Ten Christmas-related facts!
Millions of people worldwide anticipate dazzling decorations, vibrant lights, mouth watering food, upbeat music, and thrilling gifts as the year comes to an end. Yes, as Christmas approaches! But what knowledge do you have of this incredibly entertaining holiday? It’s time to learn more with our list of ten Christmas facts.
Facts concerning Christmas
1) Christmas is a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, whom believers consider to be God’s son. For the majority of people, it occurs annually on December 25, which is the day that the Roman Catholic Church designated as Jesus’ birthday. However, nobody is certain of the precise day of Jesus’ birth!
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2) You may be surprised to learn that not Christians observe Christmas on the same day. Christmas Day is observed on January 7 in nations including Romania, the Ukraine, and Russia that have sizable populations of Orthodox Christians*. On January 7th, some Greek Orthodox Christians also celebrate Christmas.
3) The old English expression Cristes maesse, which translates to “Christ’s mass,” is where the name “Christmas” originated. However, what about “Xmas”? Many believe this to be merely a recent acronym, but in reality, it goes all the way back to the sixteenth century! It is thought that the letter “X” stands for the Greek letter “Chi,” which is the initial letter in the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός, which is pronounced “Christos.”
4) When Christmastime rolls around, people everywhere have a ton of fun! The Victorian era gave rise to a number of modern UK holiday customs, including gift-giving, mince pies, and roast turkey, as well as customs surrounding Christmas cards! In actuality, Queen Victoria and her spouse Prince Albert loved Christmas very much!
5) Victorian Britain saw a rise in the popularity of Christmas trees. However, these were first observed in 16th-century Germany, where fir trees were adorned with fruit and nuts for Christmas, followed by candies, paper crafts, and candles. Remarkably, historians speculate that the Romans and Ancient Egyptians, who utilized evergreen plants and garlands as emblems of eternal life, may have been the source of this joyous custom. Whoa!
6) Take a look at this: Norway sends a gorgeous Christmas tree that is cultivated locally to London, where it is decked out in lights in Trafalgar Square each year. The magnificent tree, which rises to a height of 20 meters, is a gift from the UK to Norway in appreciation for its assistance during World War II. What a magnificent gift!
7) The large, jovial man with a beard and pink cheeks must be mentioned whenever we discuss Christmas. Daddy Christmas! But do you know how he came to be known as Santa Claus? It comes from the Dutch holiday known as Sinterklaas, which honors Saint Nicholas. The fourth-century Christian bishop St. Nicholas is revered as the patron saint of children because of his kindness and generosity.
8) However, there are numerous other Christmas characters across the globe besides Santa! For instance, it is rumored that a kind witch by the name of La Befana travels the country on a broomstick bringing toys to kids! Additionally, youngsters in Iceland put their shoes under the window for the Yule Lads, a group of 13 mischievous trolls. If the youngster has behaved well, chocolates will be waiting for them in their shoes; if not, the Yule lads will leave them with a rotten potato!
9) While Jingle Bells is a song that we all like singing along to, have you ever noticed that the word “Christmas” is absent from the tune? or Santa Claus, or Jesus? That’s because the song wasn’t written with Christmas in mind! The cheerful song, One Horse Open Sleigh, was really composed in 1850 just for the American Thanksgiving holiday!
10) Now consider a world without Christmas. Does it feel a little odd? Sad, maybe? It may surprise you to learn that Christmas festivities were outlawed in 1644 in England and shortly thereafter in the American colonies that were ruled by the English! Government officials at the time believed that people had forgotten the religious significance of Christmas, so they outlawed the celebrations. Nevertheless, others continued to celebrate in secret until Christmas became lawful once more—nearly 20 years later!
