29 Interesting Facts about Christmas
Christmas is here and we bring you some interesting facts to add to your holiday cheer!
Fact #1
It is an interesting fact that the first artificial Christmas trees that the Germans had were made of dyed goose feathers.
Fact #2
Did you know that the term “Xmas” stems from Greece. The fact is that in Greek, “X” symbolizes Christ.
Fact #3
The tradition of sending cards on Christmas is quite popular. In fact, in US alone, over 3 billion Christmas cards are sent every year.
Fact #4
It was in A.D. 350, that Pope Julius I (bishop of Rome) first proclaimed December 25 as the official celebration date for Christ’s birthday.
Fact #5
If you carefully listen to the popular song “Twelve Days of Christmas”, you would notice that the total number of gifts exchanged in that song are 364!
Fact #6
It is interesting to note that the Christmas trees grow for about 15 years before they become ready for selling.
Fact #7
It was the state of Alabama in the United States that first recognized Christmas officially in 1836.
Fact #8
Irving Berlin’s hit single “White Christmas” is considered to be the best selling single of all time. It is estimated to have more than 100 million sales worldwide.
Fact #9
In 1841, the J. W. Parkinson’s store in Philadelphia became the first department store to feature a visit with Santa Claus.
Fact #10
The tallest Christmas tree to be cut as per the Guinness world records, was a 221-foot Douglas fir. It was featured at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington in the year 1950.
Fact #11
The Mistletoe is almost synonymous with the Xmas celebrations. It is an interesting fact that the word ” Mistletoe” comes from the Old English words, “mistel” (dung) and “tan” (twig). It is believed that the name of the plant comes from the droppings of the birds on a branch.
Fact #12
A Yule log is usually burned during the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is believed by some scholars that the word “Yule” means “revolution” or “wheel,” and it symbolizes the cyclical return of the sun. Some also believe that the charred remains of the log help ward off evil spirits and also bring fertility, health, and luck.
Fact #13
The song “Jingle Bells” is the first song to be ever broadcasted from space. It happened on December 16, 1965 when Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra sang it.
Fact #14
Santa is addressed by different names around the world. In Germany, he is called Kriss Kringle while in Italy he has Le Befana as his name. Also, he is addressed as Pere Noel in France and as Deushka Moroz in Russia.
Fact #15
As per the calculations of some US scientists, Santa would need to visit 822 homes per second in order to deliver presents throughout the world on Christmas Eve. Also, he would have to travel at a speed of 650 miles a second.
