The human civilization has been celebrating Christmas for such a long time but nobody exactly knows where it all started, at least, in layman's knowledge.
Everyone seems to have a similar notion about Christmas: giving gifts, exchanging cards, Christmas tree, and the melodies of Christmas songs. Although Christmas season comes with new surprises every year, at the hindsight of it all, there really is no difference between this year's celebration and next year's. This leads many to think that they already know Christmas very well but do they really?
There are at least a dozen of things that you might not know about this special occasion. Here are some of the most fascinating facts about Christmas:
1. Most people celebrate Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and they do so on the 25th of December. But according to Biblical scholars, the birth of Jesus Christ falls between the months of March and April. Also, there is no exact disclosure on the Bible as to the date of Christ's birth. It must have been a historical tradition passed on to us from the earliest generations.
2. Christmas is somewhat incomplete without the sight of a Christmas tree in the living room, in the kitchen or even in the dining area. That's how common and popular a Christmas tree is. But did you know that it wasn't until 1846 that Christmas trees entered the picture? It all started when Prince Albert of Germany brought one to Queen Victoria when the two got married. Since then, the tradition of putting up Christmas trees continued, until today.
3. Boston prohibited the commemoration of Christmas between the years 1659 and 1681 because it was believed to have originated from Pagan Festivals, according to ETOnline. The festival was so illegal that people who chose to celebrate it despite the strict mandate were fined.
4. Santa Claus was actually a bishop from Turkey who lived in the 4th century AD. He gained so much fortune that allowed him to share it as gifts to the needy.
5. The original suit of Santa Claus is actually colored blue and not red. The popular get-up of Santa Claus today, which is red suit with white, furry band at the end of the sleeves, only became popular after a Coca Cola advertisement during the 1930s.
6. The first Christmas trees were not actually made of trees, or as popularly depicted in many forms of media today, pines trees, but are "goose feathers that were dyed green", International Business Times reveals.
7. The famous Candy Cane, which is one of the most celebrated sweets during the holiday season in the western world, is nowhere to be found in the United States until the 1800s.
8. The alternative Christmas symbol, "X", which is often expressed as Xmas, originated from Greece. It actually symbolizes Christ.
9. The first ever Christmas tree was created in Riga, Latvia in the 1500s.
10. Christmas trees were originally ornamented with edible stuffs like fruits, particularly apples, and nuts.
11. Did you know that the Statue of Liberty was more of traditional than political? It was actually a Christmas gift by the French people to America.
12. There are speculations that the reason why Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December is because it coincides with an ancient pagan Festival called "Saturnalia". People are "partying, gambling, and gift-giving during the festival", according to ETOnline.
Of course, there are many more fascinating and surprising unknown facts about Christmas. Do you know any? Share your thoughts!
