Trivial Yuletidings

[Brink4ce]

Here is where you can become an expert with random facts about Christmas. Perhaps find inspiration for seasonal small talk?

Methods: Google (or however else) a random fact about Christmas and post it here.
Also, try to reply to comments by posting related facts.

Cheers

 

[Brink4ce]

"US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world's presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second."

 

[zurb]

Last research I saw indicated he'd be traveling faster than light, he'd experience 17500G (slightly more than a fighter pilot), and probably burn up in the atmosphere due to friction.

 

[Brink4ce]

So Santa Claus is a lack of the Higgs Boson?!

 

[Brink4ce]

"The Germans made the first artificial Christmas trees out of dyed goose feathers."

 

[tree]

"The first reference of a fir tree decorated for Christmas is at Riga in Latvia in 1510. In 1521, the Princess Hlne de Mecklembourg introduced the Christmas tree to Paris after marrying the Duke of Orleans. There also is a printed reference to Christmas trees in Germany, dated 1531."

History of the Christmas tree

 

[WereBear]

Every culture has a form of Winter Solstice.

Personally, I celebrate Solstice, Festivus, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day!

 

[Nerdpride20950]

Originally, the Christ Mass was a day of prayer and fasting to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The feasting and merry-making were carry overs of the various pagan holidays celebrated at that time of the year. Eventually, the original Mass was almost forgotten and the name was shortened to "Christmas" and made into a day of excess and merriment instead of reflection on Christ.

 

[Brink4ce]

Originally, the Christ Mass was a day of prayer and fasting to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The feasting and merry-making were carry overs of the various pagan holidays celebrated at that time of the year. Eventually, the original Mass was almost forgotten and the name was shortened to "Christmas" and made into a day of excess and merriment instead of reflection on Christ.

Here's another religious one: "Orthodox Jewish couples abstain from sex on Christmas Eve. Rabbis used to advise them to pass the time tearing toilet paper instead."

Hahaha- tearing toilet paper instead

 

[Southern Discomfort]

• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a girl.
• Benjamin Franklin nearly killed himself in 1750 trying to electrocute a turkey for Christmas dinner.
• 'Yukigassen' is a Japanese snowball fighting-competition. It is similar to ‘capture the flag’; players are eliminated when hit with snowballs. Players wear hockey helmets with face shields, and are given a set number of snowballs (90) that are made in advance using a snowball maker.

- qi.com/christmas/

 

[Brink4ce]

• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a girl.
• Benjamin Franklin nearly killed himself in 1750 trying to electrocute a turkey for Christmas dinner.
• 'Yukigassen' is a Japanese snowball fighting-competition. It is similar to ‘capture the flag’; players are eliminated when hit with snowballs. Players wear hockey helmets with face shields, and are given a set number of snowballs (90) that are made in advance using a snowball maker.

- qi.com/christmas/

Scientists have speculated that Rudolph's nose was red because of the infection 'nasal vestibular furunculosis.'

(Nasal Vestibulitis|Treatment|Causes|Signs|Symptoms|Risk Factors)

 

[Nerdpride20950]

I deleted one of my earlier posts because it was just mean. I've been getting a lot of "You should be more jolly! It's Christmas!" kind of comments and it got me in a prissy mood. The comment I deleted was a result of that. Sorry Brink4ce, I didn't mean to bring the mood of your post down. I know it's for fun facts about Christmas.

In that spirit, here's a fun fact. The original reason stockings were hung on the mantel place was that Santa would fill them with gold coins (if you were 'nice') or coal (if you were 'naughty'). Actually, it started out as shoes or boots then morphed into stockings.

 

[Brink4ce]

In that spirit, here's a fun fact. The original reason stockings were hung on the mantel place was that Santa would fill them with gold coins (if you were 'nice') or coal (if you were 'naughty'). Actually, it started out as shoes or boots then morphed into stockings.

Nerdpride:
Here is what I found-
"The tradition of hanging stockings comes from a Dutch custom. They would leave shoes full of food for St. Nicolas' donkeys and St. Nicholas would then leave small gifts in return."

 

[Nerdpride20950]

Nerdpride:
Here is what I found-
"The tradition of hanging stockings comes from a Dutch custom. They would leave shoes full of food for St. Nicolas' donkeys and St. Nicholas would then leave small gifts in return."

That muffled sound you hear is my voice as I talk out of my butt! Thanks for correcting me. I must have only half-remembered my fact. I should have left the other tab open so I could quote. I read an entire article and then tried to put a fact from it into use here.

 

[WereBear]

Christmas got so rowdy in "the colonies" that Puritans banned in for a few years, starting in 1691.

 

[Brink4ce]

That muffled sound you hear is my voice as I talk out of my butt! Thanks for correcting me. I must have only half-remembered my fact. I should have left the other tab open so I could quote. I read an entire article and then tried to put a fact from it into use here.

Your fact could've very well been right. I remember reading that Catholic nuns would hang up socks filled with fruits as a Christmas tradition too.

 

[Brink4ce]

Christmas got so rowdy in "the colonies" that Puritans banned in for a few years, starting in 1691.

And a related fact: "During Reformation and up until the middle of the 1800s, Christmas was often not celebrated because partying and merry making was seen as unchristian. From about 1840, celebrating Christmas became more widespread. December 25 was declared a federal holiday in the United States in 1870."