The Associated Press

In this country, most folks celebrate Christmas with an exchange of gifts on Christmas Day. Others take a little longer to do their celebrating. While times have changed somewhat, Christmas traditionally has been celebrated as a 12-day holiday.

For many lovers of holiday sweets, the Yule log is known as a tasty treat. But for others, it’s a reminder of an old custom gone by. As far back as the 12th century, many Europeans would mark the holidays with the lighting of the Yule log.

Holidays can be a wonderful time of feasting, and Christmas is certainly no exception. No doubt you and your family have a favorite holiday meal, drink or treat you enjoy every year. For some folks, it’s the Christmas goose, or turkey or ham...

The Christmas spirit takes shape in many different ways. And for a lot of folks, both young and old, it’s a time to give and receive gifts.

Each year, we buy millions of Christmas trees at lots and tree farms across the country. As with many Christmas customs, this one has its roots in many times and places. Most historians believe the first decorated Christmas trees in the United States appeared in the mid 19th century...

For many kids, it’s the most exciting and sometimes the most difficult time of the year. The days before Christmas are filled with wonder and amazement. Everyone prepares for Christmas in different ways. Families do their shopping, and their decorating, and their visiting according to their own special customs and traditions...

You’ve got shopping to do, decorating to take care of, travel plans to finalize and relatives to visit. Keeping the holidays happy and safe. There’s no question the holiday season is a busy time of year. And it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t plan ahead...

Christmas is a time of song and caroling. But the festive music we use to help us enjoy the holiday is a fairly recent addition to the celebration. Christmas hymns for centuries had only been sung in church, and then, only in Latin. And because few people regularly spoke Latin, the songs never really made it outside the religious world ...

When we think of Santa Claus, we conjure up images of a happy, round man with white whiskers and lots of little helpers. The man they call Santa Claus. Everybody knows Santa. He’s the jolly old elf who’s constantly saying, “Ho, ho, ho...

Christmas has long been a time ripe for superstitions, tall tales and odd beliefs. Some of the more unusual Christmas superstitions: Some experts say that since Christmas has a strong religious base, it’s been a prime target for various superstitions over the years...

If you try to picture what Christmas looks like, many different images might readily come to mind — candles, a star atop the tree, poinsettias. We’ll look at some of the symbols of Christmas: Christmas is celebrated in so many different ways around the world, but some items have reached across time and space...

Not everybody celebrates Christmas in the same way. Traditions and customs differ the world over. The different Christmas celebrations: The tiny town of Bethlehem is thought to be the site of Christ’s birth. And each year at this time, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is adorned with many flags and decorations, and a dramatic procession is held each Christmas Eve...