By Arielle Hawkins, CNN

Silver Spring, Maryland (CNN) - Guitars strummed and the cheerful voices of young and old sang “Feliz Navidad” as people in the streets cheered the birth of Christ with Spanish lyrics and upbeat rhythms in Oakview, a neighborhood in Silver Spring.

Though it wasn’t immediately apparent, these members of St. Camillus Church weren’t caroling, but were celebrating the Central American Catholic tradition of Las Posadas. The celebration comes just as the world celebrates the birth of Jesus on Tuesday.

The religious event commemorates the grueling journey of the Virgin Mary and Joseph as they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a haven to give birth to their son. This year, St. Camillus celebrated the Christmas tradition Friday through Sunday.

The nativity story narrates how the Virgin Mary and her husband were turned away from inn after inn until a kind man allowed them to rest their heads in a barn. The word “posada” translates to “inn” or “lodging” in English.

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By Stephen Walsh, CNN

Are there really angels among us? Lorna Byrne claims she’s been able to see angels since she was a child. The Irish-born author of the international best-seller “Angels in My Hair” says guardian angels watch over believers and nonbelievers alike all the time.

So what exactly is an angel? The word angel is derived from the Greek angelos, which means "messenger." The Hebrew word malak has the same meaning. Christian theology teaches that angels are pure spirits created by God who carry out his will on Earth.

Byrne told CNN’s Dana Bash that she sees a multitude of angels that only appear around Christmastime. Watch the video to hear her describe what they look like and hear her advice to skeptics.

What do you think? Are angels real? Leave your comments below.

By Amy Roberts, CNN

(CNN) - With Christmas comes Christmas trivia. Here's a look at the holiday by the numbers:

30.8 million – Real Christmas trees purchased in the United States in 2011.

16 – Percentage of real trees sold that were "cut-your own."

4.1% – Expected amount of increased holiday sales in the United States in 2012 over last year, according to the National Retail Federation.

586.1 billion – Amount of expected total sales, if they do increase by 4.1%.