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Good Housekeeping

35 Fun Christmas Facts to Share With Your Family

Good Housekeeping

December 11, 2022 at 3:44 PM

1) Christmas wasn't always on December 25

2) Gifts have both Christian and Pagan origins

3) Evergreens are an ancient tradition

4) You can thank Prince Albert for your Christmas tree

5) St. Nick was more generous than jolly

6) The Dutch gave us the idea to leave cookies and milk

7) Coca-Cola played a part in Santa's image

8) Hanging stockings started by accident

9) Rudolph was a marketing ploy

10) Black Friday isn't the busiest shopping day

11) The eight tiny reindeer have had lots of names

12) Christmas wreaths are religious symbols

13) "Jingle Bells" was originally a Thanksgiving song

14) Astronauts broadcast "Jingle Bells" from space

15) "Silent Night" is the most recorded song

16) Celebrating Christmas used to be illegal

17) Settlers created the first American eggnog

18) Christmas decorating sends nearly 15,000 people to the ER

19) Santa has his own Canadian postal code

20) Dry Christmas trees spark more than joy

21) We ship a ton of packages at the holidays

22) The term "Xmas" dates back to the 1500s

23) The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas

24) Just about half of Americans attend Christmas services

25) Americans spend nearly $1,000 on gifts

26) Mistletoe is an aphrodisiac

27) Mistletoe's name isn't as sweet

28) Ham ranks as the festive favorite

29) Candy canes originated in Germany

30) The Rockefeller Christmas tree started small

31) Washington Irving created many Santa legends

32) Norway provides the tree in Trafalgar Square

33) This Christmas gift held a lifesaving secret

34) Your Christmas tree likely traveled a bit

35) Tinsel has a storied history

1) Christmas wasn't always on December 25

While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the actual date of the big event is lost to history. There's no mention of December 25 in the Bible and many historians say Jesus was most likely born in the spring. Some historians posit the date was originally chosen because it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn with celebrating and gift-giving.

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From the meaning of mistletoe to St. Nick's backstory, these surprising Christmas facts for kids and adults will make for fun holiday conversations.

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