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‘The Polar Express’

Based on the classic 1985 children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, the movie follows a young Santa Claus skeptic on a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Michele Debczak




A holly sprig is considered a traditional part of the garnish.

Figgy pudding might be a fixture in Christmas carol lyrics, but you've probably never seen it in person. So just what is this British dish we've been singing about for all these years?

Michele Debczak












Jack Frost pops up in a number of wintery tales.

Most iterations of Jack Frost see him clad in icy blue and white, and as well as being responsible for nose-nipping, he’s also credited with creating frost. But where exactly did this mythical cold-weather figure originate?

Lorna Wallace


Max Schreck stars in the original ‘Nosferatu’ (1922).

The 1922 German silent film shamelessly plagiarized Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula.’ But if ‘Nosferatu’ had never been made, the vampire genre so embedded in pop culture might never have taken off.

Mark Mancini


The Treasury at Petra in Jordan.

Carved from rock in modern-day Jordan, Petra prospered for centuries under Nabataean and Roman rule. This dazzling settlement is now one of the region’s greatest attractions.

Benjamin Lampkin