In traditional Ukrainian houses a Christmas tree will often be decorated with a spider and web for good luck.

For centuries, families throughout much of central Europe have relied on one simple main course for Christmas Eve dinner: the common carp. Traditionally kept in the bathtub, the fish can become a sort of family pet for a day or two, before becoming dinner.

Dutch children have long cheered the annual coming of Sinterklaas--or Saint Nicholas--who arrives on a steamboat filled with presents in mid-November.

The wise men brought gold, frankincense and myyrh.

Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot ...
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!

Winter's last magical tool, his Magic Feed Corn, allows Santa's reindeer friends to fly.

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was the culmination of more than two years of peace activism undertaken by John Lennon and Yoko Ono that began with the bed-ins they convened in March and May 1969, the first of which took place during their honeymoon.

Santa is traditionally depicted wearing a black belt with a gold buckle.

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Mrs. Claus was first introduced to the world in 1889 in the book Goody Santa Claus On A Sleigh Ride by the poet Katherine Lee Bates. In this story, Mrs. Claus pleads with Santa to take her along on the annual Christmas Eve sleigh ride to deliver toys to all the good little boys and girls. When Santa finds one little boy's stocking that is too tattered to hold presents, Mrs. Claus pops down the chimney and mends the stocking, saving the day.