Christmas gift giving is an amalgam of Saturnalia and the Magi and we couldn’t care less as long there’s at least one present under the tree with our name on it.

Former winter festivities featured much revelry and gift giving. Saturnalia would later be shanghaied and converted for religious purposes. Of course we’re talking about the ceremonies we currently call Christmas.

Many of the traditions designed to ward off the long, cold winter nights were also abducted and converted for the big day. One of those is offering presents. Mimicking the Three Wise Men and their presentations to the Christ child, gift giving was justified and became part of Christmas.

The practice was further enforced by fourth-century St. Nicholas who was a notorious gift giver to the needy. It wasn’t until the Victorian era when focus shifted to the children.

Industrialization and mass production encouraged commercialism and gift buying (and giving).

We probably don’t wanna know what Loki is offering, but even he seems to have the spirit of the season.

While we watch the calendar counting down the days to what many refer to as the biggest day of the year, consider Christmas was once illegal.

     And, the institution that instituted the day outlawed it. Well, one faction at least.

     In 1647, backed by a Puritan-backed Parliament, Christmas was outlawed. The Church of England did so citing the high holy day was pagan propaganda propagated by the Catholic Church.

     Parliament would finally reinstate Christmas by 1660.

    The decree would migrate to America in 1659 and last till 1681, mostly in Massachusetts.

    Christmas would continue unfettered until 1969 when Cuba declared it illegal until 1998.

     So, join Wolverine with a “Bah Humbub” in remembrance of a time when religious beliefs came before commercialism.

I guess someone somewhere eats gingerbread. By and large it seems to be more of a decoration than delicacy.

Like fruitcakes.

We have those innovative Germans to thank for gingerbread’s origins. Monks would whip up spiced cakes for feasts. Later, Queen Elizabeth I would popularize the confection by commissioning it to be made in the likenesses of visiting dignitaries. But, it was German-born Prince Albert who brought the tradition of hanging gingerbread men from the Christmas tree.

With the rise of The Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, so did the popularity of gingerbread houses and the practice of decorating them.

So, the practice of gingerbread men has endured throughout the centuries and continents. Enough so, we have a gingerbread Aquaman offered up in memory of the spiced treat.

Clement Clark Moore is one of America’s earliest influencers.

With his hastily jotted poem, The Night Before Christmas/‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, the 19th century professor of Greek and Hebrew literature at General Theological Seminary imbedded many of our current holiday beliefs in ourselves.

The precept of presents was one of the major contributions. Santa Claus’ appearance was another. Along with jolly St. Nick’s use of reindeer as transportation and his modus operandi for entering and exiting an abode.

A Visit from St. Nicholas, as the verse was originally titled in 1823, cemented his use of a magical sack to hold all the gifts. It also moved Santa’s visit from Christmas Day to Christmas Eve. The slight time shift removed some of the religious stigma from the forming holiday.

Here Batman, having settled in for a long winter’s nap complete with cap, looks disgruntled at having been woken.

We’ve already explored the legend of St. Nicholas’ generosity while relating the history of hanging stockings. That same penchant for giving relates to Santa Claus’ sack.

The fourth-century bishop is said to have carried a bag with filled with apples and other snacks he would give to the needy.

The 1823 Night Before Christmas poem built on the legend. But, now it was filled with presents.

Santa’s sack is said to use elfin magic enabling it to hold an infinite number of presents allowing the big guy to take care of his yearly trip without returning home for refills.

Even Tony Stark’s tech can’t equal the magic of Santa, but it doesn’t mean he can’t try.

…if for no other reason than to thank the Atlanta-based soft drink giant for giving us the Santa Claus we know and love today.

That jolly elf whose belly is rumored to shake like a bowl of jelly wasn’t always red and round. Much like Wolverine before Hugh Jackman, St. Nick was a more economical size, maybe to better fit down those chimneys.

And, he wore robes.

As a Saint of the Catholic Church, St. Nicholas was depicted in the more traditional robes of gold, red and blue.

When Santa made his way to America in the 19th century he was known to wear fur-trimmed clothing, but in Earth tones or with a patriotic flavor.

Thomas Nast, German-American cartoonist for Harper’s Weekly, is credited with giving Santa his red, fur trimmed suit. It is believed he chose red to contrast with the white snow.

The Santa Claus we know and love today is the by-product of advertising. Artist Haddon Sunblom’s depiction, based on his friend Lou Prentiss, came about in the 1930s.

Sundblom would base many of the characters in his holiday Coca-Cola paintings on those around him. From his neighbor’s daughters to the neighborhood florist’s poodle in 1964.

Here the Man of Steel shows he’s one of Santa’s helpers during his busiest time of the year.

And, if you’re you remember the carbonated nod to an old advertising jingle from the top of the page, I don’t feel so old.

For all the people who have risked life and limb hanging lights on the house eves, today’s offering is for a you.

Today we explore origins of exterior illumination.

Like so many of our current habits, decorating with lights began with the Germans who took it to England and then brought it to the new world.

The tradition began with the Yule log some time in the 12th century. It’s design was to ward off the long, cold winter nights.

The Yule log was later replaced by candles on a fir tree. While pretty, decorators soon discovered flames and dry trees were a combustible combo.

It would be Thomas Edison’s friend, Edward H. Johnson, who was the game changer. In 1882 he wrapped a string of electric lights around a Christmas tree and plugged them into a wall socket.

The practice would take almost another decade to catch the eye of President Grover Cleveland who lit up the White House tree with electricity.

By the dawn of the 20th century strings of 24 lights were available to rent. In 1903 they cost an equivalent of almost $350 making private ownership prohibitive.

As with all technology, lights have become affordable and available to everyone.

Funko shows a little whimsy with Wonder Woman and her version of the holiday tradition.

….underneath the mistletoe last night.

Like most traditions, mistletoe is a holdover from before Christmas. Mistletoe has its origins in Saturnalia, when  the tradition of kissing under the plant began.

In 18th century England the tradition was expanded to include plucking a berry from the mistletoe after each kiss. It also stated those who kissed under the holly would marry.

The custom of smooching under the sprig continues to symbolize love and peace as it did when first hung.

Poison Ivy is the perfect host for today’s tradition, though her kisses have little to do with love.

He really is the most famous reindeer of all. How hard is it to remember Dasher, Donner, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and, okay, I admit, I can’t name the others off the top of my head. 

They are, after looking them up, Prancer, Dancer and Blitzen. Sorry guys.

Of course we’re talking about Rudolph.

Rudy has his origins in advertising. The red-nosed reindeer was introduced in 1939 as part of a Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago promotion.

To save money, the store commissioned an original story as a present to customers. The prior practice had been to purchase published books to pass out.

Robert L. May, the youngest of nine, offered a tale that may have been born In the author’s youth. Often picked on as the runt of the litter, Rudolph’s early misfortunes mirrored some of May’s troubles.

The glowing nose was inspired by a fog settling over Lake Michigan as viewed by May from his office window.

A decade later May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks turned the tale to tune and Gene Autry recorded it. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer became a number one hit on the Billboard pop singles selling 2.5-million copies the first year.

Over time, the song has sold 25-million copies and continues to climb.

Here Flash dons the beacon nose and antlers to spread good cheer for the season.

A fir tree symbolizes the season and holiday in a way no other totem can. We’ve looked in wonder, put out presents under it and sang songs in honor of the Christmas tree.

Origins began with just branches to give hope and remind spring would return during the long, cold nights of winter solstice.

In the eighth century, German missionary St. Boniface began to cite it as a symbol of Christ’s eternal life. In doing so, it became a Christian artifact for the season.

The legend was further embedded in religious tradition through a story in which a family helps the Christ child. In turn, Jesus grows a tree from a fir branch bearing golden apples and silver nuts. The lesson demonstrates helping others honors Christ.

A starry night is credited with inspiring Martin Luther to add candles to the tree. This symbolized the divine light.

The tree and lights immigrated to the New World with the Germans. So did adorning the tree with fruit and other foods.

Of course the humble beginnings morphed into what we celebrate today.