•  www.techdirect.com/christmas. This is a wonderful site with so much to offer. Read how Christmas is celebrated in other countries and cultures with details collected from around the world. My favorite section is found in Religious Traditions, where site visitors have written about their yearly rituals. They have lots of links for Chanukah as well, although not all of them have been updated lately.

•  www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm. Here's another list of traditions from around the globe. This one covers dozens of countries and, for some reason, includes an entry for Alaska, which last time I looked was not a foreign country, but celebrates in an interesting fashion nonetheless.

•  www.soon.org.uk/country/christmas.htm. This site from the United Kingdom gives an interesting insight into traditions in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

•  www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm. Here's another wonderful British site that takes a serious look at some of the customs and traditions associated with the holidays. Also included is a well-written history of the story of Christmas. This would be a great site for parents or grandparents to share with the youngsters in the family.

•  www.thefamily.com/1famtrad.htm. Although not strictly about the holidays, this interesting site is dedicated to strengthening families by building rituals and traditions into daily life. It won't help you celebrate, but it just might keep your family together and that in itself is cause for celebration.

•  www.villagelife.org/news/archives/traditions.html. Ever wonder why we decorate an evergreen tree, how poinsettias became the official flower for Christmas, who invented the candy cane and why? All of these accepted symbols actually have religious roots. Read about it here.

•  www.chefmom.com/holidaymenus. Extravagant tables set with the fancy china and filled with delicious temptations have become a part of the Christmas tradition in many households. From typical holiday foods to magnificent family feasts, Chef Mom has it all.

And in keeping with speaking about foods, one tradition in my family began when I was asked to provide wassail for an open house at my high school. I'd heard of it, had even sung about it, and I finally managed to make some of it, with the help of a recipe written on what is now a worn and tattered page. And now, years later, it's my sister who makes the wassail each year. Here are several sites, each with a different (in some cases VERY different) recipe for filling up your own wassail bowl.

•  http://cocktails.about.com/library/recipes/blwassail.htm

•  http://vegetarian.about.com/library/crockpot/blwassail.htm

•  www.grannys-coupons.com/recipes/appetizers/wassail.html

•  www.austin360.com/aas/holidays/cooking/recipes/beverages/wassail.html

• www.gourmetspot.com/yourkitchen15.htm

•  www.culinarycafe.com/Drinks/Christmas_Wassail.html

• www.mixed-drink.com/NonAlcoholic/HotDrinks/hotwassail.html

Jan Perry is a freelance writer for The Post. Don't forget to Light Up the Sites by sending an e-mail or letter with your favorite holiday Web site along with your name, address and phone number, and a description (50 words or less) explaining why you like that particular site best. All submissions will be included in the Dec. 23 Siteseeing column. The page judged best overall will win a special holiday prize (worth $20) for the person who submits it. Entries must be received by midnight Wednesday. Send e-mails to SiteSeer2K@aol.com.