7 Odd Truths About Christmas That May Kindle A Conversational War
Each one of us has loved Christmas ever since we were kids. We have loved everything about Christmas - the decoration of the tree, the singing of carols, the disguise of Santa Claus, the custom of gifting, and creation of memories. In fact, it is the most awaited festival by all across the globe.
This might raise a little conversation war when used as a starter at this time of the festive season, but these are few odd truths about the biggest holiday of the year.
1. December 25 was originally a Pagan celebration.
Nobody knows when Jesus of Nazareth was born. Nobody celebrated his birthday for hundreds of years. December 25 was co-opted from Pagan rites connected with the winter solstice. And since then, it was adopted as Christmas, the day of Christ birth.
2. Santa Claus actually originated in a newspaper ad.
Far from being an old-fashioned charming legend, Santa Claus first appeared as a recognizable entity in a newspaper ad. It was actually a marketing gimmick for toys, sweets and "gift books" in the mid-19th century. Later, it was adopted in festivities to attract the kids.
3. There was only one reindeer in the sleigh image of Santa Claus.
Rudolph the Reindeer was created for marketing to sell Christmas coloring books. Later, Clement Moore’s poem introduced eight more reindeer for Santa’s sleigh. They were even named like Rudolf - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Duner and Blixem.
4."We Wish You a Merry Christmas" was used a threat.
The ever-popular song, we wish you a merry Christmas, was originally sung, loudly and repeatedly, by crowds of rowdy, lower-class servants demanding booze from their masters. It was to threaten them that we would destroy you and we won't go until we get something.
5. The Christmas Tree is a created tradition.
Nothing like the Christmas tree existed in the time of Jesus Christ. Victorian intellectuals (like Clement Moore) invented the tradition of decorating a tree, so as to start a social reform that takes Christmas away from its tradition of raucous drinking.
6. The Christmas Trees are donated to zoos after Christmas.
In an attempt to recycle the Christmas tree in the best manner, anciently, the people donate them to the zoos in their vicinity. The zoos use the Christmas trees as food for their animals.
7. Popular Christmas carols were partly or wholly written by Jews.
White Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Winter Wonderland, The Christmas Song and I’ll Be Home for Christmas, plus the melody for O Holy Night were all written or co-written by Jews, because it was originally a Pagan celebration.
These are some bizarre facts from history about Christmas that many of you probably did not know. But having known this, our energies for the festival must not go down. We wish you a very Happy Christmas.