Christmas Eve links

Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2017, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

Rare vintage video footage: Christmas in the 1920s.

In the Christmas In Other Cultures category, here's a Klingon Christmas Carol. Also, how to have a British Christmas, Sweden's bizarre tradition of watching Donald Duck (Kalle Anka) cartoons on Christmas Eve, Strange Christmas Traditions Around the World, and why Japan is Obsessed with Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas.

Awkward Christmas photos and weird nativity sets.

Holiday Hairstyles Sure To Shock Santa.

At Christmas, this town builds a Giant Yule goat and then torches it.

Great Literary Christmas Tales That Aren’t A Christmas Carol.

Virginia O'Hanlon, of Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus fame, was asked about that letter for the rest of her life.

The real history of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ - it all started with a Montgomery Ward marketing campaign in 1939.

In 1863, Santa Claus entered the fray on the side of the Union.

The Real Story Behind A Charlie Brown Christmas (and why it almost wasn’t shown).

Little Drummer Boy, sung by David Bowie and Bing Crosby.

Why Did NORAD Start Tracking Santa? Related: How NORAD's Santa tracker works.

The story of the real life George Bailey of It's a Wonderful Life.

Infographic: The logistics of Santa Claus.

Santa Claus Plays Jingle Bells with the Colt 1911.

Using Fox Urine to prevent Christmas Tree Theft.

That Christmas when Parisians Ate the Zoo.

Supercut of movie Santas.

The World's Strangest Christmas Trees.

Here's a Christmas light version of Santa Claus urinating on ISIS sign.

Winston Churchill's 1941 Christmas message.

Gingerbread Houses Inspired By Movies And TV Shows.

10 Important Facts About A Christmas Story's Leg Lamp. Related: Ralphie teamed up with Flash Gordon in a deleted scene from A Christmas Story.

ICYMI, Wednesday's links are here, and include printable Star Wars snowflake templates, all about the winter solstice, and the classic drunken fruitcake recipe.

Rare vintage video footage: Christmas in the 1920s

A more innocent, and less commercial, time:



via Vintage Everyday.

Wednesday links

December 21 is the winter solstice, the first day of winter, and the shortest day of the year. Here are science, history, and short video explanations of the celestial mechanics involved, plus descriptions of the concurrent celebrations of Saturnalia and Halcyon Days.

How The World Looked When Jesus Was Born, According to Roman Geographers.

A collection of downloadable templates for Star Wars snowflakes.

Classic Christmas drunken fruitcake recipe: Check the whiskey. Pour 1 level cup and drink. Repeat.

The 1914 Christmas truce.

The Origin of the Myth of the Poisonous Poinsettia. Related, why we kiss under the mistletoe and how the plant got that strange name (spoiler - it literally means "dung twig").

ICYMI, Friday's links are here, and include advice from ~1200 on how to survive the winter (don't forget to lay off the purging and blood-letting, and keep your hands and feet covered in wolf grease), the complicated history of humans and cats, an island where donkeys wear pajamas, and a map of the entire internet as of 1973, on one sheet of paper.