Great Christmas decorating ideas -- from the most traditional to the contemporary to fabulous retro motifs

Don't tell us putting the tree up, hanging stockings and setting the dinner table doesn't get you excited about all the festivities.

Don't tell us putting the tree up, hanging stockings and setting the dinner table doesn't get you excited about all the festivities.

Red and gold

• Evergreen garland above doorways and on mantelpieces with red and green wire-edged chiffon ribbon
• Chunky church candles with sprigs of greenery poking out from underneath
• Table centrepiece of 'gilded' pears (spray painted gold), red apples and eucalyptus leaves in a large crystal or silver bowl
• Garland with gold wire stars entwined with red tartan ribbon
• Shaker themed table decorated with white linen, wooden scatter santas, wooden santa candleholders and red linen napkins tied with red ribbon
• 'Elegant' table decorated with ivory linens, gold scatter stars, gold crackers and gold candles

Blue and silver

• Individual bells hanging from tree branches with blue ribbon
• 'Night sky' table decorated with blue linen, silver snowflake and star confetti, silver wire stars as napkin holders
• Mantelpiece decorated with greenery and candles: silver star candles, blue pillar candles and votive candles
• To display Christmas cards, fill galvanised silver bucket with silver-sprayed curly willow (weight down and secure branches into sand, punch a hole in the cards and secure to branches with blue and silver curly ribbon)
• 'Twinkling silver' table decorated with silver mini-star candles, silver confetti, crackers and silver chocolate favours -- finished off with tightly packed white roses in a short silver cup for a centrepiece

For the little ones

• If all your friends have children, host an afternoon party for kids of all ages!
• Cover tables in brown parcel paper and cover with red star and green tree confetti and gold streamers
• Decorate with red and gold balloons
• Serve gingerbread men, mulled wine, festive fruit punch and mince tarts
• Festive jellybeans, chocolate coins and jelly heart favours

Under the sun

• Cold weather getting you down -- hold a Christmas fiesta party!
• Serve lime margaritas, strawberry daiquiris and hot weather food like chips and salsa, marinated veggies and jerk chicken skewers
• Decorate tables with bananas, pineapples, gold balloons, gold poppers and gold and purple confetti
• Hand out glow necklaces, gold maracas and party poppers as guests arrive

Retro ideas

• Spray-snow and electric 'candles' burning in the windows
• Make small paper cones from stiff wrapping paper, punch two holes opposite each other at open cone end. Tie a piece of ribbon through and fill with festive jelly bellys, silver dragees or chocolate coins. Hang them on a small tree near the door so guests can take one as they leave
• String cards on ribbon or twine and hang across fireplace

Homemade cards

• Snowflake  Fold blue patterned origami paper into quarters, cut into snowflake pattern, unfold and place in small vellum envelope. Punch hole in corner, fasten to gift ribbon and write message in silver pen.
• Gift tag  Using brown wrapping paper, cut out leaf shapes using pinking shears, punch hole in one end, fasten a small swatch of evergreen branch/holly berries/small tree decoration and fasten to gift with tartan ribbon.
• Stocking  Cut small stocking shape (3") out of burlap/felt/other thick material, glue decorative ribbon around the upper edge and write on stocking using permanent marker. If you're feeling really creative, stitch your message with embroidery thread.
• Clothes pin  Attach cards to package ribbon using clothespins that have been covered in brightly coloured paper shapes (stars, stockings, woolly hats, trees, etc). Get creative and add ribbon, glitter, photocopy transfers and confetti.

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Make sure the office is talking about you for the RIGHT reasons the next day...

• Do give yourself enough time to plan the party properly - booking a venue in summer is the best idea.
• Do stick to your budget. This is not your money and your boss will not be impressed if you go over your allocated budget.
• Do ask around before booking anything. You might think that having a curry for your Christmas party might make a welcome change to tradition but everyone else might be looking forward to some turkey.
• Don't sit on the photocopier.... It's been done to death and it's not pretty...
• Don't get too drunk! It seems a good idea at the time but don't forget that these people are your employers and work colleagues and you will have to face them again sober on Monday!

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Whether it’s a casual Christmas drinks party, or a formal festive dinner, here’s how to repay your host with great company....

Arrive on time, especially if food is being served

Remember that it's just as impolite to be too early as it is to be too late. A drinks party gives you the opportunity to be more choosy with your timing, but if you're sitting down to dinner and you're late, you deserve to have your dinner in the dog!

Don't overstay your welcome

If all other guests at a party have left and your hosts start clearing up, it's really time to make your farewells. Vacuuming around your feet is a sure sign that your company is no longer wanted.

Enter the party spirit, but don't take over

A good guest is always equipped with lively conversation... but if your voice is the only one to be heard, it's time to pipe down.

Take a gift for your host/hostess

The size of the gift really depends on what you're being invited to. If you're visiting someone's home for a few days over Christmas, it's polite to take a few contributions towards the festivities. A drinks party guest might take along a bottle of wine, chocolates or flowers.

Keep an eye on your intake of both food and alcohol

A drunken guest who has eaten more than his or her share of the Christmas delicacies won't be popular.

Offer your assistance

If you're a good friend or family member, offer to help with cooking, decorating and clearing up. Christmas is a busy time and an extra pair of hands will probably be hugely appreciated. 

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Top tips to keep you from getting in a festive panic

Shopping for food, cooking, buying and wrapping presents, making family arrangements ... What can you do to ensure that you're not exhausted and stressed-out by the time the festivities commence?

Get back to basics

Expectations of a wonderful Christmas become so great that planning can get a little out of hand. Christmas Day is a time for being with family and friends, and celebrating the religious context. It doesn't matter if lunch is late, presents aren't wrapped perfectly or grandma has a few too many sherries!

If you need some help -- ask for it

If you're hosting Christmas for a number of people, there's no shame in asking others to help with food preparations, or even to ask them to help with decorations. Perhaps a sister or friend could bring the Christmas cake, and another relative could help decorate the tree. Give everyone a task -- a joint effort is often far more fun!

Not everything has to be made from scratch

Ready-made Christmas puddings are often delicious, and certainly take one job out of the equation. Likewise, artificial trees have significantly less need for the vacuum cleaner, and shop-bought mince pies can work out cheaper than baking your own.

Eat later in the day

Enjoy your Christmas morning without starting the cooking at the crack of dawn. If you have a good breakfast, there's no need to sit down for Christmas lunch until mid-afternoon or early evening. Three meals are definitely not necessary on Christmas day!

Look for simple decorations that have a great effect

Table confetti and candles require minimum effort from you but will really make a difference to your table. Order yours online here today.

Boxing Day is time out!

If you've been in charge on Christmas Day, don't do it all again the next day. This is the time when turkey sandwiches come in to play. 

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Hot cockles" was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. "Hot cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.

"Wassail" comes from the Old Norse "ves heill"--to be of good health. This evolved into the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.

A Christmas club, a savings account in which a person deposits a fixed amount of money regularly to be used at Christmas for shopping, came about around 1905.

A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.

According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut farms.

After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original.

Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition began in 1836.

Although many believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year, it is not. It is the fifth to tenth busiest day. The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are the two busiest shopping days of the year.

American billionaire Ross Perot tried to airlift 28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to American POW's in North Vietnam in 1969.

America's official national Christmas tree is located in King's Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree," is over 300 feet (90 meters) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925.

An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight cards return in their place.

Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree.

At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served "endored." This meant the flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior to roasting.

Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his character in "A Christmas Carol," three other alliterative names were considered by Charles Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and Small Sam.

California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees - 8.6 million in 1998.

Candy canes began as straight white sticks of sugar candy used to decorated the Christmas trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided have the ends bent to depict a shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to the children to keep them quiet during the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century that candy canes acquired their red stripes.

Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.

Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania.

During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.

During the Christmas/Hanukkah season, more than 1.76 billion candy canes will be made.

During World War II it was necessary for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe to receive them in time. Merchants joined in the effort to remind the public to shop and mail early and the protracted shopping season was born.

Frustrated at the lack of interest in his new toy invention, Charles Pajeau hired several midgets, dressed them in elf costumes, and had them play with "Tinker Toys" in a display window at a Chicago department store during the Christmas season in 1914. This publicity stunt made the construction toy an instant hit. A year later, over a million sets of Tinker Toys had been sold.

George Washington spent Christmas night 1776 crossing the Delaware River in dreadful conditions. Christmas 1777 fared little better - at Valley Forge, Washington and his men had a miserable Christmas dinner of Fowl cooked in a broth of Turnips, cabbage and potatoes.

Greeks do not use Christmas trees or give presents at Christmas. A priest may throw a little cross into the village water to drive the kallikantzari (gremlin-like spirits) away. To keep them from hiding in dark, dusty corners, he goes from house to house sprinkling holy water.

In an effort to solicit cash to pay for a charity Christmas dinner in 1891, a large crabpot was set down on a San Francisco street, becoming the first Salvation Army collection kettle.

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Snowglobe       

Difficulty: Easy Age: 6 and up, though younger children can assist with adding water and glitter.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! This darling little craft is made from recycled baby food jars, or any other type of jar you have sitting around collecting dust. We suggest making more than one, or you won’t want to give up this little keepsake to your child—they’re great to keep around your own home, perfect for your computer desk. Give your globe a theme and make it a gift for Christmas, Halloween, birthdays or any occasion. Or, you can make a snow globe featuring your favorite characters or animals such as Dinosaurs, Spiderman or Barbie. Enjoy!

What you'll need:

How to make it:

1. Wash and dry your jar completely, including the lid.
2. Attach figurine to inside of jar lid using florist clay. If you are using a small object, it's a good idea to build up the clay so the object will appear taller. To preview, simply place empty jar over the top of your figurine to see if you have the height where you want it. Attach any optional items with the clay (greenery, berries, etc.). Important: Use your imagination, but make sure whatever you use is waterproof and won't dissolve.
3. Fill jar with water to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top. Use cold water, warm water tends to cloud. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of glitter, or “ snow” into water. This measurement is based on a medium to large baby food jar. Adjust glitter amount according to your size jar.
4. Using hot glue gun, line inside of lid with glue. Insert figurine in water and screw on lid.
5. Dab lid dry if any water dripped or spilled. Apply a layer of hot glue around the rim of the lid to seal shut.
6. Let stand and dry overnight -- lid side up.
7. Decorating the lid rim is optional, and there are several ways to do it. Attach decorative ribbon with glue, use plastic holly berries for a holiday feel, or use colored felt as we have. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Use white or craft glue to run a squiggly line around the felt then sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Glue on buttons, use stickers, or personalize your globe by writing your name in glue and sprinkling with glitter. You may also paint the lid rather than use ribbon or other embellishments. The possibilities are endless so have fun!

Tips:

Keep your globe secure. Make sure the objects are secure in the clay, you could even glue them for added security.

Choose your figurine wisely. Choose a figurine made of a material that will not dissolve or deteriorate in water over time. Cake toppers, small ornaments with the hanger removed, miniature toys and dolls are all possibilities.

Easy-to-find greenery. You will only need small pieces so look for stems in the floral department that are on sale or inexpensive. You can also trim pieces from silk and plastic greenery, or you can even fashion your own small trees out of chenille stems. Another option is to use tiny plastic pine trees found in toy train and car sets.

Glitter tips. Before gluing or sealing the lid, make sure you have sufficient amount of glitter. Depending on the size of the jar, you may need more or less. Be careful! Too much glitter will completely obscure your figurine.

Add color and pizzazz. To make a more elaborate snow globe, add tiny objects to “ float” in the water, use a drop of colored oil to create a swirling effect or use food coloring in the water. Or, instead of using just white or just silver glitter, mix the two colored glitters. Silver tends to fall faster, the white floats more. Putting them together creates a fun effect. These are just some ideas to help you create your one-of-a-kind snow globe. Use your imagination and have fun.

Choose a theme . Make your snow globe for any occasion or theme such as Halloween, birthday, sports, holiday, Victorian and beach (seashells). You can also make two and give one away as a gift.

Save your felt scraps. This craft is a perfect example of utilizing small felt pieces that were left over from other projects so remember to save those scraps.

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After Christmas, or any occasion, what do you do with all the beautiful greeting cards you receive? Do you pack them away? Do you throw them away?

Forget those ideas and recycle those used greeting cards! Here are some ideas to get you started.

Bookmarks - Create unique bookmarks with pictures cut from old greeting cards

Materials:

• Used Greeting Cards
• Posterboard or Cardboard
• Crayons, Markers, or Paint
• Glue

Instructions:
Cut a strip from the posterboard or thin cardboard, about 8-inches x 2-inches. Cut out the picture on the front of a greeting card. Glue the picture at the top of the strip. Allow the glue to dry.

Write an message on the strip if you want. If the bookmark is a gift, you can simply write "to:" and "From:". If your picture is a Christmasy picture, write a Christmas message on your strip.

To make your bookmark more durable, cover it with clear contact paper or laminate it.

Gift Tags - Be prepared with fancy, home-made gift tags.

Recycle the greeting cards you have received! Make personalized gift tags.

Materials:

• Used Greeting Cards
• Ribbon
• Markers

Instructions:
Very Simple! Cut out the picture or scene on the front of a greeting card. Pinking shears or other fancy edged scissors work wonderfully! Punch a hole in the top, left-hand edge of the picture or scene. String a 4 to 5-inch piece of ribbon through the hole and tie it into a loop. On the back of the picture or scene, write "TO" and FROM". Make sure you leave enough room to write the giver and recipients's names.

Any shape or size picture will work, just make sure you have enough room to punch a hole and write "TO" and "FROM" on it

Lacing Toy - Make fun lacing cards for the younger kids.

Recycle the greeting cards you have received! Make this neat lacing card for younger kids.

Materials:

• Used Greeting Cards
• Yarn or Curling Ribbon
• Tape

Instructions:
Cut out the picture or scene on the front of a greeting card. Use a hole puncher and punch holes around the outside of the picture you cut out. Cut a piece of yarn or ribbon about 2 feet long. Tape one end of the yarn or ribbon to the back of your picture. String the other end of the yarn or ribbon in and out of the holes you punched in the card. If you are using yarn, you might want to wrap the end with tape to make it easier to thread through the holes.

Storage Box - Use decoupage techniques to create this fun box

Recycle the greeting cards you have received! Make this fancy storage box using greeting cards and a shoe box.

Materials:

• Shoe Box
• Paint
• Used Greeting Cards
• Glue

Instructions:
Paint the outside of the shoe box with the desired color, red or green would be great for Christmas cards (you can also use a paper mache box available at most crafts stores). Let the paint dry.

Cut out the picture or scene on the front of several greeting cards. Arrange the pictures or scenes on the sides and top of the shoe box to cover as much of it as possible. You can also try to create scenes with the pictures. Glue them into place and let the glue dry completely.

Using watered-down glue, paint over the box to seal it. You should use approximately 1 part glue to 1 part water. You can also use Mdoge-Podge or any other decoupage medium. Apply 2 - 3 coats, making sure each coat dries completely beefore adding the next.

Place Mats - These decorations can be made from a handful of old greeting cards.

Recycle the greeting cards you have received! Make a unique placemat.

Materials:

• Large Sheet of Construction Paper
• Used Greeting Cards
• Glue
• Clear Contact Paper or Laminate

Instructions:
Cut out the picture or scene on the front of several greeting cards. You can also cut out specific shapes such as all cicles, stars, etc. Arrange your cut-outs on the paper in whatever arrangement you want, and glue them into place. Allow the glue to dry.

Cover both sides of your placemat with clear contact paper, or laminate it. Trim around your placemat and you are all done!

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Christmas Tree Traditions Around the World

Canada
German settles migrated to Canada from the United States in the 1700's. They brought with them many of the things associated with Christmas we cherish today: Advent calendars, gingerbread houses, cookies--and Christmas trees. When Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, put up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1848, the Christmas tree became a tradition throughout England, the United States and Canada.

Mexico
In most Mexican homes the principal holiday adornment is el Nacimiento (Nativity scene). However, a decorated Christmas tree may be incorporated in the Nacimiento or set up elsewhere in the home. The typical arbolito (little tree) is often an artificial one, a bare branch cut from a copal tree (Bursera microphylla) or some type of shrub collected from the countryside.

Britain
The Norway Spruce is the traditional species used to decorate homes in Britain. The Norway Spruce was a native species in the British Isles before the last Ice Age and was reintroduced there before the 1500's.

Greenland
Christmas trees are imported, as no trees live this far north. They are decorated with candles and bright ornaments.

Guatemala
The Christmas tree has joined the "Nacimiento" (Nativity scene) as a popular ornament because of the large German population in Guatemala. Gifts are left under the tree on Christmas morning for the children. Parents and adults do not exchange gifts until New Year’s Day.

Finland
The earliest account of a Christmas tree in a Finnish home is from the year 1829, when a Helsinki nobleman, Barön Klinckowstrom, had eight of them indoors. Within the next hundred years the Christmas tree tradition spread from the west and the south to all parts of Finland. The first outdoor Christmas tree decorated with electric lights stood in the market square in the town of Pietarsaari in 1905. The city of Helsinki has erected a Christms tree in the Senate Square since 1930. Since 1954, Helsinki has donated a Christmas tree to the Belgian capital, Brussels. Source: Christmas With Virtual Finland

Brazil
Although Christmas falls during the summer in Brazil, sometimes pine trees are decorated with little pieces of cotton that represent falling snow.

Ireland
Christmas trees are brought in anytime in December and decorated with colored lights, tinsel, and baubles. Some people favor the angel on top of the tree, others the star. The house is decorated with garlands, candles, holly and ivy. Wreaths and mistletoe are hung on the door.

Sweden
Most people buy Christmas trees well before Christmas Eve, but it’s not uncommon to take the tree inside and decorate it just a few days before. Evergreen trees are decorated with stars, sunbursts and snowflakes made from straw. Other decorations include colorful wooden animals and straw centerpieces.

Norway
Nowadays Norwegians often take a trip to the woods to select a Christmas tree, a trip that their grandfathers probably did not make. The Christmas tree was not introduced into Norway from Germany until the latter half of the nineteenth century, to the country districts it came even later. When Christmas Eve arrives, there is the decorating of the tree, usually done by the parents behind the closed doors of the living room, while the children wait with excitement outside. Then follows a Norwegian ritual known as "circling the Christmas tree." Everyone joins hands to form a ring around the tree and they then walk around it singing carols. Afterwards, gifts are distributed.

Ukraine
Celebrated on December 25th by Catholics and on January 7th by Orthodox Christians, Christmas is the most popular holiday in the Ukraine. During the Christmas season, which also includes New Year’s Day, people decorate fir trees and have parties.

Spain
A popular Christmas custom is Catalonia, a lucky strike game. A tree trunk is filled with goodies and children hit at the trunk trying to knock out the hazel nuts, almonds, toffee and other treats.

Italy
In Italy, the presepio (manger or crib) represents in miniature the Holy Family in the stable and is the center of Christmas for families. Guests kneel before it and musicians sing before it . The presepio figures are usually hand-carved and very detailed in features and dress. The scene is often set out in the shape of a triangle. It provides the base of a pyramid-like structure called the ceppo. This is a wooden frame arranged to make a pyramid several feet high. Several tiers of thin shelves are supported by this frame. It is entirely decorated with colored paper, gilt pine cones and miniature colored pennants. Small candles are fastened to the tapering sides. A star or small doll is hung at the apex of the triangular sides. The shelves above the manger scene have small gifts of fruit, candy and presents. The ceppo is in the old Tree of Light tradition which became the Christmas tree in other countries. Some houses even have a ceppo for each child in the family.

Germany
Many Christmas traditions practiced around the world today started in Germany. It has been long thought that Martin Luther began the tradition of bringing a fir tree into the home. According to one legend, late one evening Martin Luther was walking home through the woods and noticed how beautifully the stars shined through the trees. He wanted to share the beauty with his wife so he cut down a fir tree and took it home. Once inside he placed small lighted candles on the branches and said that it would be a symbol of the beautiful Christmas sky. Hence, the Christmas tree.

Another legend says that in the early sixteenth century, people in Germany combined two customs that had been practiced in different countries around the globe. The Paradise tree (a fir tree decorated with apples) represented the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. The Christmas Light, a small pyramid-like frame, usually decorated with glass balls and tinsel and with a candle on top, was a symbol of the birth of Christ as the Light of the World. Changing the tree’s apples to tinsel balls and cookies; and combining this new tree with the Light placed on top, the Germans created the tree that many of us know now.

Today, the Tannenbaum (Christmas Tree) is traditionally decorated in secret with lights, tinsel and ornaments by the mother and is lit and revealed on Christmas Eve with cookies, nuts and gifts under its branches.

South Africa
Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. Although Christmas trees are not common, windows are often draped with sparkling cotton, wool, and tinsel.

Saudi Arabia
Christian Americans, Europeans, Indians, Filipinos and others living in Saudi Arabia have to celebrate Christmas privately in their own homes. Christmas lights are generally not tolerated. Most families place their Christmas trees somewhere inconspicuous.

Phillipines
Fresh pine trees are too expensive for many Filipinos, so handmade trees in an array of colors and sizes are often used. Star lanterns or parol, appear everywhere in December. They are made from bamboo sticks, covered with brightly colored rice paper or cellophane and usually feature a tassel on each point. There is usually one in every window, each representing the Star of Bethlehem.

China
Of the small percentage of Chinese who do celebrate Christmas, most erect artificial trees decorated with spangles and paper chains, flowers and lanterns. Christmas trees are called "trees of light."

Japanese
For most of the Japanese who celebrate Christmas, it’s purely a secular holiday devoted to the love of their children. Christmas trees are decorated with small toys, dolls, paper ornaments, gold paper fans and lanterns and wind chimes. Miniature candles are also put among the tree branches. One of the most popular ornaments is the origami swan. Japanese children have exchanged thousands of folded paper "birds of peace" with young people all over the world as a pledge that war must not happen again.

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– Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

– Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

– In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today's Mardi Gras parties.

– From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.

– Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America—in fact Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the country's first Christmas under the new constitution.

– Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

– The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.

– Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.

– The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.

– Rudolph, "the most famous reindeer of all," was the product of Robert L. May's imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.

– Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

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