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50 Things You Don’t Know About ‘X’mas 13

Christmas facts: 50 things 10. Christmas Trees: Nearly 60 million Noel in France and Deushka Moroz
Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe. (Grandfather Frost) in Russia.
yule never know about 11. Noel: The word Noel derives from the 31. Christ's Mass: The word Christmas
French expression "les bonnes nouvelles" or comes from the Old English "Cristes maesse"
Christmas
"the good news". meaning "Christ's Mass".
12. Baby Jesus: Jesus was probably 32. Bing Cosby: The bestselling Xmas
born in a cave and not a wooden stable, say single ever is Bing Crosby's White Christmas,
Biblical scholars. shifting over 50million copies worldwide since
13. Xmas: The abbreviation Xmas isn't 1942.
irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation 33. Band Aid: In Britain, the best-selling
for Christ. festive single is Band Aid's 1984 track, Do They
14. Tallest Tree: The world's tallest Know It's Christmas?, which sold 3.5million
Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a copies. Wham! is next in the same year with
Washington shopping mall in 1950. Last Christmas, selling 1.4million.
15. White Christmas: The chances of a 34. Artificial Trees: Upside-down
white Christmas are just 1 in 10 for England and artificial Xmas trees are sold to allow more gifts
Wales, and 1 in 6 for Scotland and Northern to be piled under.
Ireland. 35. Oslo: Since 1947 Oslo has sent an
16. The Birth of Jesus: Many Xmas tree to London to thank us for our help in
theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on the Second World War.
December 25 but sometime in September 36. Christmas Pudding: Christmas
between 6BC and 30AD. pudding was originally a soup made with raisins
17. Jingle Bells: James Pierpont's 1857 and wine.
song Jingle Bells was first called One Horse 37. Cracker Design: London
Open Sleigh and was written for Thanksgiving. sweetmaker Tom Smith created the first
18. Turkey: Before turkey, the Christmas crackers in 1847, based on the sweet
traditional Christmas meal in England was a wrapper design.
pig's head and mustard. 38. Dutch Santa: Santa Claus comes
19. Banning Christmas: In 1647, after from a Dutch folk tale based on Saint Nicholas,
the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell banned or Sinterklaas, who gave gifts on December 6.
festivities. The law wasn't lifted until 1660. 39. Boxing Day: Boxing Day gets its
20. World's Biggest Snowman: In name from all the money collected in church
1999, residents of the state of Maine in America alms-boxes for the poor.
After queuing up to get your turkey, you arrive built the world's biggest ever snowman. He 39. Mistletoe Kisses: Kissing under the
home only to find the cat has swallowed most of stood at 113ft tall. mistletoe is thought to spring from Frigga, the
the tinsel and you completely forgot to buy any 21. A Merry Greek Christmas: The Norse goddess of love, who was associated with
tangerines. Greeks celebrate Christmas on January 7, the plant.
But have you ever stopped to wonder according to the old Julian calendar, while Xmas 41. The Beatles: The Beatles hold the
how these traditions started - why we kiss under presents are opened on New Year's Day. record for most Xmas number 1 singles, topping
the mistletoe, or give each other stockings full of 22. Eating a Christmas Tree: Many the charts in 1963, 65 and 67.
goodies? parts of the Christmas tree can actually be eaten, 42. Electric Trees: Electric tree lights
with the needles being a good source of Vitamin were invented by Edward Johnson in the US in
1. Speedy Santa: US scientists C. 1882.
calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 23. Holly: The holly in a wreath 43. Early Christmas Trees: They may
homes a second to deliver all the world's symbolises Christ's crown of thorns while the date back to pagan traditions, but the earliest
presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 red berries are drops of his blood. known reference to a Christmas tree is in a
miles a second. 24. Christmas Cards: The first German pamphlet from 1570.
2. Robins: Robins on cards were a joke commercial Christmas cards were 44. Christmas Movies: The highest-
150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics commissioned by civil servant Sir Henry Cole in grossing Christmas movie is 2000's How The
and were named after them. London in 1843. Featuring a family drinking Grinch Stole Christmas, which has raked in
3. Mince Pies: Although now mostly wine, one sold for #8,469 last year. #175m so far.
vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were 25. Hanging Presents: Hanging 45. Santa in Iceland: There are 13
made with beef and spices. presents on trees may come from the Druids Santas in Iceland, each leaving a gift for
4. Tangerines: The tradition of putting who believed the tree was the giver of all good children. They come down from the mountain
tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century things. one by one, starting on December 12 and have
French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and 26. Christmas Crackers: The largest names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat
tangerines at the houses of the poor. Christmas cracker - 45.72m long and 3.04m in Hook.
5. Three Wise Men? Despite the tale of diameter - was pulled in Australia in 1991. 46. Rudolph the Reindeer: Rudolph the
three wise men paying homage to baby Jesus, 27. Shopping Spree: The long shopping red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's
the Bible never gives a number. Matthew's spree before Christmas began in America when Christmas promotion in 1938.
Gospel refers to merely "wise men". relatives of soldiers posted overseas in the 47. Chocolate Coins: Gold-wrapped
6. Wassailing: Carols began as an old Second World War were encouraged to mail chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who
English custom called wassailing, toasting gifts early. gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
neighbours to a long life. 28. Christmas Songs: Jingle Bells was 48. The First Christmas: THE first
7. Carols: Carols weren't sung in the first song broadcast from space when Christmas celebrated in Britain is thought to
churches until they were introduced by St Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally have been in York in 521AD.
Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. Schirra sang it on December 16, 1965. 49. Christmas Bonus Law: IN Greece,
8. Stockings: Hanging stockings out 29. Christmas Comets: Astronomers Italy, Spain and Germany, workers get a
comes from the Dutch custom of leaving shoes believe the Star Of Bethlehem, which guided the Christmas bonus of one month's salary by law.
packed with food for St Nicholas's donkeys. He wisemen to Jesus, may have been a comet or the 50. Czech Christmas: In the Czech
would leave small gifts in return. planet Uranus. Republic they enjoy dinners of fish soup, eggs
9. Angels Singing?: There is no 30. The Many Names of Santa: Santa and carp. The number of people at the table must
reference to angels singing anywhere in the has different names around the world - Kriss be even, or the one without a partner will die
Bible. Kringle in Germany, Le Befana in Italy, Pere next year.[]