Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

Thanks to Oliver Cromwell, Christmas was forbidden by an act of Parliament in 1644. The day was to be a fast and a market day, shops were compelled to be open, and plum puddings and mince pies were condemned as heathen.

Karumu, the communal feast held as part of Kwanzaa, takes place on Dec. 31.

The tradition of Jews eating cheese at Chanukah comes from the story of Judith.

One hundred million people on Earth have no permanent home.

Fruitcakes in Hawaii made by Kermoo Farm are called Happy Cakes and are made with pineapples. Cake fans over the years have included Howard Hughes, Ronald Reagan, Prince Charles, and Dmitry Shostakovitch.