Christmas trees go back a loooooong time. (You may recognize Belsnickel from the time Dwight dressed as him on The Office.). 33. Pete Vilmur. Well, it is the season to be…well informed. The word Christmas comes from the Old English “Cristes maesse” meaning “Christ’s Mass”. The first batch of eggnog in America was crafted at Captain John Smith's Jamestown settlement in 1607, and the name eggnog comes from the word "grog," which refers to any drink made with rum. 30 Christmas Facts You (Probably) Didn’t Know. 5. 23. 1. In reality, a priest wrote it while stationed at a pilgrim church in Austria. Children would leave shoes out the night before and, in the morning, would find little gifts that St. Nicholas would leave them. 1. Elf on the Shelf: Facts you didn't know about the Christmas tradition CNBC. The largest Christmas cracker – 45.72m long and 3.04m in diameter – was pulled in Australia in 1991. He was originally too overcome with grief, but eventually found inspiration in his brother’s death and the Christmas memories they had together. Most historians actually posit that Jesus was born in the spring. December 21, 2016. For Christians, this annual day is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus. The Bible mentions shepherds keeping watch over their flocks in the fields. The law has never been rescinded, meaning it’s technically illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day in the UK. 14. 1: Christmas is not complete unless one sings the popular song, Jingle Bells (you are humming it while reading this, just like we did while writing this! I expect 2020 these numbers will be greatly increased. subscribe to my weekly dose of Irish newsletter here. Comment. Historical Christmas Facts 1066 – King William I of England was crowned on Christmas Day. Germans are thought to be the first to bring "Christmas trees" into their homes during the holidays and decorate them with cookies and lights. 10. While we've no doubt you know can pretty much recite the whole movie backwards at this stage, we bet you didn't know these gems. Here are a few interesting facts about Christmas you might not know. I took a look around and found some of the most interesting facts I could about Christmas. Behold, here are 35 facts about Santa Claus, Rudolph and the undisputed queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, that you (probably) didn’t know. Christmas … Midnight mass is typically one of the biggest attendances for mass in Ireland. Boston church leaders tried to have the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" banned in the 1950s because they thought it "promoted physical intimacy." In 1836 Alabama was the first U.S. state to set Christmas as a legal holiday and in 1907 Oklahoma was the last. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit Email. Here, we are listing 10 such interesting facts you probably didn’t know before. However, this tradition has somewhat died out in a lot of homes. Oh, and the word mistletoe itself comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "misteltan," with "mistel" -- which means dung -- and "tan," which means twig, on account of its habit of sprouting near bird poop. 0. 3. In fact, He probably wasn’t born in December at all. 6. Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Christmas. Christmas is one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays in the Christian world. 25. Curl up by … 17. Singer Jimmy Boyd had to fly to Boston and explain to them why it wasn't obscene. 12. 13. Fact No. Share This Post! 16. How did the Nazis celebrate Christmas? ], Mariah Carey Reveals Her Favorite Christmas Songs by Other Artists, The Best Deals on Stocking Stuffers for Everyone on Your List, 20 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Hanukkah, By signing up, you agree to our Even to the extent of being banned for paganism in some respects. The two were sketched in front of a Christmas tree and the tradition instantly became popular. This the season to be…well informed. (Which, like Donner and Blitzen, come from the German words for thunder and lightning.). When sainted, he became the protector of children. Two weeks before Christmas is one of the most popular times for couples to break up. Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images. Share 69; Pinterest 5 . But there is no mention of Dec. 25 in the Bible and most historians actually believe he was born in the spring. Nearly 70 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe. 10 French Christmas Traditions That You Didn’t Know. But it may also stem from the Saturnalia tradition that required revelers to offer up rituals to the gods. 12 facts you didn't know about Christmas By ROBERT MILLER News Clerk Dec 20, 2020 Dec 20, 2020 Updated Dec 20, 2020; Facebook; Twitter; WhatsApp; SMS; Email; 1 of 3 Sun ‘n Lake ‘Twas the Lights before Christmas 2020 second-place winner, 6413 Granada Blvd. 1. This hybrid Christmas/Halloween movie is one of the most popular movies of all time, to the point that … All Christmas decorations are usually taken down and put away on ‘Little Christmas’ (January 6th.). Reginald the Red-Nosed Reindeer doesn't quite have the same ring to it. 15 Christmas facts: The Celts believed that the mistletoe was in fact blessed with magnificent healing powers. How the Welkin rings!" Mirror in February A Poem By Thomas Kinsella, A Christmas Childhood By Patrick Kavanagh, Irish Dance to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”. 27. Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop living in (what is now) Turkey in the fourth century A.D. St. Nicholas had inherited a great deal of wealth and was known for giving it away to help the needy. 5 Facts You Didn't Know About A Christmas Story. It’s Illegal To Eat Mince Pies On Christmas Day. is the well known opening line of Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song. Belsnickel -- of German and Pennsylvania Dutch folklore -- is likely a combination of the two, a fur-clad menace who brings candy to good children...and beats bad kids with his switch. 7. Eddie Murphy almost played the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. By TV GuideNews @TVGuide Dec 16, 2020 6:30 PM EST. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" actually has a truly depressing backstory: songwriter James "Haven" Gillespie was broke, jobless and his brother had just died when he was asked to write a Christmas song. 12 Dec 7 Weird Christmas Facts You Didn’t Know Posted at 12:26h in Uncategorized by Hannah Parsons 0 Likes Christmas is a time for festive fun, a time to join together with family and friends and… Buying all the gifts from the “12 Days of Christmas” would cost you a ton of money. Or at least have a bunch of random facts to rattle off to your family when you run out of things to talk about. 22. In fact, from 1659 to 1681, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas in Boston, of all places. [This story was originally published December 7, 2017. UP NEXT. "Jingle Bells" was originally supposed to be a Thanksgiving song. When the Candy Cane was invented in Germany, it was made into a J for Jesus. 12. So having a green tree in your home during this time of year, it’s actually an age-old tradition! Curl up by the fire with a nice cup of hot cocoa and smarten up! The displays will be up through Jan. 15. Khloe Kardashian Shares Workout Selfie as She Gets 'Ready' for Summer, Brittany Aldean on Expanding Family With Husband Jason Aldean, Best Amazon New Year, New You Deals on Adidas Sneakers and Apparel, 'The View's Sunny Hostin Reveals Husband's Parents Died of COVID, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ Flashback: Inside Jim Carrey’s Transformation. "Silent Night" is the most-recorded Christmas song in history, with over 733 different versions copyrighted since 1978. Many of the popular Christmas traditions today found their roots in Saturnalia: Branches from evergreen trees were used during winter solstice as a reminder of the green plants that would grow in spring when the sun gods grew strong. The poem that introduced us to the other eight reindeer, "A Visit From St. Nicholas," actually name-dropped Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Duner and Blixem. 15. St Stephen’s Day, Lá Fhéile Stiofáin or Lá an Dreoilín, meaning the Wren Day, is named after the first Christian martyr and alludes to several Irish myths or legends that link parts of the life of Jesus to the wren. Meanwhile, "White Christmas" is the best-selling song of all time. Christmas supposedly marks the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25. The connotation ‘Merry Christmas’ was popularized by the 16th century secular English carol ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas,’ and even the first commercial Christmas card, produced in England in 1843. The tallest christmas tree ever displayed was in Seattle, Washington. 8. A fairy who leaves twigs in the shoes of naughty children? by Spencer Althouse. Tis the season to be jolly and merry and these Christmas facts will blow you away. If enough mistletoe attaches to a tree, it will eventually kill it. Image: Eric Ward. 2. Christmas, a day celebrated by the Christians all around the world is luckily a Public Holiday, a day when Jesus was born; as declared. By Matthew Wilkinson Sep 14, 2020. I hope you have enjoyed these 15 Christmas facts and have a very merry Christmas. 29. Children who write letters to Santa Clause in the United States have their letters delivered to Santa Clause, Indiana. You were fined if you were caught celebrating. Edward Johnson invented electric tree lights in the US in 1882. 1. Smarten up! While you're busy wrapping gifts and preparing to feast with family and friends, TIME brings you these bizarre Christmas facts to ponder 1640 – Scotland abolished the observance of Christmas (until 1958 when it became a legal holiday). This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. They did this as a reminder that spring would indeed return. The well-known reason we give presents at Christmas is to symbolize the gifts given to baby Jesus by the three wise men. 7. By Nightlight / in Interesting News,Interesting Things / tags Christmas, Interesting Facts. 35. The look of Santa Claus we have today was created at an 1804 meeting of the New York Historical Society, where member John Pintard handed out wooden cutouts of jolly old St. Nick in front of stockings filled with toys. Rudolph was actually conceived by a department store, Montgomery Ward, as a marketing gimmick to get kids to buy holiday coloring books. Jingle Bells from space On 16th December 1965, the two astronauts aboard US space flight, Gemini 6 reported to Mission Control that they had seen an ‘Unidentified Flying Object’ about to enter the earth’s atmosphere. Now you know. COURTESY FACEBOOK Holiday decorations at The Jacaranda Hotel in Avon Park. The original lyrics to "Hark! Share Share Tweet Email. Royal fever was real even back then. Curl up … While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, there is no mention of December 25 in the Bible. 34. 24. The first Christmas crackers – a traditional festive favourite – were made around 1845-1850 by a London sweet maker called Tom Smith. And we leave carrots for Santa Claus' reindeer because, in Norse mythology, people left hay and treats for Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, "in hopes the god would stop by their home during his Yule hunting adventures." It is considered bad luck to remove the decorations and Christmas tree before this date. It involved drinking a pint or two in a different pub until you had visited 12. 26. Get your weekly dose of Irish straight to your inbox every Friday. 0 Comments. We all love Christmas, but how much do any of us actually know about why Christmas is the way Christmas is? Smarten up people! 11. These incredible trees can live up to 700 years and reach … Jesus probably wasn’t born on December 25. A big statement, maybe, but the film is as solid a holiday tradition as putting up the Christmas tree! 30. Thus, here are 35 (fun) facts about Santa Claus, Rudolph and the undisputed queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, that you (probably) didn’t know. People all over the country jump into the freezing Atlantic regardless of the conditions. Each and every year people engage in many of the same traditions their parents did, usually without questioning why. Which is only a hop, skip and a jump to Santa Claus. Long associated with the festive season, chestnuts are a sweet-tasting nut that come from the sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa). Since the 1970’s a common tradition of a candle in the window was in everyone’s home to welcome to Joseph and Mary as they wandered in search of lodgings. 74 Fun Christmas Facts You Didn’t Know Christmas is celebrated all over the world, as both a religious and secular holiday. 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Christmas in the Stars StarWars.com has collected some little-known facts about the iconic (and only) Christmas album from a galaxy far, far away. In fact, it said that in ancient Egypt and Rome, the folks used evergreen trees to mark the winter solstice. 28. 10 It Didn’t Happen In December. Gifts are Thus, here are 35 (fun) facts about Santa Claus, Rudolph and the undisputed queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, that you (probably) didn’t know. To give a brief introduction, Christmas is celebrated on 25 December and not just Christians but also many non-Christians celebrate it. In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas pudding, mince pies and anything to do with gluttony. Thus, here are 35 (fun) facts about Santa Claus, Rudolph and the undisputed queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, that you (probably) didn’t know. Amid the pandemic that keeps on taking, as many of us are forced to adjust to a not-so-festive-feeling holiday season, it's more important to find new ways to make merry. The gifts we … I think most of us can agree that Christmas time is the best time of the year. ). In recent years a Christmas day swim has become a new and popular tradition in Ireland. 18. 10 Facts About Christmas You Didn’t Know. Welkin is an old, English term for Heaven. Read Next. Facts You Didn’t Know About Christmas Celebration. Fun Facts About Christmas About $1,000 is spent on Christmas gifts each year by the average American family. 29. Peter Billingsley, A Christmas Story. When the holiday season rolls around, the first thing many people do is turn on Christmas music. Here are the facts about the guy who is always associated with Christmas. The most expensive being “Swans a Swimmin” — about $6,300. The Jim Carrey version, of course. ® & © 2021 CBS Studios Inc. © 2021 CBS Television Distribution and CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Merry (almost) Christmas! Here are 7 other things about Christmas you probably didn’t know. Tis the season to be...well informed. 23 Shocking And Unexpected Christmas Movie Facts You Didn't Know Until Now. St. Nick's name became Sint-Nicolaas in Dutch, or Sinter Klaas for short. How's this for romantic? Over the years, other reindeer have been name-checked on Santa's sleigh team, such as: Flossie, Glossie, Racer, Pacer, Scratcher, Feckless, Ready, Steady and Fireball (no relation to the whiskey). In the music video, Santa is played by Mariah’s then-husband, Tommy Mottola. There's also Krampus, made infamous by the 2015 horror movie of the same name, a horned, hooved demon who punishes naughty children by beating them or dragging them to Hell, according to Austrian folklore. However, you might not know the surprising history behind many popular songs and carols like "Jingle Bells," "White Christmas," and "Silent Night." Mistletoe -- that special sprig we all swap smooches under -- is actually a parasite, sucking nutrients from its host tree in order to stay festively green all winter long. Posted on Last updated: December 24, 2020 By: Author Irish Around The World, Categories Featured Article / Ireland / Irish Heritage. As the festive countdown to 25th December begins, we take a look at some fun Christmas facts you probably didn’t know. The Herald Angel Sing" were "Hark! 0. You Can Share Your Faith With Your Family Without Making It Weird. These evergreen branches became the foundation of our Christmas tree. Often including a choir and a nativity scene. Santa Claus delivering presents comes from Holland's celebration of St. Nicholas' feast day on Dec. 6. 1377 – During a Christmas feast hosted by King Richard the II of England in 1377, three hundred sheep and twenty-eight oxen were consumed. Curl up by the fire with a nice cup of hot cocoa and smarten up! To put you in a festive mood (as well as to correct a few historical misunderstandings) here are ten things you probably didn’t know about the first Christmas. And stockings come from this story: A poor man with three daughters couldn't afford the dowry to have them married. One of the reasons we leave milk and cookies for Santa is because Dutch kids would leave food and drink for St. Nicholas on his feast day. Thus, here are 35 (fun) facts about Santa Claus, Rudolph and the undisputed queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, that you (probably) didn’t know. Despite widespread demand for ground troops in all 23,000 Starbucks locations worldwide, the most threatening outburst of Christian aggression since the Crusades was defused when the secular coffee chain explained their red cups were a purely arbitrary design choice. And the image of him flying in a sleigh started in 1819...and was dreamt up by the same author who created the Headless Horseman, Washington Irving. by Kimberly Lin December 21, 2016. by Kimberly Lin. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a beloved and incomparably unique film, but what do it's fans not know about this Tim Burton stop-motion classic? Before I continue I just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas and if you are not yet, be sure to subscribe to my weekly dose of Irish newsletter here. The 12 pubs of Christmas pre-2020 was done by many in Ireland. After his death, the legend of St. Nicholas spread. A preacher later tweaked the lyric. France has so many unusual Christmas traditions that only the locals, or someone spending Christmas in the country, would ever learn about. Dutch children adopted this tradition too and would leave treats for St. Nick's horse. Fair play to them. 21. 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Christmas. Christmas supposedly marks the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25. Scholars concluded that the church decided to make Christmas the same date as Saturnalia’s festivities to help Christians avoid the pagan celebrations. Because of its roots in pagan festivals, Christmas was not immediately accepted by the religious. One night, St. Nicholas dropped a bag of gold down the man's chimney so that his oldest daughter would be able to get married, and the bag fell into a stocking that was drying by the fire. Cute! Not all Christmas characters are as...benevolent. But now the mistletoe hangs proudly in Irish homes as a symbol of peace. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" holds the Guinness World Records title for the highest-charting holiday song. 32. 9. We're just going to put it out here - Love Actually is the best Christmas movie ever. Here are 10 facts about Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Rudolph that you (probably) didn’t know. How fast would Santa have to travel to deliver all the presents? We all love Christmas, but how much do any of us actually know about why Christmas is the way it is? Of course with Covid-19 this year things are a little different. It measured 221 ft. tall. 8 Dec. 46. Though Santa Claus has worn blue and white and green in the past, his traditional red suit came from a 1930s ad by Coca Cola. Nearly 70 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe. Legend has it that "Silent Night" was written by Father Joseph Mohr in Austria, who was determined to have music at his Christmas service after his organ broke. 10 Awesome Facts About Christmas You Didn't Know ---Number 10: Hanging stockings started with an accident! 31. 19. While we know a great deal about Christmas from our parents and grandparents, there are many facts about Christmas that are lesser-known. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. December 25, 2017 . Dec. 25 was likely chosen because it coincided with the ancient pagan festival Saturnalia, which celebrated the agricultural god Saturn with partying, gambling and gift-giving. 52 Christmas facts you never knew about the festive period - Mirror Online More snow on the cards as new 'Beast from the East' freeze barrels towards UK … And the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Rudolph was almost named Rollo or Reginald. Six hours of none stop eating? Rudolph almost didn’t have a red nose either: At the time, a red nose was a sign of chronic alcoholism and Montgomery Ward thought he would look like a drunkard. 4 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About the Christmas Story by Kate grounds. Santa Claus was said to be based on Saint Nicholas. Christmas pudding was originally a soup made with raisins and wine. We all love Christmas, but how much do any of us actually know about why Christmas is the way it is? Here are 13 surprising things you probably didn't know about your favorite Christmas songs. Christmas supposedly marks the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25. Starbucks did NOT declare war on Christmas in 2015. We all love Christmas, but how much do any of us actually know about why Christmas is the way Christmas is? 10 Things You Didn't Know About Nightmare Before Christmas. The Christmas tree made its way to America in the 1830s but wasn't popular until 1846, after Germany’s Prince Albert brought it to England when he married Queen Victoria. 4.