Nothing says Christmas like a set of KFC Christmas tree ornaments, an idea perhaps inspired by the Japanese tradition of eating Christmas dinner at KFC. It is so popular that Japanese customers must place their Christmas orders two months in advance.

Highlights of nearly 400 years of Christmas.

• Christmas was illegal in England from 1647-1660. The celebration was deemed by Oliver Cromwell to be a criminal offense. No mention is made of how this law conflicted with an earlier law, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551. This law states that every English citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service.
• During the first year of World War 1 (1914), a truce was held between Germany and Great Britain. They decorated their shelters, exchanged gifts across no man’s land, and played a game of soccer.
• The Nazi party tried to turn Christmas into a nonreligious holiday celebrating the coming of Hitler, with swastikas on top of Christmas trees.
• In WW2, Bicycle, the American playing card company, sent decks of cards as Christmas presents to all POWs in Germany. When soaked in water, they would reveal escape routes out of Germany.
• An artificial Christmas tree would have to be reused for more than 20 years to be “greener” than buying a fresh-cut tree annually.
• People in Newfoundland dress up in crude disguises and go from house to house dancing and playing music while the hosts try to identify them.
• Since 1960, a large part of Sweden’s population watches Donald Duck cartoons every Christmas Eve, a personal favorite tradition.

Ho, ho, ho.