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It is a British Christmas tradition that a wish made while mixing The Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.

The tradition of Christmas lights dates back to when Christians were persecuted for saying Mass. A simple candle in the window meant that Mass would be celebrated there that night.

Yuletide-named towns in the United States include Santa Claus, located in Arizona and Indiana, Noel in Missouri, and Christmas in both Arizona and Florida.

The classic animal crackers box is designed with a string handle because the animal-shaped cookie treats, introduced in 1902 as a Christmas novelty, were packaged so they could be hung from Christmas trees.

Sending red Christmas cards to anyone in Japan constitutes bad etiquette, since funeral notices there are customarily printed in red.

When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by his servant, Black Peter; who is responsible for actually dropping the presents down the chimneys. However, legend claims that Peter also punishes bad children by putting them in a bag and carrying them away to Spain.

Theodore Roosevelt, a staunch conservationist, banned Christmas trees in his home, even when he lived in the White House. His children, however, smuggled them into their bedrooms.

Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria of England, was credited with introducing the German custom of the Christmas tree into the English home in 1841.

In the British armed forces it is traditional that officers wait on the men and serve them their Christmas dinner. This dates back to a custom from the Middle Ages.