It comes from enjoying the memories I’ve shared with my family on Christmas as a child—from putting up the tree and decorating the house, putting up the mistletoe at Christmas parties, and having my picture taken on Santa’s lap. I love being a part of “creating” the Christmas spirit for myself—whether it’s through the imaginary Santa Claus, hanging wreaths, or watching “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” because this is what I grew up with.

Christmas has become an American staple, embedded in our culture over the past years. Does anyone have to be Christian to love the Christmas spirit we see everyday during the winter holidays? I have always loved doing the things that lead up to Christmas—preparing, decorating and shopping—which surprisingly don’t have anything to do with religion or Jesus anymore. Christmas has become a neutral, warm and inviting holiday to spend with family in a new time of giving and that is why it has always been so important to me.

Santa never visited Jesus and gave him presents on his birthday—but the western version of Santa Claus as we know it has many different proposed origins. Some say he came from “Sinterklass,” a legendary and mythological figure in Dutch history. Others say he was inspired by Saint Nicholas, a Greek Christian bishop of Myre, who gave presents to the poor, including dowries to daughters who would have otherwise been subjected to prostitution. Others have attributed Santa’s origins to the Greek “Oldin” who existed before Christianity, during the time of paganism.

Whichever theory you believe, it has nothing to do with Jesus. He has since been popularized by cartoonist Thomas Nast—where his red and white trousers and white beard has since been ingrained in American culture and further popularized by Coca Cola ads during holiday times.

Unfortunately Santa Claus isn’t supposed to really be a part of Christmas, he was made especially for kids and commercialism, but that doesn’t mean we all can’t submit ourselves to the great childhoods memories we had with him—and leave milk and cookies out by the chimney—even if our parents or the dog ends up eating them.

From the famous lighting of the tree every year at Rockefeller Center, to the regular miniature trees in our homes, Christmas trees have long been a part of Christmas for as long as I can remember. And in my family it’s epic—from everything to lights, ribbons, bows, and all-sized ornaments—it all goes up. However, the evergreen has never historically existed in Jerusalem; in other countries it was seen as able to keep away evil spirits and bad omens.

During the holidays I always have a wreath on the door filled with lights, ornaments and pinecones. These wreaths of lights were also used by pre-Germans who, during the cold and dark December winters, wanted to hope and welcome the spring weather with evergreens. It was later adopted and passed down throughout Europe and then to the Americas.

There is always someone caught awkwardly under the mistletoe at our Christmas parties—and embarrassingly has to kiss, significant other or not. But I never questioned its origins; because it has always been a part of the way we did things. It turns out the Celtic Druids used mistletoe sprigs from their oak trees with golden sickle to represent peace and joy, whether put into a baby’s crib, over their doorsteps to cast away evil, or on a cow to protect the herd.

The same goes for Poinsettias, the national flower of Christmas brought from Mexico. Legend says two poor children who had no money to buy presents for the church pulled weeds as they were walking by, and as they placed them upon Jesus’ mock manger it turned into what we now call the Poinsettia. Similarly with Rudolph and his red nose guiding Santa, who was conjured up on 1939 by a copywriter and has since related to all ostracized children who want to be like him and make a difference.

As you can see, the Christmas spirit and holiday cheer has to be fostered by the individual, whether it is with these things listed above, or traditional and cultural events that people share with their families. Even though I am not religious, neither are these cultural Christmas traditions that we now engage in. These traditions of Christmas have all been passed down to us from all parts of the world, and surprisingly would have never existed had the Americas never made contact with them. Imagine how much different Christmas would have been if we lived in the Middle East where evergreens don’t exist, and Santa wore a robe, and drove a camel charged sleigh on sand?