The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. more

Elisabeth Basford’s recent biography of Mary (the first for a century) has cast new light on this reticent, shy but dedicated young woman. Basford rebranded her as the “first modern princess”. more

Translated into at least 300 languages, and arranged in dozens of different musical styles, from heavy metal to gospel, “Silent Night” has become a perennial part of the Christmas soundscape. more

It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cozy. The tree is a deep green, festooned … more

behind the beautiful, blood-red bracts of the poinsettia, there’s a story rife with geopolitics, patent wars, a dethroned monopoly, and complex supply chains. more

ICON Park is proud to host the Apopka Police Department’s annual Shop With a Cop program as well as donate $500 to this great cause. more

Santa Claus had undergone many makeovers in the Western imagination by the time readers were introduced to “‘Twas the Night before Christmas.” more

Please join the Apopka Historical Society for a free special Holiday event: A Nutcracker Christmas! It will be held on Sunday, December 19th. more

The 45th Annual Apopka Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Foliage Sertoma Club of Apopka, brought back a sense of normalcy to the community with over 70 entrants taking the traditional parade route down Park Avenue. more

The New York Times reports a massive increase in new holiday movies this year. Disney, Netflix, Lifetime, and Hallmark are now in direct competition for viewers’ attention, with both new releases and reruns of the classics. more