The Stations of the Sun by Ronald Hutton

Comprehensive and engaging, this colourful study covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home and Hallowe'en, to the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. He challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past, and debunks many myths surrounding festivals of the present, to illuminate the history of the calendar year we live by today.

This work covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. This is my favourite of Ronald Hutton's books as it lays out the ritual year from Christmas to Bonfire Night which makes it so easy to check out the origins of the various festivals that crop up on our calendars during the course of the year.