Many Christmas symbols are very old and date to before there even was a Christmas! Elves, however, were likely introduced to the mythology of Santa Claus in the 1820s with the famous poem, 'The Night Before Christmas.' In this book, beginning readers trace these first mentions of elves to the modern-day 'Elf on a Shelf' craze. Full-color photographs and historical illustrations complement the accessible content and bring the history of Christmas elves...

Whether you call your January 6th celebration El Dia de los Reyes or the Feast of the Epiphany, you're celebrating a day dedicated to the three kings. Sometimes called the three wise men or the magi, these figures are part of the Christmas story and often appear in nativity scenes during this time of year. In some places, they're more important than Santa Claus. In this volume, readers discover the history of the three kings' story as well as how...

Even before Christmas celebrations began, evergreen trees were used as part of winter festivals and celebrations. Today, many people still bring a real fir tree into their home at Christmastime, or an artificial tree that may come in any color including green, silver, or pink. Written with age-appropriate language and content, this book explains the symbolism behind our use of Christmas trees today and the many famous trees readers may know, including...

Much of the detail in Santa Claus lore was added to his long history of stories in the 19th century. His storied home became the North Pole around this time. Today, the North Pole is symbolic of Santa, and sending letters there may be an essential part of the Christmas season. Beginning readers will be in awe of how this story came to be and can read more about real-life 'North Poles,' such as Santa's Village in Finland. Colorful historical illustrations...

Much of the detail in Santa Claus lore was added to his long history of stories in the 19th century. His storied home became the North Pole around this time. Today, the North Pole is symbolic of Santa, and sending letters there may be an essential part of the Christmas season. Beginning readers will be in awe of how this story came to be and can read more about real-life 'North Poles,' such as Santa's Village in Finland. Colorful historical illustrations...

Many Christmas symbols are very old and date to before there even was a Christmas! Elves, however, were likely introduced to the mythology of Santa Claus in the 1820s with the famous poem, 'The Night Before Christmas.' In this book, beginning readers trace these first mentions of elves to the modern-day 'Elf on a Shelf' craze. Full-color photographs and historical illustrations complement the accessible content and bring the history of Christmas elves...

How does Santa make it around the world delivering presents in one night? Where did that notion even come from? The stories about Santa Claus are many and spark the imaginations of old and young alike. Starting with the tale of St. Nicholas and tracing some of the most interesting stories about the modern Santa Claus, this book for beginning readers is a must-have for anyone celebrating the Christmas season. Full-color photographs and historical images...

In the original poem in which Santa's reindeer were named, 'Donner' and 'Blitzen' were actually spelled 'Dunder' and 'Blixem.' Today known as 'The Night Before Christmas,' the poem from 1823 may be the very beginning of children hearing that Santa's sleigh was pulled by reindeer. Full of photographs and historical illustrations of Santa and his reindeer, this volume delights beginning readers eager to find out just how these beasts came to be a symbol...