In Poland, people use what unusual item(s) to decorate their Christmas trees?
A Polish folktale says that a spider wove a blanket for baby Jesus, hence the proclivity to decorate their Christmas trees with spiders and spider webs.
A real gift-giving St. Nick existed. In which modern day country was he born?
Historians pinpoint modern-day Turkey as the birthplace of a Greek bishop named St. Nick nearly a thousand years ago. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in shoes left outside homes.
In which country was it illegal to celebrate Christmas for about 400 years?
Christmas celebrations were banned in Scotland for almost 400 years, starting in 1647, thanks to the Presbyterian Church. People who went against the ruling suffered severe punishments and this anti-Christmas trend continued into the 20th century.
Where did the tradition of kissing under mistletoe originate?
Across Europe, mistletoe has long been regarded sacred and magical, as well as associated with fertility. Mistletoe was maybe first associated with the ancient Greek Festival of Saturnalia, where people were known to kiss under mistletoe.
Where does the abbreviation X-Mas come from?
In Greek, the letter X (Xristos) means Christ
When and where did the first Christmas cards originate?
In England 1843, the card was created by John Calcott Horsley, who was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole, to draw a card illustrating three generations of a well-to-do family offering a toast.
Christmas became an official national holiday in the United States when?
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
Who created Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer?
Montgomery Ward Department Store crafted the story of Rudolph in 1939 as a holiday promotion – and the rest is history.
Electric tree lights were first used in what year and where?
The tradition of lighting a tree with candles goes back many centuries, but in 1882, the first tree was illuminated by electric lights. Edward Johnson, an assistant to Thomas Edison, hand-wired a string of red, white and blue bulbs together and then lit up a tree in New York City.
The first artificial Christmas tree was made in what country and from what materials?
Feather Christmas trees were first created in Germany in the 1880s or 1890s and are regarded as one of the first types of artificial Christmas trees. These first artificial trees were, in part, a response to growing environmental concerns in the late 19th century concerning deforestation associated with the harvest of Christmas trees in Germany.
Holly berries are poisonous. True or False?
Like mistletoe and poinsettia, holly is prized for its beauty and feared for its rumored toxicity. But studies show that much like its two Christmas companions, holly is not quite as deadly as portrayed. Its berries, which contain a caffeine-like alkaloid, might cause irritation, but a fatal ingestion is unlikely.
In which American colony was it illegal at one time to celebrate Christmas?
From 1659 to 1681, Christmas was outlawed in Boston by the Puritans.
How did the poinsettia first arrive to America?
The poinsettia may have remained a regional plant for many years to come had it not been for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett who brought it from Mexico.
When was Christmas first celebrated on December 25th?
[336 A.D.] The exact birth date of Jesus is unknown, so there are a number of theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. One theory is that Mary was told on March 25th (the Annunciation) that she would have a special baby – and nine months from March 25th is December 25th. Another theory suggests that rather than fight the festive energy of the pagan Winter Solstice holiday, already celebrated around December 25th, the Church layered the celebration of Jesus’ birth on this day.
In which country does an ugly, but kind, witch named Befana deliver presents to children, rather than Santa Claus?
In Italy, children must wait until January 6th (Epiphany) to receive presents from the witch, Befana. According to folktales, Belfana was informed by the three kings that Jesus had been born, but she delayed visiting the baby, then got lost and has been flying around every since with gifts meant for Baby Jesus.
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