With the end of the of the year comes numerous holidays steeped in tradition.
For decades, Snopes has been explaining the "whys" of customs, superstitions or folk beliefs surrounding winter celebrations — from Hanukkah to Christmas to Kwanzaa to New Year's, and so on — as well as fact-checking a plethora of internet rumors about them.
Here's why we deck the halls in the middle of winter, for instance, or why the burning of the Yule log was once a big deal.
Below, you'll find similar explanations and the truth behind viral rumors, all related to winter holidays.
(Note: The stories listed are separate from our analysis of the so-called "War on Christmas" — an alleged campaign by non-Christians to downplay the holiday. Also, we have a separate spot on our website dedicated to fact-checking "Home Alone," the Christmas movie franchise featuring actor Macauley Culkin.)
