Christmas is celebrated in many countries around the world with numerous fascinating and even astonishing traditions.
- According to calculations by American scientists, Santa Claus would need to visit 822 homes per second to deliver presents to children on Christmas Eve. This means Santa’s reindeer sleigh would have to travel at a speed of 650 miles per second.
- The tradition of placing tangerines in Christmas stockings originated from 12th-century French nuns who filled stockings with fruits, nuts, and sweets for the needy.
- Statistics show that approximately 60 million Christmas trees are planted for the Christmas celebration in Europe.
Approximately 60 million Christmas trees are planted for the Christmas celebration in Europe.
- The tallest Christmas tree was over 67 meters high and was placed in a shopping center in Washington in 1950.
- Every Christmas, people, especially children in many countries around the world, delight in building snowmen. In 1999, residents of Maine, USA, created the largest snowman in the world, standing nearly 35 meters tall.
- People often hang or place gifts on the trunk or base of the Christmas tree during the holiday season. In some countries, it is believed that this brings good luck to the recipient.
- Santa Claus is known by different names in various countries. For example, in Germany, he is called Kriss Kringle; in Italy, he is known as La Befana; in France, he is referred to as Père Noël, and in Russia, he is called Ded Moroz.
- The dazzling Christmas trees we see today owe their existence to the brilliant inventor Edward Johnson, who created colored Christmas lights. In 1882, Johnson first created electric decorative lights for use in his own home in New York. Despite many groundbreaking inventions that came later, these colorful blinking lights were enough for Johnson to earn a spot on the long list of America’s great inventions.
- Most people are unaware of the three traditional colors of Christmas. While many think the white of snow represents Christmas, that is not the case. The three traditional Christmas colors are green, red, and gold. Each color holds special meanings: green represents the plants associated with Christmas and symbolizes life and rebirth; red symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ; while gold symbolizes the bright spiritual light that Jesus brought into the world at his birth and resurrection.
- The first artificial Christmas tree was created by Germans using dyed goose feathers.
In the United States alone, over 3 billion Christmas cards are sent each year.
- The Twelve Days of Christmas is a famous Christmas song that lists a series of gifts given each day for twelve days after Christmas. The song was released in England in 1780 and is believed to have originated in France. In total, 364 gifts appear in this song.
- Data analyzed from Facebook posts indicates that two weeks before Christmas is one of the two most popular times for couples to decide to break up. However, Christmas itself is the least preferred day for such decisions.
- Contrary to common misconceptions, the suicide rate during the Christmas holiday is very low, with the highest rates occurring in the spring.
- Christmas trees began being sold in the United States in 1850.
- Christmas trees are typically grown for 15 years before being sold.
- Many European countries believe that both good and evil spirits return during the twelve days after Christmas, eventually becoming Santa Claus’s elves.
- In 1836, Alabama was the first state in the U.S. to officially recognize Christmas Day.
- Christmas was not recognized as an official holiday in the U.S. until June 26, 1870.
- In 1907, Oklahoma was the last state in the U.S. to recognize Christmas as a legal holiday.
- Bolivians celebrate Misa del Gallo, or “the Rooster’s Mass”, on Christmas Eve. Some people bring roosters to the midnight mass, symbolizing the belief that the rooster was the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus Christ.
- In England, people wear paper crowns while enjoying their Christmas dinner. These crowns are kept in a tube called a “Christmas cracker”.
- Every year, approximately 20,000 Santas are hired across the United States. These Santas are trained seasonally to maintain a cheerful demeanor under public pressure. They must follow specific rules, such as never accepting money from parents while children are watching and avoiding onions, garlic, and beans during lunch.
- One lesser-known fact about Christmas is that Martin Luther was the first to decorate a Christmas tree. This is not widely known, but the most reliable and accurate story is about Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, who was the first to adorn a Christmas tree.
- The song “Jingle Bells” is a Christmas tune known by almost everyone, even children who may not understand foreign music are familiar with this song. However, not everyone knows that “Jingle Bells” was originally titled “One Horse Open Sleigh” and was a school song. Gradually, both the title and the lyrics were altered, making it one of the most famous and representative songs of the Christmas season.
- Most people are familiar with the fierce god Odin from Norse mythology. However, few know that he is the mythological figure that inspired the creation of Santa Claus. Odin rode an eight-legged horse similar to Santa’s sleigh. Children would fill their boots with carrots, hay, and sugar for Odin’s horse to eat as he flew by. In return, Odin would reward the children with gifts, toys, and candy left in their boots.
- The first song ever composed and recorded in space about Christmas was “Jewel in the Night”. This song was performed by Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut who first walked in space with a guitar, and was recorded in space, uploaded to YouTube on Christmas Eve 2012.
- Numerous music records have been set during the Christmas season. For example, the song “Last Christmas” by Wham is the best-selling single in British history that did not reach number one. In fact, with nearly 10 million copies sold, it is the most commercially successful song in history that did not achieve number one on major charts. Meanwhile, Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” remains the best-selling song of all time with 50 million copies sold worldwide.
- The meaning of the phrase “Merry Christmas”: Although Christmas celebrations began in the 4th century, the phrase “Merry Christmas” only appeared in 1699 when a naval officer used it in a casual letter. The phrase appeared again in 1843 in Charles Dickens’ work – “A Christmas Carol.” During Christmas, not only Christians but also most people exchange greetings of Merry Christmas. In this phrase, Merry means joy. The meaning of Christmas, as explained earlier, also refers to the sheep of God (a usage in Old English). The word Merry evokes feelings of joy and warmth associated with the Christmas holiday. Some people use the word Happy instead of Merry when greeting each other during Christmas. The phrase Happy Christmas became popular worldwide in the 19th century when it was used by Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Turn the candy cane upside down, it forms the letter “J,” representing Jesus Christ.
- The Origin of the Candy Cane: In the 1800s, a candy maker in India sought to express the meaning of Christmas through his candy creations. Through his candy cane, he conveyed the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The white color symbolizes the purity and innocence of Jesus. The three small stripes represent the pain that Jesus endured before his death and reflect the Holy Trinity (the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). When turned upside down, the candy cane resembles the letter “J,” standing for Jesus.
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