Every battleground from Valley Forge to Desert Storm has stories of how warriors have handled the incongruous mix of Christmas and killing.

Is there actual evidence of the birth of Jesus? Was he born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, in December or April? Were the wise men three kings or Babylonian astrologers? What compelled Joseph to believe Mary's implausible tale of a divine impregnation? We'll journey back 2,000 years in a quest for the answer to these and other conundrums. We retrace Mary's arduous odyssey across ancient Israel as a host of scholars attempt to uncover the historical truth of an event as mysterious as it is momentous.

For thousands of years Christians have believed that Jesus was born on December 25 in the town of Bethlehem. But was he really born in June in Nazareth? Scholars disagree with the Bible and one another over these and other crucial facts about Christ.

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door-to-door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way we'll meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and explain the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as we unwrap the real story of Christmas.

A fascinating look at Santa Claus through the eyes of many cultures. How did the legend begin? How do different nations view Mr. Claus? And, most important, does Santa really exist? Tune in to this Christmas treat and find out!

Christmas is observed by nearly one-third of the world's population...and probably more if you count the non-Christians who incorporate some of the more secular traditions into their winter season. Every year, revelers go all out with trees, ornaments, lights, window displays, and Christmas treats. Technological advancements have made them cheaper, easier, and safer. We'll visit Rockefeller Center for a look at their yearly tree preparations and then take a walk to Macy's, Herald Square, where we'll find out what it takes to design, assemble, and install their annual holiday windows. How is the 3,300 pound UNICEF crystal snowflake hoisted above Fifth Avenue every year? Then it's off to Yule Tree Farms, one of Oregon's largest Christmas tree farms, and we'll visit a bakery in Texas that bakes and ships about 33,000 fruitcakes per day during the holiday season. So plug in the tree, grab some eggnog, sit back, and enjoy!

What was the astronomical reality behind the star that, according to the Gospel of Matthew, guided the Magi to the young Jesus? This episode examines almost 20 centuries of theories, including meteors, novae, supernovae, and comets...but is the truth to be found in a combination of astronomy--and astrology? Recent theories suggest that the "star" was the planet Jupiter in a series of conjunctions with other planets, stars, and constellations, and that these conjunctions were interpreted by the Magi--astrologers and priests of the Zoroastrian religion--as heralding the birth of the Jewish Messiah.

Every battleground from Valley Forge to Desert Storm has stories of how warriors have handled the incongruous mix of Christmas and killing.

Is there actual evidence of the birth of Jesus? Was he born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, in December or April? Were the wise men three kings or Babylonian astrologers? What compelled Joseph to believe Mary's implausible tale of a divine impregnation? We'll journey back 2,000 years in a quest for the answer to these and other conundrums. We retrace Mary's arduous odyssey across ancient Israel as a host of scholars attempt to uncover the historical truth of an event as mysterious as it is momentous.

For thousands of years Christians have believed that Jesus was born on December 25 in the town of Bethlehem. But was he really born in June in Nazareth? Scholars disagree with the Bible and one another over these and other crucial facts about Christ.

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door-to-door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way we'll meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and explain the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as we unwrap the real story of Christmas.

A fascinating look at Santa Claus through the eyes of many cultures. How did the legend begin? How do different nations view Mr. Claus? And, most important, does Santa really exist? Tune in to this Christmas treat and find out!

Christmas is observed by nearly one-third of the world's population...and probably more if you count the non-Christians who incorporate some of the more secular traditions into their winter season. Every year, revelers go all out with trees, ornaments, lights, window displays, and Christmas treats. Technological advancements have made them cheaper, easier, and safer. We'll visit Rockefeller Center for a look at their yearly tree preparations and then take a walk to Macy's, Herald Square, where we'll find out what it takes to design, assemble, and install their annual holiday windows. How is the 3,300 pound UNICEF crystal snowflake hoisted above Fifth Avenue every year? Then it's off to Yule Tree Farms, one of Oregon's largest Christmas tree farms, and we'll visit a bakery in Texas that bakes and ships about 33,000 fruitcakes per day during the holiday season. So plug in the tree, grab some eggnog, sit back, and enjoy!

What was the astronomical reality behind the star that, according to the Gospel of Matthew, guided the Magi to the young Jesus? This episode examines almost 20 centuries of theories, including meteors, novae, supernovae, and comets...but is the truth to be found in a combination of astronomy--and astrology? Recent theories suggest that the "star" was the planet Jupiter in a series of conjunctions with other planets, stars, and constellations, and that these conjunctions were interpreted by the Magi--astrologers and priests of the Zoroastrian religion--as heralding the birth of the Jewish Messiah.

Every battleground from Valley Forge to Desert Storm has stories of how warriors have handled the incongruous mix of Christmas and killing.

Is there actual evidence of the birth of Jesus? Was he born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, in December or April? Were the wise men three kings or Babylonian astrologers? What compelled Joseph to believe Mary's implausible tale of a divine impregnation? We'll journey back 2,000 years in a quest for the answer to these and other conundrums. We retrace Mary's arduous odyssey across ancient Israel as a host of scholars attempt to uncover the historical truth of an event as mysterious as it is momentous.

For thousands of years Christians have believed that Jesus was born on December 25 in the town of Bethlehem. But was he really born in June in Nazareth? Scholars disagree with the Bible and one another over these and other crucial facts about Christ.

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door-to-door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way we'll meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and explain the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as we unwrap the real story of Christmas.

A fascinating look at Santa Claus through the eyes of many cultures. How did the legend begin? How do different nations view Mr. Claus? And, most important, does Santa really exist? Tune in to this Christmas treat and find out!

Christmas is observed by nearly one-third of the world's population...and probably more if you count the non-Christians who incorporate some of the more secular traditions into their winter season. Every year, revelers go all out with trees, ornaments, lights, window displays, and Christmas treats. Technological advancements have made them cheaper, easier, and safer. We'll visit Rockefeller Center for a look at their yearly tree preparations and then take a walk to Macy's, Herald Square, where we'll find out what it takes to design, assemble, and install their annual holiday windows. How is the 3,300 pound UNICEF crystal snowflake hoisted above Fifth Avenue every year? Then it's off to Yule Tree Farms, one of Oregon's largest Christmas tree farms, and we'll visit a bakery in Texas that bakes and ships about 33,000 fruitcakes per day during the holiday season. So plug in the tree, grab some eggnog, sit back, and enjoy!

What was the astronomical reality behind the star that, according to the Gospel of Matthew, guided the Magi to the young Jesus? This episode examines almost 20 centuries of theories, including meteors, novae, supernovae, and comets...but is the truth to be found in a combination of astronomy--and astrology? Recent theories suggest that the "star" was the planet Jupiter in a series of conjunctions with other planets, stars, and constellations, and that these conjunctions were interpreted by the Magi--astrologers and priests of the Zoroastrian religion--as heralding the birth of the Jewish Messiah.