It’s exactly 2 days to Christmas and even though it doesn’t really feel and look like Christmas yet because of the pandemic here and there, it is still a special season worth celebrating with friends and family.
Here are 10 amazing facts we think you’d want to know about Christmas;
1. Christmas trees were first used by ancient Egyptians and Romans. They used evergreen trees like fir or pine trees, wreaths, and garlands. And the use of modern Christmas trees started in Germany in the 16th century. Instead of the glitzy decorations that we see on them today, they were decorated with fruits and nuts.
2.Santa Claus was known as Sinterklaas in Dutch. The character of Santa Claus is based on St. Nicholas who was a Christian bishop that provided for the poor and needy. He also loved children and enjoyed giving gifts to them secretly. As his story spread, he was called Sinterklaas in Dutch, which later became Santa Claus.
3.Santa Claus did not always dress up in red clothes. Santa Claus initially wore clothes that were in green, purple, or blue and for many years, this was the common theme for the jolly old man at the North Pole. However, Coca Cola decided to dress him up in colours that match their brand and that stuck. This speaks why he is always dressed in red cloths now.
4. The Christmas wreath is a symbol of love and eternal life. The Christmas wreath is representative of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. Consequently, the colours of Christmas, red, green, and gold were added. Red is said to represent the blood of Jesus, green symbolizes life, and gold stands for royalty and light. And the evergreen foliage used to make Christmas wreaths symbolizes the continuity of life and nature even in the darkest days of winters.
5. Christmas stockings are cute, warm, and spacious. The tradition of nailing Christmas stockings near a fireplace came about in order to help Santa have a place to stuff candies and goodies for bright and cheerful children of the world. It also serves as an endless supply of socks for Santa.
6. There’s a story behind the ’12 days of Christmas’. Did you ever wonder why the holidays of Christmas are referred to as the ‘12 days of Christmas’? History has it that the three kings took twelve days to travel to the birthplace of baby Jesus, hence the holidays of Christmas are known as 12 days of Christmas.
7. Christmas is an annual Christian holiday where Christians all over the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ . The 25th day of December was chosen to mark His birthday by the Roman Catholic Church years after His death.
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8. The term ‘Xmas’ simply means Christmas. The use of the term ‘Xmas’ dates back to the 16th century. The ‘X’ in the word Xmas comes from the ancient Greek language. In Greek, Christ begins with the letter X. So, Xmas simply means Christmas.
9. One of the most fun rituals of Christmas is the exchange of Christmas cards. People give Christmas cards to convey their feelings to their loved ones.
10. “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song. James Lord Pierpont wrote a song called “One Horse Open Sleigh” for his church’s Thanksgiving concert. Then in 1857, the song was re-published under the title it still holds today, and it eventually became one of the most popular Christmas song.
We bet you didn’t know this most of these facts, but now you know.
Wishing you a fabulous Christmas Holiday. Remember to stay safe.
Photo Credit: Getty
