Special Note:
Because some of these sites are hosted on FREE servers, and because this is the peak season for this information, some sites might be unavailable during high traffic periods.

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, thoughts of gift giving, food and family gatherings consume the thoughts of many. The joy associated with the company of loved ones presents each person with their own special memories.

A Search for the Meaning of Christmas explores the celebrations associated with Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa by sharing traditions, food and literature from around the world. The site's educational approach with an emphasis on historical tradition replaces the common present-giving theme often associated with the holiday season. Find out about the nine days prior to Christmas in Mexico when people hold festivities to represent the time Mary and Joseph sought shelter before the birth of Jesus. Learn to sing the reggae-style Christmas carols of Jamaica. You may even want to visit Bethlehem. Or closer to home, see how we celebrate differently in regions right here in the United States. And what tradition doesn't include some involvement with food? Your search for the meaning of Christmas wouldn't be complete without clicking the "Holiday Foods" link to see what's inside Mrs. Claus' Cookbook or some of Santa's favorite foods from around the world. Much of this site takes on a religious perspective offering the "true" meaning of Christmas without the commercialized aspects. The content almost acts as a directory of links to help you find your personalized meaning.

The Internet is full of sites dedicated to Christmas traditions from various countries. Mexico Connect explores the customs that make Navidad celebrations so important to the people of Mexico. Scroll down the page to see more than 20 articles from various authors who have shared their stories, recipes and traditions. Countries and continents are covered at Christmas Around The World. From Australia to Venezuela, you'll find the spirit of Christmas is celebrated just about everywhere. Be sure to move down to the bottom of the list to find out how to say "Merry Christmas" in 123 languages.

Looking begin your own family tradition? At the Christmas Traditions page there are 21 ideas for creating a custom that your family can share for years. Best of all, these suggestions won't put a dent in your wallet and many are designed to help people in need. What about Christmas caroling as a possible tradition to start? You'll find the lyrics to just about any holiday song you can think of at Christmas Carols Music and Lyrics . Warning: the pop-up windows that plague this site can get annoying.

Maybe a traditional food is your family's favorite. Robin's Christmas Cooking page has recipes for sweets, bars, baklava, biscotti, candy, fudge, cookies and drinks. She even has pets covered with treats for birds, cats and dogs. Speaking of food, HolidayOrganizer.com recommends gifts in a jar as an inexpensive solution for holiday presents. While you're there, check out their favorite Christmas cooking links to cookies, gifts in a jar and gingerbread houses. A bonus to this site is their effort to offer tips and ideas for the frugal consumer. Ever thought of buying your Christmas meal the day after Thanksgiving? Bargains are plentiful with items that didn't sell for the holiday, so buy early and save.

In what is probably welcomed by parents everywhere, the people at HowStuffWorks have prepared a Christmas-related guide to children's most frequent but hard to answer question -- Why? Why do I keep hearing the same songs over and over again? Why is there a big log in the fireplace? Why do people give presents on Christmas Day? Now these answers and plenty more are readily available. If you can get by the hard-to-read black text on dark green background, the Not Just for Kids! Christmas website covers some additional topics geared toward adults. You can learn tips on buying a Christmas tree or photographing holiday lights, as well as gather a few more traditions. Kids will enjoy the "Fun" link which includes Christmas craft ideas and odd holiday tales from Grandpa Tucker.

Make this year's holiday season a memorable one by exploring the world's traditions and maybe even starting one of your own. We hope these sites will help spark ideas to bring joy to you and your family.

Happy Holidays!