Questions:

·In India, what type of tree is decorated for Christmas?
A banana or mango tree is decorated in India.

·Russians celebrate Christmas eating kutya. What is it and what does it symbolize?
Kutya is a type of porridge, is the primary dish. It is very symbolic with its ingredients being various grains for hope and honey and poppy seed for happiness and peace.

·Mexicans celebrate Christmas with posadas. What is a posada?
Christmas in Mexico is celebrated in a variety of ways. A common denominator is the posada, a recreation of Mary (on donkey) and Joseph searching for a "room at the inn." Accompanying them is a choir of small children who knock on doors asking for lodging for the weary couple. By previous arrangement, there are no takers.

·In Rome, Italy, capitone is served on Christmas Eve. What is capitone?
Capitone is a type of eel, stewed in tomato sauce.

·In Venezuela people listen to aguinaldos. What are aguinaldos?
In Venezuela the word aguinaldo is associated with a gift and also with an own musical sort of Christmas. Of ample dispersion in the country, the aguinaldo song is interpreted not only to religious motives, that is to say, to Jesus but also to the human (The Christmas joy), and according to the region it is sung with the support of diverse musical instruments.

·In Provence, France, people put santons in a crèche. What are santons and what is a crèche?
Traditionally, figurines, called Santons (little saints), are sculpted of wood, clay or pastry and carefully dressed or painted to represent various traditional professions, such as the baker, the fishmonger, the wine merchant, the simpleton, ravi and the shepherd, with a sheep over his shoulders. Also represented are farm animals and the biblical characters of the three kings (which only go into the crèche at Epiphany), and Joseph and Mary.
The Christmas crib or Crèche is an important decoration, traditional to the region from as early as the 17th century.According to legend, Jesus was born in Provence and the crèche represents the village at the time of his birth. Traditionally, the crèche would be decorated with moss, bark, pine cones, stones and thyme collected from the country, but these days, there are markets, selling ready made Santons and crèches.

·In Japan, people are visited by Hoteiosho. Who is he, and why is he special?
Hotei-osho, a Buddhist monk like Santa Claus brings presents to children. Many children are afraid of Hotei-osho because it is said he has eyes in the back of his head, so they really do behave during the holiday season!

·In Greece people have to protect themselves from Killantzaroi. What are Killantzaroi and how can you keep them away?
Killantzaroi are a species of goblins or sprites who appear only during the 12-day period from Christmas to the Epiphany (January 6). These creatures are believed to emerge from the center of the earth and to slip into people's house through the chimney. More mischievous than actually evil, the Killantzaroi do things like extinguish fires, ride astride people's backs, braid horses' tails, and sour the milk. To further repel the undesirable sprites, the hearth is kept burning day and night throughout the twelve days.

·Germans call Christmas Eve Dickbauch. Why is Christmas Eve called Dickbauch?
"Dickbauch" means "fat stomach" and is a name given to the Christmas Eve because of the tradition that those who do not eat well on Christmas Eve will be haunted by demons during the night. So the opportunity is given to enjoy dishes such as suckling pig, "reisbrei" (a sweet cinnamon), white sausage, macaroni salad, and many regional dishes.

·In China, a very important person is named Dun Che Lao Ren. Who is it?
Children hang muslin stockings in hopes that "Dun Che Lao Ren," the Chinese version of Santa Claus, will visit and leave gifts.