowship, Erica has participated in numerous elite history seminars and institutes, continually advancing her expertise in American political and social history. Her commitment to historical education extends beyond the classrooms. She is a contributing writer for the National Women’s History Museum and an advocate for gender equality issues and the Equal Rights Amendment.
 
Erica’s work is grounded in a passion for making history accessible, engaging, and relevant. Her lectures are known for combining rigorous scholarship with compelling storytelling, offering fresh insights into the complexities of the American past.
 
Cocktail: Eggnog
Eggnog evolved from posset, a warm medieval British drink made of milk, ale, and eggs. Aristocrats drank it with expensive sherry, while colonists in America substituted cheap rum. By 1775, the name “eggnog” appeared, transforming into a popular holiday tradition and even sparking a famous 1826 military academy riot.
 
Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 ounces bourbon
1 1/4 ounces dark rum
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites
 
Directions:
-In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until the yolks lighten in color and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon, rum, and nutmeg and stir to combine.
-Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add one tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture. Yields six cups. Chill and serve.