Christmas is a time of celebration that places great value on traditions. Whether they're religious, familial, or other, everyone recognizes the typical symbols and characters like Santa Claus and Rudolph. It's interesting to trace back the origins of some of these customs, as their inceptions aren't as festive as you might imagine! Some were simply part of a clever marketing scheme, and some were downright disturbing.
Click through this gallery to travel through the history of Christmas.