Christmas Links #17

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas:
"With a bit more than a week left until Christmas, lighted displays, colorful markets, and Santa’s helpers are out in force. From Europe to the Americas and Asia, gathered here as an early gift, is a collection of holiday cheer and light wrapped up in 35 photographs."

Was Jesus really born on Christmas Day? 12 yuletide questions answered:
"The thrice-risen Italian favourite is now a seasonal staple in the UK. But can new fanciful flavours beat the golden, fruit-studded classic?"

How to host a medieval Christmas:
"Christmas is today associated with merriment, gift giving and indulgence. But how was the festive season celebrated in the Middle Ages? What food was eaten? What traditions were upheld? Here, Dr Matthew Champion brings you the facts about medieval Christmases..."

The exciting Christmas events planned for Liverpool in 2018 - dates and times:
"Here are all the dates you need to know for Christmas markets, Liverpool ONE festivities, family events and more."

Father Christmas delivers University gifts to Alder Hey:
"Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the University have been working together to ensure Father Christmas brought some festive cheer to the Children of Alder Hey."

Santa Claus crawls on the floor to help a blind boy with autism feel the Christmas spirit:
"A Texas mom says her 6-year-old son met "the real Santa" last week at a Fort Worth sporting goods store."

Are teachers' Christmas gifts getting out of control?
"There is no shortage of ideas online for what to get schoolteachers at Christmas."

A Class Surprised Their Professor After She Told Them The Holidays Are Difficult For Her:
"Professor Wharton (who didn’t want to use her full name, for privacy reasons), who teaches high school students in dual-enrollment classes in Texas, teared up as she recalled last week’s surprise from the juniors in her Composition 1 class."

Dear Therapist: I’m Not Sure Why My Sister Stopped Giving Gifts to My Children, and I’m Afraid to Ask:
"I don’t really care about the presents themselves—I just want to know what prompted the change."

From toys to socks, celebrities share their best and worst Christmas gifts:
"Still wondering what to get loved ones this Christmas? Perhaps some celebrity pointers might help."

The ideal bauble ratio and the sparkly science of decorating the perfect Christmas tree:
"Yes, there is an ideal bauble ratio."

The Nerdiest Christmas Cards Ever May Be These Microscope Slides Composed of Shells:
"The unusual holiday exchange, which lasted decades during the early 20th-century, hints at the drama between the two colleagues."

Truly Unconventional Christmas Films For The Bleak Midwinter:
"Transpositions is the official blog of the Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts at the University of St Andrews."

Why Do Artists Still Make Christmas Albums?:
"Vintage holiday favorites still rule on streaming services, but for the right act, a new Christmas album can be a savvy move."

Watch the Monkees’ Trippy New ‘Christmas Song’ Video:
"The clip takes place in the trippy world of the group’s Sixties television show."

Hotel accused of discrimination for canceling homeless Christmas booking with no explanation:
"It was meant to be a warm and safe Christmas for dozens of UK rough sleepers but something has gone wrong at the last minute."

Christmas back on the menu for Hull’s homeless after hotel cancellation row:
"A charity whose booking for 28 homeless people was cancelled by a Hull hotel has said “who says miracles don’t happen” after another city hotel stepped in to help."