Government
This military command tracks Santa
Since 1955, North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has been answering phone calls and now email and social media questions from children around the world about Santa's whereabouts.
Traditionally Christmas song originally written for Thanksgiving
Jingle Bells
A German choirmaster invented this traditional Christmas candy to keep children quiet during long church services.
Candy canes.
This is the material that the first artificial Christmas tree was made from.
What are Goose Feathers
Brings sweets and gifts to children in Italy
The kind witch, La Befana
This country outlawed Christmas in 1647.
England
The year the first Christmas cards were published in America.
1875
Dates and raisins are key ingredients in this popular Christmas dessert.
Plum pudding.
This tradition, now associated associated with Christmas, began in Ancient Greece as a blessing of fertility in wedding ceremonies.
Kissing under the mistletoe
St. Lucia Day
Dec. 13 in Sweden: Festival of Lights
This classic Christmas movie did the FBI issue a memo expressing concerns about it being communist propaganda
Its a Wonderful Life
This popular Christmas song was not included on Mariah Carrey's 1994 Christmas Album
Performed by Ariana Grande, "Santa Tell Me" would not debut until 2014, twenty years after Mariah Carrey's famous holiday album
Fish, especially carp.
Traditional food for Christmas in Poland
This decoration was traditionally made out of silver
Tinsel
This unique Christmas tradition in Japan involves eating food from this American fast food chain for dinner.
In Japan, it has become a popular custom to have Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas dinner. This unique tradition started in the 1970s after a successful KFC marketing campaign that positioned their fried chicken as a special holiday meal. Today, people in Japan often pre-order their KFC Christmas meals well in advance.
Thirteenth Salary
What is the mandatory Christmas bonus in Mexico. Also known as Aguinaldo.
In “The Chipmunk Song,” the chipmunks besides a plan, the Chipmunks what this for Christmas.
A hula hoop
This Christmas beverage is sometimes referred to as "milk punch"
Eggnog
Celebrating Christmas in this country means hiding a pickled cucumber in the Christmas tree.
Germany
The tradition involves hiding a real pickle (or a pickle ornament) inside of the Christmas tree and having the first person to find it receive an extra gift.
In 1659, this colony passed a law called Penalty for Keeping Christmas.
Massachusetts
Anyone who celebrated Christmas would be fined five shillings.
In the song “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” what “incriminating” evidence was found on Grandma’s back
Claus marks
These treats were introduced at Christmastime in 1902. The carrying string on the box was designed so it could be hung on a Christmas Tree.
Animal Crackers
According to Nordic folklore, Santa Claus is said to be accompanied by this mischievous creature who is said to punish misbehaving children during the Christmas season....and Raquel finds him creepy.
Krampus
According to the legend, Krampus would visit homes on the night of December 5th, known as Krampusnacht, to scare and admonish children who had been naughty. He carries chains and sometimes a bundle of birch branches to swat or whip misbehaving children. In some traditions, he even collects the naughty children in a basket or sack to take them away.