Hey there, Smarty Pants. Welcome to a very special holiday episode of Smarty Cues, where I, your favorite trusty narrator, answers questions from you, the greatest listeners ever. The Smarty Pants. And don't worry, even if you don't celebrate Christmas, this episode is full of fun facts,

history, and holiday cheer for everyone.

So grab your cocoa, get cozy,

and let's deck the halls with answers.

Question one comes from Victoria in New York, who asks,

Why do we have Christmas trees, and why do we decorate them?

Excellent question. The Christmas tree is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years before Christmas even existed. Long ago, people in Europe used evergreen trees like pine or fir

to celebrate the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. These trees stayed green

all year long, even in the snow,

so they became a symbol of life and hope during dark winter months. In the 1500s, people in Germany

began bringing entire evergreen trees indoors and decorating them with candles, fruit,

and paper ornaments to celebrate Christmas. When German immigrants came to America in the

1700s and 1800s,

they brought the custom with them. Over time, candles were replaced with electric lights,

and decorations became everything from tinsel to ornaments to popcorn strings. Today, it's one of

the most recognizable holiday traditions around the world. Question two comes from Chester Nickerson. Hmm,

why does that name sound familiar? Anyways, Chester asks, why do we give presents during winter holidays?

The tradition of giving gifts during the winter goes back thousands of years. In ancient Rome,

people celebrated a festival called Saturnalia, where friends and family exchanged

small gifts like candles and figurines. Later, when Christmas became a major holiday in Europe,

the idea of giving gifts was tied to the story of the three wise men who brought gifts to baby

Jesus. As for Hanukkah, originally, the holiday did not involve gift-giving. But then, in Europe,

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