Christmas

From head to mistletoe: the curious biology of elves

By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol As Christmas Eve ends and Christmas dawns,, we’re reminded of the tireless elves behind the scenes, toiling in workshops to bring…

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From truce in the trenches to cocktails at the consulate: How Christmas diplomacy seeks to exploit seasonal goodwill

British and German troops observe a temporary truce on Christmas Day 1914. Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix via Getty Images Andrew Latham, Macalester College President Donald Trump is reportedly setting his sights on…

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Dissecting the Grinch: what anatomy reveals about Christmas’s most famous villain

By Lucy E. Hyde, Lecturer, Anatomy, University of Bristol The Grinch is one of the holiday season’s most familiar icons. The grumpy, green, fur-covered misanthrope who plotted to sabotage Christmas…

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To feel lonely is to be human: here’s how to handle it at Christmas

Paul Jones, Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience at Aston Business School, Aston University Christmas is often considered a time of connection, warmth and belonging. That’s the script, anyway.…

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What makes a song sound ‘Christmassy’? Musicologist explains

Samuel J Bennett, Senior Lecturer in Music Production, Nottingham Trent University Within the first notes of many classic Christmas songs, we’re transported directly to the festive season. Why is it…

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Christmas travel chaos: All the forthcoming European airport strikes in December

Heading home this Christmas or taking a winter holiday? Travel strikes have become a familiar part of the festive season as workers target one of the busiest periods of the…

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Malta Public Transport announces special services for NYE celebrations in Valletta

Malta Public Transport announces that it will be operating special bus services for the national New Year’s Eve celebration taking place on 31 December 2025 in Valletta. The additional trips…

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Estonian Parliament to Santa: Thank You for Your Service, But Times Have Changed

Estonia’s parliament (Riigikogu) has opted to discontinue a long-standing Christmas ritual in which Santa Claus visited the Riigikogu to hand out tongue-in-cheek gifts—a practice now deemed past its prime. Traditionally,…

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Germany’s Christmas markets grapple with soaring security costs

Germany's Christmas markets, a major tourist draw for local economies, are grappling with unprecedented security costs following a series of attacks. A nationwide survey by the Federal Association of City…

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From Plush to Pretend Food: The Toys Forecast to Define Christmas 2025

A £7 furry bouncy ball with a face is tipped to be one of the must-have toys this Christmas, according to expert buyers at Hamleys. The Ty Bouncers – essentially…

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Italians to spend up to 9 bn euros for Xmas shopping

With Italians rushing to buy their last presents before the end-of-year holidays, consumers' association Codacons and retailers' confederation Confesercenti have estimated in two separate studies that they are expected to…

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UK doctors warn over water bead gifts for children

Emergency doctors in the UK have issued a safety warning over water beads, which could be given to children as gifts over Christmas. The brightly coloured soft plastic beads, also…

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German Christmas markets get creative as prices hit new highs

For Eva Henschke, Germany's Christmas markets are a chance to temporarily forget about the colder, darker days with a hot mug of mulled wine or eggnog and a bratwurst off…

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Argos announces annual Top Toys List for Christmas 2024

With less than 100-days until Christmas, leading UK retailer Argos has released its annual list of toys predicted to dominate Christmas wish lists this year. Established in 1973, Argos is…

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Maduro moves Christmas to October

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared that he would issue a decree to move Christmas to October 1. In his weekly television show on Monday, Maduro said "It's September, and it…

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Which country spends the most at Christmas?

Euronews Business took a look at which countries spend the most during the holiday season.Christmas brings together the costs of trees, decorations, and gifts, a blend that varies across nations. …

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Italy drafts law to ‘safeguard’ school nativity scenes

Italy’s ruling far-right party has identified a new battleground in its war to protect the country’s “cultural roots”: the school nativity scene. A draft law proposed by the Brothers of…

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How Boxing Day evolved from giving Christmas leftovers to servants to a retail frenzy

Robert Crawford Professor of Advertising, RMIT University The Boxing Day sales are an essential part of Australia’s festive season.Every year on December 26 news outlets invariably feature stories about excited…

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Christmas traditions from around the world

Here is a roundup of some of the Christmas traditions from around the, from the quirky to the religious: Midnight mass in Rome Many theologians believe the tradition known as…

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With ‘White Christmas,’ Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby helped make Christmas a holiday that all Americans could celebrate

Irving Berlin was a Jewish immigrant who loved America. As his 1938 song “God Bless America” suggests, he believed deeply in the nation’s potential for goodness, unity and global leadership.…

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Celebrating Christmas on December 25 began as early as 2 century CE, history shows

Most people, including Christians, believe the origin of Christmas is the pagan feasts to worship the solar god Sol Invictus, Saturn’s god Saturnalia, or the Persian solar god adopted by…

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Confectioners eye holiday boost as UK shoppers snub expensive gifts

Cash-strapped shoppers opting for cheaper gifts -execs Chocolate seen relatively cheaper than toys Gen Z, Millenial shoppers likely to 'trade down' - survey By Richa Naidu and Helen Reid LONDON,…

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Wham!’s Last Christmas finally crowned UK Christmas number one

Wham! has been declared the UK's official Christmas number one with Last Christmas - 39 years after first being denied the festive top spot. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's festive…

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World market for Italian panettone and pandoro worth close to 1 bn euro

The international market for Italian Christmas cakes like panettone and pandoro and other types of traditional festive confectionery is worth close to one billion euros, artisans association Confartigianato revealed.It said…

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Same-sex nativity scene causes anger in Italy

By Ciro De Luca CAPOCASTELLO DI MERCOGLIANO, Italy, (Reuters) - A church nativity scene which features two mothers of the Baby Jesus, instead of the conventional Mary and Joseph figurines,…

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The enduring wartime spirit that powers classic Christmas songs

Eighty years ago this week, Judy Garland walked into an MGM studio and recorded Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas for the first time. It was written for the musical…

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Be careful what Christmas songs you play in the office

Last Christmas and other festive favourites are bad for productivity, according to experts. Researchers analysed 200 Christmas tunes and tracked which ones are good and bad for work by analysing…

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European Parliament puts up Nativity scene

For the second year running, thanks to the persistent campaign by Spanish MEP Isabel Benjumea, a Nativity scene was once more put up in the European Parliament headquarters for the…

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Two thirds of Britons to spend less this Christmas – Accenture

LONDON (Reuters) - Almost two thirds of UK adults are planning to cut back on spending this Christmas, according to research from Accenture, published on Monday, which is significantly more…

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Three in 10 Britons to spend less in festive period – Deloitte

LONDON (Reuters) - Almost three in 10 UK consumers plan to spend less in the festive period this year than last year, reflecting the impact of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis,…

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Ukraine moves Christmas Day in snub to Russia

Ukraine has moved its official Christmas Day state holiday from 7 January to 25 December, the latest move aimed at distancing itself from Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed into law…

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FACTBOX: How British retailers fared over cost-of-living crisis Christmas

LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - British consumer spending over the Christmas period has so far held up better-than-expected, providing some relief to retailers who had feared an escalating cost-of-living crisis…

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Putin calls for Christmas truce in move rejected by Ukraine

KYIV/BAKHMUT, Ukraine, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Ukraine spurned an announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday of a 36-hour ceasefire to mark Orthodox Christmas, saying there would be no truce until…

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Remember the war weary and the poor, pope urges on Christmas Eve

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Saturday led the world's Catholics into Christmas, saying in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine and other conflicts that the level…

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Poles count the cost of Christmas carp as prices soar

By Kuba Stezycki WARSAW (Reuters) - For most Poles no Christmas would be complete without carp for dinner, but with prices rising, shoppers whose budgets are already stretched by surging…

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Photo Story: Christmas Illuminations in Paris

The traditional giant Christmas tree of the Galeries Lafayette department store stands under its great dome in Paris, France. Photo: EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

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Photo Story: ‘Holy Night’ (Welcome to Europe) by Harry Greb

An installation called 'Holy Night' (Welcome to Europe) created by the street artist known as Harry Greb is placed near St. Peter's Basilica, in Rome, Italy. The artwork, featuring the…

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Photo Story: Christmas decoration in Sofia

People take pictures of a Nativity scene showing the birth of Jesus Christ in Sofia, Bulgaria. Via EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

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Ukrainian church allows December 25 celebrations for first time

Ukraine’s Orthodox worshippers have always celebrated Christmas on January 7 — but that will change for many this year, with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) for the first time allowing…

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Photo Story: The Christmas sand nativity scene in Gdansk

A view of a Christmas sand nativity scene designed by Polish artist Ewa Topolan and four Polish and Ukrainian sculptors on a street in Gdansk, northern Poland. Via EPA-EFE/Adam Warzawa

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Photo Story: Christmas decorations in Riga

People look at Christmas decorations in Riga, Latvia. Via EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

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Photo Story: Kyiv’s Christmas tree

People walk by a Christmas tree installed at Sofiyska Square, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russian troops entered Ukraine on 24 February resulting in fighting and destruction in the country and triggering…

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Photo Story: Christmas preparations in Naples

Little statues of celebrities are on display at the street of San Gregorio Armeno that is famous for its shops selling handcrafted nativity figurines in Naples, Italy. Via EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE

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Dutch buy fewer Christmas decorations as inflation drives up prices

Dutch households are struggling to tighten their belts this Christmas as inflation has pushed up the price of decorations. Figures from market research bureau GfK show consumers are buying less…

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Britain’s Christmas shopping hurt by rail strikes and snow

LONDON (Reuters) - British retailers have been hurt by a sharp dip in shopper numbers this week, a crucial Christmas trading period, as snowy weather and a national rail strike…

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Photo Story: The illuminated Christmas trams in Debrecen

Two trams decorated with Christmas lights run in downtown Debrecen, Hungary. The trams will run during the Christmas season to Epiphany. Via EPA-EFE/Zsolt Czegledi

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Photo story: Bogota lights up for Christmas

Artists participate in the assembly 'The Tree of Abundance' in the central Plaza de Bolivar in Bogota, Colombia. The large-format show affirms the need to protect the environment and brings…

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Photo Story: Christmas in Milan

The main Christmas tree at Piazza Duomo in Milan, Italy. Currently there is a festive market that joyfully combines culture, tradition, taste with over 60 market huts spread around the…

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Photo Story: Byblos lights up for Christmas

People gather around a giant Christmas tree on Thursday evening, as it was officially lit up at the entrance of Byblos (Jbeil), Lebanon. Photo: EPA-EFE/WAEL HAMZEH

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Photo Story: A tram decorated for the Christmas holidays in Poznan

A tramway is decorated with Christmas lights in Poznan, Poland. Via EPA-EFE/Jakub Kaczmarczyk

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Photo Story: Szczecin Mariner’s statue dressed as Santa Claus

The Mariner's statue from the Avenue of Fountains dressed as Santa Claus, in Szczecin, Poland, was dressed up as Santa Claus in preparation for the Christmas celebrations. The city's symbol…

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Photo Story: Christmas lights in Caracas

Some of the Christmas decorations for the December holidays, in Caracas, Venezuela. Via EPA-EFE/MIGUEL GUTIERREZ

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Photo Story: The Santa Claus General Assembly at the Tierpark in Berlin

A man dressed in costume of Santa Claus attends Santa Claus General Assembly that was held on Sunday evening in front of the Friedrichsfelde palace at the Christmas illuminated Tierpark…

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Photo Story: Festival of Christmas lights opens in the Mexican city of Monterrey

People view the Luztopia festival in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico. A festival with 200 light figures to celebrate Christmas was inaugurated this Wednesday in the city of Monterrey, capital…

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Photo story: The Champs-Elysees lights up for Christmas

Parisians and tourists gather on Sunday evening to attend the symbolically switching on of the Christmas illuminations of the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris, France. Via EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

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New Christmas tree found for Vatican

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - It could have been a not so merry Christmas for the Vatican this year. In a sign of seasonal good will, the town of Agnone in…

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UK pubs call for beer duty freeze ahead of tough Christmas

(Reuters) - Britain's pubs want the government's help in keeping prices of a pint affordable this Christmas, as surging inflation is driving up costs for businesses and hampering consumers' purchasing…

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