Dec 25

Christmas Around the World
Sun Review Dec. 25, 1999

Christmas is one of the few holidays that is celebrated worldwide with as many traditions as there are countries. Whether the symbols of Christmas are the Yule Log, singing carols, or the Heilige Drei Konige, the spirit rarely changes: The spirit of peace, giving, and good will towards everyone.

The German Way (www.german-way.com/german/christmas.html) lets you learn more about those Heilige Drei Konige and the Christmas traditions of Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

For a good look at Christmas, family and religious traditions around the world, visit A Search for the Meaning of Christmas (techdirect.com/christmas).

Have you ever wondered how they celebrate Christmas in Aruba? Christmas.com (christmas.com/worldview) gives you the answer and helps you say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to people in more than 200 countries around the world.

Aristotle's Christmas on the Web (www.saint-nick.com) presents the history of Santa, from Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, to Santa as Union Leader and our more familiar North American big-bellied variety. Not only does Santa have a different name and style in other parts of the world, he is also not immune to the tides of change throughout the centuries. And if you consider yourself a Christmas fanatic, it's time to test your mettle by playing Aristotle's Christmas Trivia Game (www.saint-nick.com/trivia/).

Santa's award-winning website (www.claus.com) is a brilliantly animated site that takes you on a tour of Santa's village. Check your Naughty or Nice rating on the Nice-O-Meter™. Visit the Toy Workshop to choose your personal Elf Buddy and see the most incredible Toy Making Machine yet. At Santa's House, "Elfinize" a van for Santa Claus with new wild paint jobs, and see Santa Claus playing basketball and having snowball fights on The Santa Show. Lots of Flash animation here, so make sure you download the Shockwave Plug-in for your browser (www.macromedia.com/shockwave) and experience it all!

Elves-R-Us (www.elvesrus.com) lets you download the Dr. Seuss classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", narrated by the great Boris Karloff and featuring such musical favorites as "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Trim Up the Tree".

If you still need to brush up on your Christmas carols, visit The North Pole (www.the-north-pole.com) where you can find sing-along-carols, Name That Tune with Santa, and play the Great North Pole Race Game.