Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the music, the lights, the Christmas spirit, and the time with friends and family. Given that this time of year is particularly busy, it’s important that we all take time to sit back and relax. Below are some fascinating facts about Christmas!
- Until 1836, Christmas was illegal in the United States. Until then, it was considered a pagan holiday. Alabama became the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday, all the way back in 1836.
- According to Facebook data analysis, the weeks before Christmas is the most popular time for couples to break up.
- Approximately one million letters are addressed to Santa each Christmas. The address? “H0H 0H0, North Pole, Canada.”
- During the Christmas season, almost 28 LEGO sets are sold each second.
- Norwegians pay only 50% of their usual tax in November, so everyone has more money for Christmas.
- In Japan, many people eat KFC on Christmas Eve. Another traditional Japanese food is Christmas cake: Sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream.
- Eating Chinese Food for Christmas is a tradition for many Jewish-Americans (on Christmas most Chinese restaurants are open!)
- New Zealand bans all television advertising on Christmas Day
- The British and Irish wear paper crowns while they eat Christmas dinner. The crowns are stored in a tube called a Christmas cracker.
- Christmas carols began as an old English custom called “wassailing,” in which one would toast their neighbors to a long and healthy life.
- Approximately 30-35 million real Christmas trees are cut down and sold each season in the United States. Each year, approximately 200 Christmas trees catch fire in the United States.
- Americans send 1.5 billion Christmas cards annually.
- Purchases made during Christmas account for 1/6 of all retail sales in the U.S.
- Santa Claus originated from St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop living in Turkey in the fourth century AD. St. Nicholas was incredibly wealthy, and was known for giving it away to help the needy. When he was sainted after his death, he was dubbed the protector of children.
- Though Santa Claus has worn blue and white and green in the past, his traditional red suit was actually inspired by a 1930s ad from Coca Cola.
- “Silent Night” is the most recorded Christmas song in history — there are over 733 versions of the tune copyrighted.
- Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the most popular Christmas song ever recorded and the best-selling single in recording history, having sold over 50 million copies to date.
- “Jingle Bells” was originally written for Thanksgiving.
- Franklin Pierce was the first president to place a Christmas tree in the White House.
- The Germans made the first artificial Christmas trees. They were fashioned out of dyed goose feathers.