15 Fun Facts about Christmas You Didn’t Know

One of the most festive holidays of the year, Christmas has become a season that is celebrated all over the world. Here are some fun and interesting facts about Christmas that might surprise you.

1. Christmas wasn’t always on December 25: There’s no mention of December 25 in the Bible and many historians say Jesus was really born in the spring. Some historians say that the date was originally chosen because it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which honoured the agricultural god Saturn with celebrating and gift-giving.
2. Germany was the first country to start the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree
3. For 13 years, between 1647 and 1660, Christmas was banned in the UK by Cromwell after the English Civil War.
4. The Christmas tree doesn’t need to be thrown away every year, some parts are edible including the needles themselves which are a source of Vitamin C.
5. The Christmas pudding was initially a soup made with raisins and wine.
6. The first Christmas was supposedly held in York, the UK in 521AD.
7. Noel actually comes from the French phrase “Les bonnes Nouvelles” or “the good news”.
8. Many people’s favourite carol “Jingle Bells” written in 1857 was actually written for thanksgiving and was called “on horse open sleigh!”
9. Turkey wasn’t always the Christmas-go-to, England’s traditional meal of choice was actually a pig’s head and mustard.
10. Santa Claus has worn many colours in his time including blue, green, white, and red. The red suit came about when Coca-Cola had an advertisement campaign in the ’30s.
11. The word Christmas comes from the old English meaning Christ’s mass (Cristes maesse).
12. Santa Claus flying in the sleigh was an image dreamt up by the same man who created the headless-horseman, the image was made in 1819.
13. Christmas was first recognized in the US in 1836. The first state was Alabama and the last was Oklahoma in 1970.
14. The origin of the name Santa Claus has a convoluted tree. In Dutch St Nicholas became Sint-Niklaas or Sinter Klaas. Obviously, from there it’s not a big leap to Santa Claus.
15. St Nicholas was originally a stern, harsh man holding a birch branch who symbolized discipline.