6 things you may not know about Christmas
Many Christmas traditions are so ingrained that you probably don't give them much thought. When you think about why things are done the way they are, you'll notice that almost every aspect of Christmas has an interesting, evolving story behind it.
Why is Christmas celebrated on Dec. 25?
According to History.com, December 25 was most likely not the day Jesus was born. Because shepherds and their sheep were present, it was most likely in the spring.
After three centuries of Christianity, the first record of a holiday commemorating Jesus' birthday appears. Church officials decided to celebrate his birthday on December 25, most likely to coincide with pagan festivals in an attempt to persuade pagans to accept Christianity as the official religion.
Why do we put up Christmas trees?
Christianity is a religion. According to popular belief, early Romans used evergreen branches to decorate their homes in the winter, and ancient northern Europeans planted evergreen trees inside boxes in their homes. These actions were frowned upon by early Christians, but they eventually came to accept them.
In the 1800s, Germans and Dutch embraced the idea of an indoor Christmas tree and brought it to the New World. When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Germany, who brought the Christmas tree tradition to England, the practice spread even further. An American newspaper published a picture of the royal tree, and the practice became more popular in this country, which was apparently interested in royal news even back then.
What's the deal with hanging stockings?
According to Time, this practice is based on myth rather than fact. According to legend, St. Nicholas came across a needy family, consisting of a poor widower attempting to raise three daughters.
St. Nicholas dropped gold coins down the chimney because the man couldn't provide a dowry, which was money, goods, or real estate given to a husband by the family of a bride-to-be, for his daughters to marry. They landed in the girls' stockings, which were hung to dry near the fireplace.
An American newspaper published a picture of the royal tree, and the practice became more popular in this country, which was apparently interested in royal news even back then.
What motivates us to give and receive gifts?
According to Live Science, people used to open gifts on New Year's Day rather than Christmas. It was meant to make them feel good as one year came to an end and another began.
Giving gifts became more popular during the 1800s, thanks to those trend-setting royals – Queen Victoria and Prince Albert again – who bought gifts for their children and also exchanged them with one another. Christians were thought to embrace the practice because they associated it with the gifts brought to Jesus by the Magi.
Is it true that Coca-Cola invented the modern image of Santa Claus?
According to Snopes and Coca-Cola, the popular Coca-Cola Santa image may have helped popularize this "look" for the jolly gift giver – rotund, rosy-cheeked, and wearing a red suit (because that's Coke's color) trimmed with white fur – but the company didn't come up with a completely original look.
According to Snopes, by the time Coke began using the now-iconic image of Santa Claus in their advertisements, this type of image of Santa Claus was already present.
Why do we exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe?
According to History.com, ancient cultures believed mistletoe could cure a variety of ailments. However, it wasn't until the first century that the Celtic Druids recognized it as a fertility restorer because it bloomed even in winter.
Mistletoe had become a part of Christmas celebrations by the 18th century. The kissing custom appears to have originated among English servants. Men could get a kiss from a woman standing beneath the mistletoe, and refusing the kiss was thought to bring bad luck. Furthermore, the kissing couple would pick a berry from the mistletoe for each kiss, stopping when the berries were depleted.
Related: 21 Interesting Facts and Information About Christmas for Kids
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