If you need a fun fact to pull out at your next family holiday gathering or your office’s holiday party, these interesting Christmas facts will come to your rescue. You can also use them if you need to steer the holiday conversation away from more controversial topics around the dinner table. Not only that, but they’ll also help you out for a holiday-themed trivia night. If you’re looking for some interesting Christmas facts, we’ve gathered up the very best.
How Did Christmas Originate?
The origins of Christmas stem from both pagan and Roman cultures. The Romans celebrated two holidays in the month of December. Firstly, they celebrated Saturnalia, a festival to honor the god of agriculture, Saturn. Then, later in December, they celebrated the birth of Mithra, the sun god. As Christianity spread across Europe, the Christian clergy members attempted to curb the pagan celebrations. However, these two December holidays remained strong. To help persuade more people, they adapted the pagan ritual into a celebration of Jesus’s birth since no one was sure of the exact date.
Here’s another fun fact: our Christmas arrangements couldn’t be more delightful. Consider our Holly Jolly Village, made with white chocolate-dipped pineapple snowmen, chocolate-dipped pineapple reindeer, and other delicious goodies. Or, check out our Simply Edible™ Bouquet with Wreath, made with an apple donut decorated to look like a Christmas wreath and a plethora of fresh fruit. These arrangements bring a little sweetness to the holidays with semisweet chocolate and plenty of fresh fruit.
Top 10 Christmas Facts
Delight your loved ones around the dinner table this holiday with your newfound Christmas facts. Here are ten interesting Christmas facts you’ve probably never heard before:
1. Christmas Wasn’t Always December 25th
For the first three centuries of Christianity’s existence, Jesus’s birth wasn’t celebrated at all. It was only in AD 336 that December 25, as a holiday honoring Jesus’ birthday, first appeared in an early Roman calendar.
2. 51% of Americans Wait Until Christmas Eve to Buy Presents
If you wait until the last minute to do your shopping, you’re not alone. A recent study of over 2,000 Americans found that over 50 percent wait until Christmas Eve to do their holiday shopping.
3. Belsnickel is the Pennsylvania Dutch Version of Santa Claus
A creature of folklore from Germany brought to America by the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Belsnickel dresses in furs and carries switches. He makes the rounds before Christmas, asking children whether they have been naughty or nice.
4. Artificial Christmas Trees Were Once Made with Goose Feathers
Artificial Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 19th century and later became popular in the United States. They were made using goose feathers dyed green and attached to wire branches.
5. The Tradition of Hanging Stockings Comes From a Legend About Marriage
Legend has it that the tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace came from a poor man who couldn’t afford his three daughters’ dowries. Generous St. Nick dropped gold coins down their chimney one night after the girls had hung their stockings to dry.
6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer First Appeared in 1939
In 1939, the Montgomery Ward department store needed a Christmas story the store could give away to shoppers. One of their copywriters, Robert L. May, created the story of the little reindeer with a red nose.
7. ‘Jingle Bells’ Was Originally Written as a Thanksgiving Song
James Lord Pierpont originally wrote the song we all know and love for a Thanksgiving concert in the mid-19th century. In 1857, the song was re-released as “Jingle Bells” and has become the most beloved Christmas song of all time.
8. The Jamestown Settlers Created the First American Batch of Eggnog
The settlers at Captain John Smith’s 1607 Jamestown settlement created the first American batch of eggnog. “Nog” comes from the word “grog,” which means any drink made with rum.
9. Holiday Decorating Sends 14,700 to the ER Each Holiday Season
Be careful while decorating for the holidays. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that Emergency Rooms treat approximately 14,700 holiday-decorating-related injuries each year. That’s an average of about 240 injuries per day.
10. Americans Spend Almost $1,000 on Christmas Gifts Each Holiday
Americans spend a lot on the holidays each year. Holiday sales have grown year-over-year for over a decade. In fact, recent reports show people spend approximately $1,000 on Christmas each year.
Hopefully, these fun facts about Christmas have taught you something new. At least you have a few conversation starters in your back pocket when the chitchat starts to dry up (or head south) at your next family gathering.
