Long before the birth of modern Christmas, people marked the shortest day of the year- the winter solstice. Ancient cultures celebrated the return of the sun with festivals like Yule in Scandinavia.

Take the IFC, which has taken the Christmas spirit to new depths by installing a huge indoor airship in its atrium. At Times Square, shoppers are plunged into the fantastic world of Taiwanese ...

Christmas carols, for example ... and the renewal of life. Several of our modern religions, including Judaism and Christianity, hold this survival and renewal of light and life at the core ...

I write about TV shows, movies, video games, entertainment & culture. The Christmas event is yet another in a string of special challenges (such as the Dune Part 2 challenge) released this year ...