11 Facts About Christmas: Explore The Less Known

Christmas Pattern (Credit: Pixabay)

Christmas is a season of pleasure, family get-togethers, and celebration, but have you ever reflected about the more obscure history and lesser-known facts that contribute to its specialness? Even though most of us are aware of the contemporary Christmas rituals, there are intriguing historical details that show the rich and even unexpected beginnings of this beloved holiday traditions. This blog post article explores 11 lesser-known but highly fascinating facts about Christmas that will give your festive celebrations a whole new perspective, from the actual history of the holiday's date to odd customs from throughout the globe as follows:

1. Christmas Was Not Always on December 25ᵗʰ: The formal day to celebrate Christmas is December 25th, which is deeply embedded in our memories but this date was not always connected to Jesus Christ's birth. Actually, the date of Christmas was only established in the fourth century, and it was previously observed on a different day then early Christian leaders strategically chose December 25ᵗʰ to align with the Roman holiday of Sol Invictus (the "Unconquered Sun"), which commemorated the winter solstice, hence early Christians chose this date in an effort to draw attention away from pagan festivities and toward the birth of Christ not forgetting that a period of gloom and rebirth, the winter solstice marked the coming of the "Light of the World." Although the date of December 25ᵗʰ gained popularity over time, its association with earlier, pre-Christian solstice festivities gives the holiday an intriguing cultural backstory.

2. The First Christmas Tree Was in 1510: Did you know that the habit of decorating Christmas trees originated in Germany in the early 1500s? It is now a popular practice all around the world but in 1510, a group of businessmen in Riga, Latvia, erected the first Christmas tree in celebration, marking the first known use of the holiday and even while these early trees lacked the complexity of modern ones, they undoubtedly had profound symbolic significance, thus it is simple to understand how the custom of bringing the outside inside during the winter months became a sign of warmth, vitality, and joy at the coldest season of the year, even if it took centuries for the Christmas tree to become famous throughout Europe and subsequently the rest of the world.

3. Jingle Bells Was Not Originally a Christmas Song: You might be startled to find that one of the most renowned Christmas tunes, "Jingle Bells," was not actually written for Christmas. James Lord Pierpont wrote the song in 1857 with the intention of using it as an anthem for Thanksgiving whereby while serving at a church in Savannah, Georgia, Pierpont composed it for a Thanksgiving service and the song's original title, "One Horse Open Sleigh," was influenced by the speed and thrill of snowy sleigh rides, hence "Jingle Bells" was not a Christmas classic until much later, but it is now one of the most well-known holiday songs in the world. It is interesting how something intended for one celebration may end up being used for another.

4. Santa Claus Was Inspired By a Real Person: Although Santa Claus has evolved into a cheerful, bearded figure in red, his roots are in Saint Nicholas, a genuine person. Greek bishop Saint Nicholas, who lived in the fourth century, was well-known for his kindness and affection for children. He was born in modern-day Turkey and rose to fame for his charitable deeds, which included covertly gifting young women in need dowries and presents to the underprivileged whereby over the decades, the story of Saint Nicholas changed into the present Santa Claus, and his feast day on December 6th became a day for gift-giving. Dutch immigrants brought the Sinterklaas tradition to America in the 18th century, which had a significant impact on the change. Santa in America eventually adopted traits from other cultures, and he is now acknowledged as a symbol of Christmas gift-giving worldwide.

5. The Biggest Christmas Stocking in The World: A whole family could fit inside the world's largest Christmas stocking, even though many of us hang them near the fireplace. A gigantic Christmas stocking that measured 51 m 35 cm (168 ft 5.65 in) long was made in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy in 2011 by volunteer emergency services organisation Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni, which eventually held a Guinness World Record, was stuffed with balloons containing sweets inside, hence the amount of passion and ingenuity that goes into the holiday season is demonstrated by this amazing stocking. Just picture how happy you would be to discover your Christmas gifts in a stocking that big.

6. A Genetic Mutation Could Be The Cause of Rudolph's Red Nose: The most well-known reindeer of them all, Rudolph, is distinguished by his luminous red nose but have you ever questioned whether his odd characteristic has a scientific explanation? According to some academics, Rudolph's red nose could be the result of rhinitis, a genetic abnormality that causes inflammation and redness in the nasal passages because of increased blood flow and even if this theory is a little unrealistic (and unscientific for a reindeer), it is entertaining to consider the possibility that Rudolph's nose's magical properties could be due to a peculiar genetic feature rather than pure Christmas magic.

7. The Tradition of Christmas Pickles: You might want to consider hiding a pickle on your Christmas tree if you are searching for a novel holiday custom whereby the first child to discover a pickle-shaped ornament concealed on the tree is given an additional present or a special treat, according to the German custom known as the "Christmas pickle." This peculiar tradition has some unclear beginnings, but it is nevertheless a cheerful and enjoyable way to spend the season with children. Even while this habit is not common everywhere, it is undoubtedly one of the more distinctive and lighthearted traditions that adds even more special meaning to Christmas.

8. The First Christmas Card Was Sent in 1843: In 1843, British government servant Sir Henry Cole designed the first commercial Christmas card whereby the card said, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You," and included an illustration of a family enjoying a holiday together. The purposeful festiveness of the image conveyed the joy of Christmas as a time for family and community which all started with just one card and has since sparked a custom of sending sincere greetings over the holiday season with today, millions of Christmas cards being exchanged annually throughout the world.

9. The Religious Significance of The "Twelve Days of Christmas": Everyone is familiar with the well-known song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but did you know that each of the song's gifts has a religious meaning? According to some historians, the gifts symbolise elements of Christianity like for instance, "five golden rings" are thought to signify the first five books of the Bible, while "two turtle doves" stand for the Old and New Testaments. Although there has been disagreement about this interpretation, it is an intriguing approach to see the song as a discreetly informative message during a period when Christianity was frequently persecuted.

10. Originally, Candy Canes Did Not Have Stripes: Candy canes did not always have the red stripes we now associate with them, despite the fact that they are now a classic Christmas symbol instead, simple white sugar sticks were used as candy canes in the beginning. The candy cane's design, which is intended to mimic a shepherd's crook, is believed to represent Jesus Christ, the "Good Shepherd." Red stripes were added late and although these small confections have changed over time, they still have a close relationship to Christianity and the Christmas season.

11. Christmas Was Banned in England in the 1600s: It was not always the case that everyone celebrated Christmas and Oliver Cromwell's government in 1647 banned Christmas during the English Civil War because Christmas was viewed as a season of excess, drinking, and frivolity by the Puritans, who had seized power in England feeling that the festival diminished the essence of Christianity, thus Christmas was forbidden, and anyone found to be celebrating could be punished but after the monarchy was restored in 1660, the ban was removed, and Christmas made a comeback in England, eventually evolving into the magnificent event it is today.

Summary

Over the ages, Christmas has developed a wealth of traditions, rituals, and tales making it much more than just a time for feasting and gift-giving, as evidenced by its contentious origins and its appealing customs. History, culture, and inventiveness are all celebrated with the depth and intrigue of Christmas's origins are demonstrated by the above 11 little-known facts, thus, keep in mind that the holiday has a rich history that adds to its fascination the next time you hang stockings, sing carols, or see a Christmas pickle. Cheers to the Holidays!