Carol or carole is of French/Anglo-Norman derivation and originated in the medieval period. It's definition was a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. Carols often express religious joy and are associated to the Christmas season. Carols also described late medieval English songs on various subjects with a verse and refrain.

Christmas carols date back to as early as the 4th century. Carols became a popular religious song form during the 14th century with their theme often revolving around a saint, the Christ child or the Virgin Mary, at times blending two languages such as English and Latin. The earliest known song, Jesus refulsit omnium by St. Hilary of Poitiers. During the Renaissance in Italy, the songs took on a lighter more joyous melody. They were religious in nature and sung in Latin. It wasn't until the 19th century that the songs were written in various themes outside religion and they became named carols.

The custom of giving gifts has many roots--St. Nicholas, the Magi, the Roman gift-giving to children during Saturnalia. The times when these gifts are given varies in the different Christian cultures and times. The most popular ones:

The origin of the Christmas tree is believed to have begun in Germany in the 700's. The earliest story which evidences a tree as a Christian symbol tells of a British monk, St. Boniface who had come upon a fir tree that had grown in place of an oak, cut it down and preached a sermon to the Druids that the fir was sacred and not the oak as previously believed. The tradition of the tree being used as a symbol of Christmas is credited to Martin Luther who established it as the Protestant counterpart of the nativity.

The modern Christmas tree as we know it dates back to 16th century Germany. The decorations used at that time consisted of various colors of paper roses, apples, wafers, gilt and sugar. In Protestant countries, Luther is credited as having been the first to place lighted candles on a tree in order to simulate the sight he had seen while traveling home one winter's night as the moonlight shimmered on the snow-covered trees. And the tree was first introduced into England in 1841 by German Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. The record of the first tree in the U.S.A., still undisputed, was that of German immigrants in Pennsylvania who first put up one on December 20, 1821.