Christmas

Christmas is a yearly and annual celebration on December 25 during winter at the end of the year, or on January 7 in the United Provinces and Ruscan Federation. It has roots in the Snowman Empire, where it was a snow festival. Later it has become a time of caring, gift-giving, and family. Many celebrate Christmas by giving presents to others and setting up Christmas trees in their igloos. It is one of the biggest holidays there is. Penguins also give out Christmas cards to each-other and wish everyone a Happy New Year aswell.

History
Originally, before the 1900s, this day was known as "King's Day", founded in 405 AD. The tradition started off a long time ago during the 1900s. Somewhere in the 1918s, many penguins celebrated the surrender of the last Naughtzee resistance, and called it "Yuletide". The surrender started on December 24th where the Naughtzees surrended. The next day, the Naughtzees gave the Naughtzee hunters gifts, and in return, they recieved a High Penguin feast. The next day, they helped each other clear up the mess and ended the night with a game of boxing (note that boxing was invented by the Terrians). At first, it was not much celebrated the holiday. It was at first only a couple 100, and it was unknown where it all started. At the time, the way they celebrated Christmas was by wearing white & red, giving small presents once in a while & having a town party. After a while in the 1920s, the traditional moved onto the Snowman Empire, but at the same time in Olde Antarctica. The traditions expanded, and penguins started using "Christmas trees" by cutting up trees in the forest, but not decorating them. Nobody bought Christmas trees. Instead, penguins went to the forest and cut up a tree themselves because one, there weren't many shops around, and two, they were expensive in stores. In 1940, the holiday spread to PreTerra, and the traditions grew even more. The tradition of "Christmas cards" came from PreTerra, along with families who lived somewhere else came to another families igloo and met up. More gifts in PreTerra started and "Christmas tree" decorating also grew in PreTerra. The traditions spread even more and arrived in Glaceiceia some time in the 1960s. The "Candy Cane" originated here from a Puffle ranch. The tradition of making "snowpenguins" originated here, too. When the collapse of the Snowman Empire, Olde Antarctica, Glaceiceia & PreTerra commenced, the USA, Austiceia and UnitedTerra grew up with traditions.

Christmas as a national holiday grew more in participation when gifts started to be handed out in your chimney by Snail Claus (he uses your door if you don't have a chimney). It turns out that the Humans have this holiday too. However, this was only for good penguins; bad penguins got a lump of coal wrapped in cellophane.

Today, Christmas is known as the biggest holiday ever.

Traditions

 * Main article: Christmas/Traditions

Christmas trees
The main tradition of Christmas is to put up a Christmas tree in an igloo. Nobody really knows how this tradition came around, but every Christmas household get a Christmas tree and decorate it with all sorts of ornaments. At the top, a star can be put at the top or something else, e.g. a fairy. Many families get a big Christmas tree and put it in the main room of the igloo - but if it's a small igloo they would have to get a small one. There doesn't always have to be just one Christmas tree in the igloo, there can be a Christmas tree if every room if the family want. The presents are always kept under the Christmas tree or next to it if it is too big to fit under the tree. The Christmas tree is usually put up from the beginning of December or a week before Christmas - but there is no tradition for when the tree is put up, but has to be put up before Christmas atleast.

Presents
Presents are another famous tradition. The parents of the family get presents for their chicks, to each other and if the little penguins are old enough, they sometimes get gifts for their parents. As well as family, friends can give presents to each other aswell. A present is like a gift to give to a close one.

Christmas in July
"Christmas in July" was an official holiday in the USA since 2004 until 2007. It was noted as "pointless", since it was created just to have a secondary Christmas. The day was Thursday in the second week of July, so it was moving. It was mostly enjoyed in hot places, like Warmslates.

Originally, the idea came up in June, 2003. An anonymous penguin bribed the South Pole Council to make the Christmas an official day. It was thought to be spent on warmer places, but it wasn't warm enough. In 2004 it was moved to July, and it was celebrated for three years. In 2007, penguins forgot about it, and the celebrations were very small. On 26th of July, 2007 the council "banned" the holiday, because of it being pointless and stupid. Most of the community was neutral to the decision, but its biggest fans were really disappointed, and organized a rebellion. Those rebels continue to privately celebrate Christmas in July to this day, knowing full well they could go to prison for doing so.

Unlike Christmas in December, Santa or Snail Claus asked for Coke and Potato Chips instead of Milk and Chocolate Chip Cookies. They also like regular chips. If you don't leave Coke and Chips for Snail Claus, they'll be left disappointed.

Trivia

 * The mascot colors for the holiday are mostly green, red & white.
 * Many more mascot items for the holiday are reindeer's, lights, snowmen, stockings, ribbons & hollies.
 * The holiday's name changed from Yuletide to Christmas sometime in the 1900s, in honor of Santa Claus, who was born Chris T. Cringle.