Image by takfoto via FlickrThink carols and up pops the image of Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer.
Here are the top rated xmas traditions that continue to dominate celebrations all around the world:
*There is perhaps no greater or more easily recognised symbol of Christmas than the graceful, evergreen Christmas tree.
The tradition of setting up a Christmas tree goes back a long way - in fact, the pre-Christian era.
The ancient Romans used to keep a decorated tree in their homes in honour of their Saturnalia festival.
It was the Protestant reformer Martin Luther King who first started the trend of lighting candles on fir trees - inspired by the sight of stars shining through the leaves of a fir tree outside.
It were the Pennsylvania Germans who brought the Christmas tree to America in the late 19th century.
*For a child, Christmas means just one thing.
The mythical figure of Christmas has his roots in the persona of a 4th century AD Bishop Nicholas who was known to be generous and particularly fond of children.
*An Anglo-Saxon version called him Father Christmas and he was supposed to punish the naughty children and reward the well-behaved ones.
However, it was the Dutch figure of 'Sinterklaas' that caught the imagination of all.
It was his name that was anglicised to the now well-known Santa Claus.
Mistletoe and Holly.
Any guesses on just how mistletoe got singled out? Well, this evergreen plant was used by Druid priests in their winter celebrations some 200 years before the birth of Christ.
While the ancient Celtics attributed magical healing powers to the mistletoe, the plant was regarded as a symbol of peace by the ancient Romans.
The custom of kissing under the mistletoe probably originated from the Scandanavians.
Good luck and happiness followed those who kissed under the mistletoe.
Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer.
Rudolf, the famous 'red-nosed reindeer' is one such character.
May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department store, was asked to write a Christmas-themed story to pull in sales.
However, a foggy Christmas Eve night catapulted him into instant popularity when Santa himself chose him to lead his sleigh that night.
A further three and a half million flew off the shelves when it was reissued in 1946.
And one of the most popular and beloved of all Christmas songs was born.
Christmas Stockings.
This tradition also has its roots in an ancient legend.
One evening, the daughters washed and hung their stockings near the chimney to dry in the night.
The next morning, a happy surprise awaited the beleaguered family.
And that's how the practice of children hanging their stockings at night came into being.
*The Christmas card was created in England more than 160 years ago - and that, too, born out of a desperate necessity! Sir Henry Cole, the first director of
London's Victoria and Albert Museum, was inundated with work commitments in the Christmas season of 1843.
The card featured three panels.
The card was inscribed with the words 'A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year To You'.
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