Some Interesting Christmas Facts for You!
Dec 02, 2022 08:00PM ● By Dr. Rodger
The Rockefeller Christmas tree started small
The first Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center looked more like Charlie Brown’s than the resplendent one today. Construction workers first placed a small, undecorated tree while working there in 1931. Two years later, another tree appeared in its place, this time draped in lights. It just kept getting bigger every year. Today, the majestic tree bears more than 25,000 twinkling lights and sees millions of selfies takers each season.
Mistletoe’s name isn’t as sweet
On the other hand, mistletoe’s name might not give you quite as many warm feelings. Mistle thrush birds eat the plant’s berries, digest the seed, and then help the plant germinate with their droppings. The Germanic word for mistletoe literally means “dung on a twig.” Really makes you want to pucker up, doesn’t it?
Washington Irving created many Santa legends
You may know Washington Irving best for The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow featuring the famous headless horseman,
but he wrote a lot about St. Nicholas, too. In fact, he’s the
one who first came up with eight tiny reindeer. He loved
Santa Claus so much that in 1835, he helped launch the
Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York, serving as
its secretary until 1841.
Norway provides the tree in Trafalgar Square
Londoners and visitors alike probably know the iconic spruce that stretches to the sky in Trafalgar Square each year, but few realize it’s an equally iconic holiday gift. Every year since 1947, the people of Norway donate the tree in gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during World War II. Now that’s what we call goodwill toward men.
Candy canes originated in Germany
The National Confectioners Association says a choirmaster originally gave the red-and- white-striped candies to young children to keep them quiet during marathon church services. Grandmas who still sneak the kid’s sweets during droning sermons, history is on your side. It wasn’t until a German-Swedish immigrant decorated his tree with candy canes in 1847 that they became popular as Christmas candy.
Santa has his own Canadian postal code
Every year, letters to Santa Claus flood post offices across the world. Cementing their reputation as some of the nicest people ever, some big-hearted Canadian post office workers started writing back. As the program took off, they set up a special postal code for Santa as part of a Santa Letter-Writing Program initiative: HOH OHO.
