Christmas is a popular holiday all over the world, and both young kids and adults dearly look forward to celebrating it every year. Everyone is super excited to decorate their Christmas trees and receive gifts from Santa Claus. While it’s a popular holiday celebrated all over the world, it is religiously observed in western countries such as the US and the UK. People go to churches and attend masses to offer their prayers and receive blessings from Jesus Christ. Streets, houses, and shops are decorated with lights, Christmas trees, and festive food items. People are seen donning classic white and red Santa hats and Christmas-themed sweaters to mark the occasion.
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All the celebrations aside, let’s read about some Christmas facts that you might find interesting.
Top 10 Facts About Christmas That Are Strange But True
1. Christmas Wasn’t Always Celebrated on 25th December
Yes, you read that right! While the 25th of December is widely celebrated as Christmas Day to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, it is nowhere mentioned as such in the Bible. No one actually knows the exact date of Jesus Christ’s birth.
2. Christmas Trees Are A Part of An Ancient Tradition
We’re all familiar with the evergreen fir trees that have become a part of Christmas celebrations all over the world. However, the introduction of fir trees as part of decoration dates back to the 16th century. It is believed that Ancient Romans and Egyptians would use evergreen trees as a symbol of long-lasting life and to mark the return of Spring.
3. Who Was Santa Claus?
Santa Claus is a fictional character based on a Christian Bishop named St. Nicholas. While he didn’t wear the classic red suit and hat, he was a very generous Bishop who gave away his inheritance to the poor and needy people. He also loved children and was known to give them gifts secretly. He was called Sinter Klaas in Dutch which was later modernized to be called Santa Claus.
4. There Are A Total of 9 Reindeer
We all know that our dear Santa wouldn’t be able to deliver our gifts if he didn’t have his team of fantastic reindeer. These nine amazing reindeer who help Santa fly his sleigh are called Dasher, Vixen, Prancer, Dancer, Comet, Donner, Cupid, Blitzen, and Rudolph.
5. ‘Jingle Bells’ Wasn’t Originally A Christmas Song
Can you believe it? We can’t either! The famous Christmas song called ‘Jingle Bells’ wasn’t originally written for Christmas. The song was written by James Lord Pierpont in the 1800s for Thanksgiving, and was titled ‘One Horse Open Sleigh.’ It was later re-released under the title ‘Jingle Bells’ and is now the most popular Christmas song all over the world.
6. Norway Sends A Christmas Tree to London, Every Year!
In the spirit of Christmas, the Norway government has been sending the iconic large Christmas tree to London since 1947. Trafalgar Square in London is a very popular tourist attraction that showcases a 20 feet tall tree that is decked with fairy lights. This gesture is extended by Norway as a token of gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II.
7. Christmas Was Once Banned for 20 Years
Believe it or not, the popular festival of Christmas was banned in England and soon in America as well. The government believed that people are forgetting the religious meaning of Christmas and getting lost in the festivities. The ban started in 1659 and continued for two long decades until 1681. People who were caught celebrating during this period were penalized.
8. Santa Claus Also Has A Postal Code
Many people encourage their children to write letters to Santa Claus telling him how well they have been throughout the year. And some kind people from the Canadian postal authority started writing back to these kids which resulted in more people writing to them. Since then, the Canadian postal service has set up a special postal code for addressing the letter to Santa Claus. The postal code is- HOH OHO!
9. The Red Suit Wasn’t The Original Santa Suit
While we’ve grown to associate Santa with his red suit, it wasn’t always his costume. For many years, Father Christmas wore green, blue, and purple clothes. However, as a part of their campaign, Coca-Cola dressed up Santa in a red suit that matched their brand colors, and the rest is history!
10. Alabama Was The First American State To Recognize Christmas As A Holiday
Although Christmas is a religious celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, it wasn’t considered a holiday everywhere. Alabama was the first state in the US that recognized 25th December i.e. Christmas as a public holiday in 1836. And do you know which was the last American state to recognize Christmas as a holiday? Oklahoma declared Christmas a holiday in the year 1907.
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