I learned something new trying to find a source about the reindeer. I had always heard that they are really all female, but this snopes article indicates that there are some valid reasons for thinking they may actually be male.
Source(s):
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/santa/reindeer.asp

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Two words - Santa Claus

The guy's a fake. Sorry.
Source(s):
Myself, he smelled like beef and cheese and sat on a throne of lies.

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Jesus was born on June 17 and not December 25.
Source(s):
http://www.pacute.com/2008/12/10/jesus-was-born-in-june-astronomers-claim/

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Here is a story, decide for yourself to what extent it is a myth. I am a member of a German Heritage society, and at a Christmas party a few years ago I was told that it was an old German tradition to hang a pickle among the branches of the Christmas tree. The child who found the pickle was rewarded with a special treat (beyond the pickle, of course). I bought a glass pickle ornament for my collection of the unusual.

But being me, I eventually tried to find out more about the history of this pickle. What I found on the web was mostly claims that the whole thing was a myth, that no one in Germany had heard of it, and even a wild story about an origin in the American Civil War. Now I have heard this sort of thing before, and am suspicious of myths that are so-called simply because no one remembers the origin, at least when it comes to folk stories and songs. So many songs and stories and customs are forgotten by all but a few.
But let me list some of the possibilities about the pickle tradition. It may be a German tradition that has been forgotten. It may be a German American invention rather than German. It may be a very local tradition unknown outside some obscure village in Germany. It may have been made up by the glass company to sell its ornaments. Or, it could be a little of more than one of these things. Here are objections to each of those. If it were ever a widespread tradition in Germany some people would remember and it would be found in songs and writings. If it were invented in America, how could it have gotten back to the glass factory in Germany so quickly, as the factory started making them in the mid 19th century. Also, the civil war story is ridiculous on its face. If it were from an obscure village in Germany, surely at least someone from that village would have come forward by now. As for the glass company, why would they have picked a pickle? The story is too strange to make up out of whole cloth.

So I dug around a bit more. What I have concluded is that there is a bit of each of these contributing, but decide for yourself. It turns out that the Christmas tree tradition itself originated in Germany. Originally the tree was decorated with fruit and other edible treats. Well, Germans like pickles, and they are preserved and available in mid-winter, so perhaps early Christmas trees really did include pickles. Folks songs and traditions are often kept up not at their point of origin but in the most far flung extents of a population, so it is not unreasonable for German Americans to remember something forgotten in the home country. The Christmas tree tradition came specifically from what was called East Prussia. East Prussia does not exist any more, the population was killed or driven out at the end of WWII. If the pickle were an early Christmas tree tradition from East Prussia, there could be no one left to say. The glass company surely elaborated on the story and modernized it; but, that does not mean that they originated it.

So, despite the skeptics, were I to have a Christmas tree I would include the pickle, and feel that I was following an old Prussian custom long forgotten by almost all.
Source(s):
http://german.about.com/library/blgermyth11.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree
http://www.firstchristmastree.com

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Watch the movie "Zeitgiest" available on google video, among other sites.
The cliff notes on Xmas is Catholics wanted to control the pagan masses. By subverting the pagan celebration on Winter Solstice into a celebration of the Son (Sun) being visited by 3 Wise men (Three stars) bringing new life (Spring). Answered alot of issues a reformed worshipper (Atheist) like myself had thought of at one time or another.
It has the best analysis and historical view on several issues involving religion, politics, finances, and human nature.
Source(s):
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

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I suggest checking out: http://www.bethlehemstar.net/

It is a very interesting well researched presentation/website on the star of bethlehem talked about in the Bible. It was reviewed by the former Chief of Planetary Astronomy at NASA.
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