Interesting Facts on Christmas

 Largest Christmas Present

The world’s largest Christmas present was the Statue of Liberty.

The French gave it to the US in 1886. 

It is 46.5 meters high and weights 225 tons.

Christmas Songs 

Bing Crosby's ‘White Christmas’ was released in 1942

and is considered to be the best-selling Christmas song of all time.

 The traditional three colors of Christmas are green, red, and gold. 

Green has long been a symbol of life and rebirth;

 Red symbolizes the blood of Christ, and 

Gold represents light as well as wealth and royalty.

Christmas trees have been sold in the U.S. since 1850.

Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

In Poland, spiders or spider webs are common Christmas trees 

decorations because according to legend, a spider wove a 

blanket for Baby Jesus.  In fact, Polish people consider spiders to be 

symbols of goodness and prosperity at Christmas.

 Christmas is a contraction of “Christ’s Mass,” 

which is derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse 
(first recorded in 1038). 

The letter “X” in Greek is the first letter of Christ, and “Xmas” 

has been used as an abbreviation for Christmas since the mid 1500s.

In 1962, the first Christmas postage stamp was issued in the United States.

 Norwegian scientists have hypothesized that Rudolph’s red nose

 is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas would equal 364 gifts.

According to the Guinness world records, the tallest Christmas tree

 ever cut was a 221-foot Douglas fir that was displayed in 1950 

at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.

Candy Canes

Some scholars believe a confectioner developed candy canes

 to represent Jesus. The shape of the "J" was for Jesus, 

or the shepherd's staff. The white color symbolized purity, 

while the red stripes indicated blood. Peppermint 

is similar to hyssop, the Middle Eastern mint mentioned in the Bible.

 The “true love” mentioned in the song “Twelve Days of Christmas”

 does not refer to a romantic couple, but the Catholic Church’s 

code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents 

someone who has accepted that code. For example, the 

“partridge in a pear tree” represents Christ. 

The “two turtledoves” represent the Old and New Testaments.

In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed 

December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.

 Holly

One of the most popular Christmastime accoutrement's, 

holly has sharp edges, symbolic of the crown of thorns worn by 

Jesus at his crucifixion. The red berries represent blood.

Santa Claus

 Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nikolas of Myra 

(also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker, Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna, 

and Nikolaos of Bari), who lived during the fourth century. 

Born in Patara (in modern-day Turkey), he is the world’s most popular

non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed him more often than 

any other saint except Mary. He is the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, 

butchery, sailing, orphans, royalty, and New York City.

 Happy Holidays!