When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Anna Efetova via Getty Images It's often claimed that many of today's Christmas ...

The beauty of the Christmas tree is that it does not require enforced belief. For Christians, it gestures toward the ...

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, nobody knows your origin. It's true — historians don't agree on where people started celebrating Christmas with a decorated fir tree, and who did it first. The ...

If you’ve ever decorated a Christmas tree and thought, “This feels a little too magical to be strictly Christian,” congratulations — your intuition is correct and possibly clairvoyant. Christmas, for ...

Late in her life my paternal grandmother abandoned the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in her home. An itinerant evangelist told her the tradition had pagan origins and therefore it was wrong ...

The ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews used evergreen wreaths, garlands, and trees to symbolise their respect for nature and their belief in eternal life. The pagan Europeans worshipped trees and ...

"Twas the Night Before Christmas" is an iconic piece of poetry by today's standards, with its description of jolly old St. Nick and his eight reindeer helping create the modern depiction of Santa ...

As Christmas 2025 approaches, explore the story, meaning, and timeless charm of the Christmas tree, a festive symbol that ...

NOW that Christmas has just passed, we can now look deeper into the historical roots of and practices performed during the holiday. Celebrated by billions of people globally, Christmas is widely seen ...

Some Christmas traditions mirror pre-Christian festivities, but some pagan influences may have been overstated. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s ...