Germany. Decorated trees were brought into German homes by the 1500s–1600s and spread worldwide in the 1800s.

1870. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the law in 1870.

Alabama. Alabama did it in 1836 — Massachusetts had once banned Christmas celebrations.

Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge pushed the button on a tree on the Ellipse in 1923.

Sir Henry Cole. Cole, a London civil servant, had the artist John Callcott Horsley design it.

The Greek letter chi, the first letter of 'Christ' in Greek. The abbreviation has been used for centuries — it isn't a modern shortcut.

Mexico. It is named after Joel Poinsett, the first US minister to Mexico, who brought it north in the 1820s.

Silver. Early tinsel from 17th-century Germany was thin strips of real silver — it tarnished quickly in candlelight.

Edward H. Johnson. Johnson, a colleague of Edison, lit his tree with 80 red, white and blue bulbs.

Norway. Oslo has sent a tree every year since 1947 as thanks for British help in the Second World War.

Boxing Day. It traditionally was the day servants and tradespeople received a 'Christmas box'.

Germany. The first printed Advent calendars appeared in Germany in the early 1900s.

The Three Wise Men. It closes the twelve days of Christmas — and is the gift day in Spain and Latin America.

Rockefeller Center. Construction workers put up the first tree there in 1931.

Candles. Candles clipped to branches were a real fire risk — one reason electric lights caught on.

12. They run from Christmas Day to the eve of Epiphany.

By steamboat from Spain. The televised arrival happens in a different Dutch town each year.

13. One arrives each night from December 12, leaving gifts — or a potato — in shoes on the windowsill.

Fried chicken from KFC. A 1970s ad campaign made KFC the Christmas meal; families order weeks ahead.

The Three Kings. Children leave their shoes out — and hay for the camels.

A kind old witch who brings gifts on Epiphany eve. She flies on a broom on the night of January 5.

Ježíšek, the baby Jesus. Children never see him — a bell rings when the presents have arrived.

December 25. Ukraine moved its public holiday from January 7 in 2023.

Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost). He travels with his granddaughter Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden.

The Alps (Austria and Bavaria). He roams on December 5, the eve of St Nicholas Day.

Nine dawn Masses before Christmas. It runs from December 16 to 24.

A Donald Duck Christmas special. 'Kalle Anka' has aired every Christmas Eve since the late 1950s.

Summer. Barbecues and beach days are part of an Aussie Christmas.

A log that 'poops' out sweets. Children feed it in December, then hit it with sticks on Christmas to make it drop treats.

December 5. St Nicholas Day is December 6.

Nine. From December 16 to 24, re-enacting Mary and Joseph's search for shelter.

Rovaniemi. Santa's official Finnish post office is there too.

January 7. Like other Orthodox churches on the Julian calendar.

Brooms. An old belief says witches come out that night looking for a broom to ride.

Eight. Rudolph arrived more than a century later.

1939. Robert L. May wrote him for a Montgomery Ward booklet.

Montgomery Ward. Millions of copies were handed out to children.

A Visit from St. Nicholas. It was first published anonymously in 1823.

Thomas Nast. Nast drew Santa for Harper's Weekly for decades.

Coca-Cola. Santa already wore red before — the ads made the jolly version iconic.

1955. A misprinted phone number in a newspaper ad sent kids' calls to a military hotline.

Turkey. He was bishop of Myra in the 4th century.

Dutch. It developed from Sinterklaas, brought to New York by Dutch settlers.

H0H 0H0. Letters to that address get a reply from Canada Post volunteers.

Rover. The eight are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.

Females. Female reindeer keep their antlers through the winter.

Mrs. Claus. Her first name varies from story to story.

2005. It was written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell.

His list. The idea of a naughty-or-nice list became famous through a 1934 song.

Paris. Kevin's family realises mid-flight.

Will Ferrell. Buddy was raised by elves at the North Pole.

His wings. The 1946 film stars James Stewart.

A Red Ryder BB gun. Everyone warns him he'll shoot his eye out.

Chris Van Allsburg. It was published in 1985 and made into a film in 2004.

Three. The book was published in 1957.

Charles Dickens. He wrote it in about six weeks.

Jacob Marley. Marley's ghost visits first, in chains.

Three. The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.

Macy's. The film opens at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Jack Skellington. He tries to take over Christmas from Halloween Town.

A magic hat. The special was made by Rankin/Bass.

1965. It won an Emmy and has aired every year since.

Kevin. He was played by Macaulay Culkin.

Bing Crosby. He co-stars with Danny Kaye.

Scott Calvin. He becomes Santa after putting on the suit.

White Christmas. Bing Crosby's recording has sold an estimated 50 million copies.

Irving Berlin. It debuted in the 1942 film 'Holiday Inn'.

German. 'Stille Nacht' was first sung in Oberndorf, Austria, in 1818.

Jingle Bells. Gemini 6 astronauts played it on a harmonica and bells.

1994. It first topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, 25 years later.

Gene Autry. The song was written by Johnny Marks, Robert L. May's brother-in-law.

Nat King Cole. It was written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells.

Wham!. George Michael wrote and produced it.

364. Add up every day's gifts, repeated each day, and you get 364.

Wales. It is based on an old Welsh tune.

French. It began as the French poem 'Minuit, chrétiens' in 1843.

José Feliciano. It came out in 1970 and mixes Spanish and English.

Bobby Helms. It became a staple of Christmas radio.

13. She recorded it in 1958.

Gold rings. It is a traditional carol, first printed in England in 1780.

Milk, cream, sugar and eggs. Many recipes add nutmeg on top.

Brandy. The flaming pudding is carried to the table with the lights off.

Milan. It is studded with candied fruit and raisins.

Stollen. Dresden's Stollen is the most famous.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes. It comes from the southern Italian custom of a meatless Christmas Eve.

A tiny figure of baby Jesus. Whoever finds it hosts a tamale party on February 2.

A log. It recalls the Yule log once burned at Christmas.

Poland. An extra place is set for an unexpected guest.

Peppermint. The red and white stripes became standard in the early 1900s.

Meat. Medieval mince pies mixed minced meat with fruit and spices.

Chestnuts. Street sellers of hot chestnuts are a winter sight in many cities.

Nuremberg. Nuremberg Lebkuchen has protected status.

The Philippines. It is baked in a clay pot lined with banana leaves.

Strawberry shortcake. White cream and red strawberries — Christmas colors.

A goose. Scrooge later sends them a prize turkey.

Carrots. Milk and cookies are for Santa himself.

Red. It has white fur trim and a black belt.

A sleigh. They fly it all around the world in one night.

The North Pole. With Mrs. Claus, the elves and the reindeer.

Elves. They work in Santa's workshop all year.

A star. Some families use an angel instead.

Stockings. Kids find small gifts in them on Christmas morning.

A carrot. Coal or stones often make the eyes.

Red. It glows so bright it lights the way.

Down the chimney. He's very good at squeezing.

Milk and cookies. In Britain and Australia it's often a mince pie.

December. Christmas Day is December 25.

Nine. Rudolph leads the way at the front.

A hook. It looks like a shepherd's crook.

Mistletoe. It has white berries.

Cookies and candy. Icing is the glue that holds it together.

An elf. Elves are famous for being tiny and fast.