Here Are Some Fun Christmas Facts That Would Surprise Even Santa Himself
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The best Christmas traditions of all are the ones we've been doing for decades or even centuries—like decorating a Christmas tree, kissing under the mistletoe, or sipping your favorite eggnog by a warm, cozy fire. But have you ever stopped to wonder where these customs come from or how they got started? To help you increase your holiday knowledge, we've rounded up some fun Christmas facts that you can use to surprise (and impress!) your friends and family this December. For example, do you know how the tradition of Christmas trees began? (Hint: It started way back in the 16th century!) Or why we set out milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve?
Ahead, you'll learn about the history of Christmas and more about these beloved, time-honored traditions, plus why Santa Claus lives in the North Pole, how many kids still believe in the man in the big red suit, and which Christmas song was the first tune ever played in space. You can use your new seasonal smarts to wow your guests, or create a fun Christmas trivia quiz (complete with Christmas riddles) to see who really knows their stuff. The winner gets to pick which Christmas movie you'll watch after you open presents!
Santa Claus has his own Canadian postal code.
Those letters to Santa don't always go unanswered! In Canada, the postal code "H0H 0H0" is designated for Santa at the North Pole. Every year, Canadian children can send their letters to this address to receive a personalized reply from "Santa" through Canada Post's Santa Letter-writing Program.
'Jingle Bells' was originally a Thanksgiving song.
"Jingle Bells" was written by James Lord Piermont in 1857 for his church's Thanksgiving concert. However, over the years, it became more closely associated with Christmas and is now one of the most popular holiday songs!
In Japan, it's tradition for people to enjoy a Kentucky fried Christmas.
What started as a marketing campaign by KFC in the 1970s has evolved into a widely adopted tradition of eating a bucket of KFC chicken to celebrate Christmas. Many people even place their KFC orders well in advance to secure their Christmas chicken dinner.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer almost had a different name.
The creator, Robert L. May, was considering Rollo and Reginald before he finally settled on Rudolph.
How did the tradition of Christmas stockings begin?
This custom is believed to have originated in the early 19th century in Europe. One popular legend involves St. Nicholas, who, according to folklore, put gold coins in the stockings of three poor sisters. Over time, this evolved into the cherished holiday tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace and filling them with small Christmas gifts.
The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was actually small.
Construction workers placed the first small, undecorated tree at Rockefeller Center in 1931. These days, the famous tree features more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights—That's nearly five miles of lights!
'The Grinch' is the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time.
The 2018 computer-animated film brought in $512,858,819 worldwide. The runner-up? Home Alone, the Christmas classic from 1990.
Christmas has been banned in the past.
In the mid-17th century, the Puritan-led English Parliament banned Christmas celebrations in favor of a day of fasting. Furthermore, the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday was Alabama in 1836. The last was Oklahoma in 1890.
An estimated 85% of American kids believe in Santa Claus.
And the average age when children stop believing is eight, according to the 2018 international Exeter Santa Survey. Bonus fact: During the months of November and December, Santa receives around 32,000 letters daily from these believers!
The Friday and Saturday before Christmas are the busiest shopping days of the year.
Move over, Black Friday! According to recent statistics, the top ten busiest shopping days in the U.S. account for nearly half of all holiday retail traffic including the weekend before the big day. As for the entire holiday shopping season, the NRF estimates sales reached $936.3 billion in 2022.
Candy canes date back to 1670.
According to History.com, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany gave the red and white sugar sticks to young singers to keep them quiet during the Living Creche tradition on Christmas Eve.
Tom Hanks played six different roles in 'The Polar Express.'
In addition to voicing the conductor, Hanks also played Hero Boy, Father, Hobo, Scrooge, and Santa Claus.
Why does Santa live in the North Pole?
The famous political cartoonist Thomas Nast established Santa's official residence as the North Pole in several illustrations in the 1800s, according to NPR. At the time, there had recently been a series of expeditions to the Arctic, and the North Pole was thought of as a mythical, magical place.
"Xmas" isn't a recent term.
The word actually dates back to the mid-1500s, and gets its roots from the Greek letter X—which is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ.
The original Elf on the Shelf was named Fisbee.
The Elf on the Shelf was inspired by the creators' own toy elf, Fisbee, who they grew up with in the 1970s. They told HuffPost that Fisbee "would report to Santa Claus at night and be back in a different position in our house the next day."
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
This popular kissing tradition may have its roots in Norse mythology. The History Channel reports that Frigg, the goddess of love, promised to kiss anyone who passed under the berry-laden plant after it saved her son's life. It wasn't until the 18th century, however, that the Christmas custom picked up steam in England.
Santa Claus is based on St. Nicholas of Myra.
The history of Santa Claus dates all the way back to the third century, to a Turkish monk named St. Nicholas who was famous for helping the poor and sick. Dutch immigrants eventually brought the story of the man they called "Sinter Klaas" to New York, where his legend continued.
'It's a Wonderful Life' was a box-office flop.
Believe it or not, the enduring Christmas classic initially bombed at the box office. It wasn't until 1974, when its copyright expired and television networks could air it for free, that it cemented its place as one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time.
Where does eggnog originally come from?
Most historians agree that eggnog is a descendant of the medieval British drink posset, which was made with wine or beer, cream, sugar, and egg, according to Smithsonian.com.
''Twas the Night Before Christmas' actually has a totally different title.
Clement Clarke Moore's iconic 1823 poem is actually called "A Visit from St. Nicholas." It's more commonly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" because of its famous first line.
'Jingle Bells' was the first song played in space.
On December 16, 1965, the classic Christmas song was broadcast during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight, according to Guinness World Records.
How did the tradition of Christmas trees begin?
Germany started the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century, when Christian families set up trees in their homes and decorated them with lighted candles, according to the History Channel.
Coca-Cola played a big role in shaping the image of Santa.
In 1931, Coca‑Cola commissioned the artist Haddon Sundblom to paint Santa Claus for the company's Christmas ads. Inspired by the 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," the artist created the warm, jolly character we all know today, complete with rosy cheeks, a white beard, and twinkling eyes.
Which fairy tale helped inspire gingerbread houses?
Although gingerbread houses date back to the 1600s, the tradition became widespread in Germany after the story of Hansel and Gretel was published in 1812.
The NORAD Santa Tracker began with a wrong number call.
Every Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) adjusts its satellites to track Santa on his journey around the world. The famous holiday tradition all started in the 1950s when a young child accidentally called a NORAD command center looking for jolly old Saint Nick.
What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?
Bing Crosby’s classic song "White Christmas" is not only the best-selling Christmas song, but the best-selling single of all time.
Christmas wasn't always on December 25.
The day of Jesus's birth is actually not mentioned in the Bible, according to The Washington Post. It was initially believed to have taken place on January 6, but for reasons unknown, the celebration was moved to December 25 in the mid-4th century.
Rudolph was a marketing gimmick.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer made his debut in 1939 in a giveaway coloring book created by a copywriter for the Montgomery Ward department store.
Natalie Wood still believed in Santa Claus when she starred in 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
The actress was eight years old during filming and she later wrote in her biography that she thought Edmund Gwenn, the actor who played Santa Claus in the movie, was the real deal. "I had never seen him without his beard because he used to come in early in the morning and spend several hours putting on this wonderful beard and mustache," she explained. "And at the end of the shoot, when we had a set party, I saw this strange man, without the beard, and I just couldn’t get it together."
Why do we leave milk and cookies for Santa?
In America, the tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve took root during the Great Depression, when parents encouraged children to keep their charitable spirit alive in the face of financial hardship.
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