Christmas is about celebration. Celebration of the coming longer days. Celebration of family and friends. Celebration of the birth of Christ.

This is why it is such a festive season … we’ve all got a lot to celebrate. And here are some ways that you can use to celebrate the season.

Watch Christmas Movies and Special
This one is easy … if you have a television, you have access to a plethora of Christmas themed entertainment. From traditional fair such as one of the many versions of A Christmas Carol to It’s A Wonderful Life, there are plenty of Christmas movies and specials airing this time of year.

And, often, a new Christmas movie is released in the theaters, as well. This year, we have Jim Carrey providing the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge in the latest version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale of the Christmas spirit.

You can also visit your local video store and rent a movie or three. And, these days you can access a wide selection of Christmas fair over the Internet. Not only can you watch stuff on YouTube, but you can even download whole movies.

Go Old School and See a Play
Most towns have local performing arts theaters and this time of year many of them are putting on productions of both traditional and new Christmas tales. Also, many churches are performing versions of the Nativity, the Little Drummer Boy and other Bible stories that teach the meaning of Christmas.

Go Caroling
Singing the songs of Christmas, whether in the shower or at your local hospice center is a wonderful way to celebrate the season. Community colleges, churches and even neighbors gather impromptu caroling groups to sing at hospitals and around the neighborhood. And, if you’re really lucky, you might even be able to see a production of Handel’s Messiah. Some towns even have a sing-along version, which can be quite fun.

Carols as a tradition at Christmas is said to originate from England and France in the Middle Ages. At the time, carols were dances accompanied by singing. The tradition that Anglo-Saxons preferred was to have small choirs gather on the village green and sing carols and Christmas songs to passers-by. Over time, the meaning of the word changed to refer to only certain types of songs.

Rock Around the Christmas Tree
And, of course there is the traditional Christmas party. Workplaces, neighborhoods, even good friends and family will be hosting parties that you can attend and enjoy a little winter festivity. Even social hubs such as bars may have special nights with different food and lower-priced drinks during Christmas.

It seems there is no end to the festivities during the Christmas season. Have a good time … in a responsible manner.

You’ve heard of the 12 Days of Christmas, right? Well here’s a fun take on it: The 12 Things You Never Knew About Christmas:

1. Yes, it was a fire hazard, but Christmas trees were originally lighted with actual candles. As a result containers filled with water had to be kept near the Christmas tree.
2. Who started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition? Construction workers! They are credited with placing an undecorated tree at the site in the early 1930s.
3. Who keeps the White House properly adorned with Christmas trees each year? The National Christmas Tree Association, which has maintained a presence in the White House at Christmas by donating a Christmas tree to the First Family since the mid-1960s.
4. The first manufactured Christmas tree ornaments were sold by the former Woolworth department store in 1880.
5. Lead was once used in the manufacture of tinsel, causing it to be prohibited. So, now-a-days, it is manufactured from plastic.
6. The first Christmas greeting cards were developed in the late 1830s. In Britain, John Calcott Horsley started to produce small cards that had festive scenes and a holiday greeting written inside. Around the same time in the U.S., R.H. Pease, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, who was a German immigrant were creating similar cards. However, the idea of sending these out during the holidays didn’t gain popularity for another 10 years, when new postal delivery services started.
7. Where did the term “Xmas” come from? Some believe that it came from the Greek word ‘Xristos’ which means Christ, and the short form has been popular in Europe since the 1500.
8. For 200 years, candy canes were only white, says the National Confectioners Association. It wasn’t until the 1950s that this holiday confection was able to be mass produced.
9. In England, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. Several stories exist for the origination of the name. It is believed to have originated from the practice of boys who would be about collecting money in clay boxes. Another thought is that the term is derived from a custom in the Middle Ages, about 800 years ago, when churches would open their ‘alms boxes’ and distribute the contents to poor people on the day after Christmas. Alms boxes are boxes in which donations of gifts and money would be placed. Yet another belief is that it comes from a custom of masters giving their servants Christmas presents in boxes on the day after Christmas.
10. Before Christianity started, people would hang evergreen branches over their doors and windows because evergreens were believed to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness.
11. Christmas is celebrated in December, in part, because the holiday would coincide with the winter solstice celebration of sun god worshipers. Doing this would make it easier for them to make the transition to Christianity. The ancient peoples celebrated the winter solstice because they believed that the sun god was starting to regain strength after falling ill … something he did every year, bringing on winter.
12. In the earlier years of the U.S., following the American Revolution , it was unpopular then to observe and take part in English customs … including Christmas. In fact, Christmas celebrations were barred in Boston from 1659 to 1681 — anyone caught participating in any event or activity related to Christmas had to pay five shillings. So, it might not surprise you that in 1789, Congress did business on Christmas Day, the first one to be observed under the country’s new constitution.