Carl Pettit

Snow falls from the sky, shops sell their Christmas wares, and the sweet fragrance of gingerbread houses fill the air—'tis the season! In the United States, there are plenty of Christmas traditions around to keep everyone happy. Gift giving, holiday meals and ornament-covered trees are in abundance everywhere.

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Christmas is a time for brotherly love, family, friends, good food and presents. It’s also a time, apparently, for setting some pretty astonishing—and often downright wacky—holiday records.

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Some people complain about the over-commercialization of the holiday season and how the need to buy and buy has drained all the charm out of Christmastime. Well, it’s not totally gone. Eager children still get wonderful toys, families still come together for great meals, and there’s always the off chance you’ll spot someone you like very much standing beneath the mistletoe, which means you have the right to give that person a Christmas kiss.

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Santa Claus, that jolly fellow who races across the sky in his reindeer-pulled sleigh on Christmas Eve after judging who has been naughty or nice, needs no introduction. But his wife is another matter.

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The Santa Claus the world knows—the “Coca Cola” Santa Claus decked out in red and white—is synonymous with Christmas, flying red-nosed reindeer, a big jolly laugh, and lots and lots of presents. Tales of old Saint Nick have spread across the planet and worked their way into numerous cultures. But do you know how the story of the fat man in the red suit first got started?

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The open road offers up a lot of possibilities. You’ve got adventure, new and strange destinations, gorgeous scenery, and the opportunity to escape the humdrums of your normal life, plus all of the interesting characters you’ll meet along the way. All you have to do is decide on a route, get into the car and drive.

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If vertigo isn’t an issue for you, and you have no problem keeping your lunch down while hurtling through space, then you just might be a roller coaster fan.

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Sometimes a bed is just a bed. It’s simply a place to lay your head down for a good night’s sleep. But sometimes a bed, and the room it happens to be in, is an amazing work of art, located in a bizarre place full of fascinating sights. Most of us have stayed in hotels during our life, some better than others, but how many people can say they’ve slept in an underwater hotel, or one built out of ice or salt?

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With the Olympics coming to London this summer, we thought we’d take a look at some amazing facts and traditions that make up part of this celebrated global event.

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With the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games coming up soon, we thought we’d take a glimpse at some of the American superstars who have claimed Olympic glory in the past.

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