Des Moines, IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — How we came to celebrate certain Christmas traditions is the cover-story in the current edition of Iowa History Journal.

Editor Michael Swanger says many of the most-prized American traditions came across the ocean from Germany, Sweden; and those decorating trees, baking cookies, and holding candle-light church services come from Czechoslovakia.

Christmas was declared an official holiday in Iowa in 1862, eight years before it was recognized nationally.