Russian President Vladimir Putin resumed his traditional year-end press conference, after canceling last year, when Russia was doing badly on the battlefield. He combined it with a call-in program.

The floods have killed at least 170 and displaced more than 600,000 since the onset of heavy rains in November.

X recently claimed to support the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders — which in response called X "a haven for disinformation."

Some of these traditions' origin stories and how they are implemented can vary by region or households, but they nonetheless help bring holiday cheer to those who celebrate.