When did we start lighting trees? And what’s the link between inventor Thomas Alva Edison and Xmas. Find out here...
- Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Rudolph, Blitzen, Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeers shed their antlers around Christmas, so the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh are likely not male, but female, or castrated.
- Jingle Bells was originally called One Horse Open Sleigh and was written by James Pierpont. Pierpont was hired by his brother, John Pierpont Jr. who was the Reverend, after James’ business in San Francisco burned down. It was here that he composed One Horse Open Sleigh, reportedly for a thanksgiving programme.
- The popular song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” actually has 364 gifts mentioned in its 12 verses.
- Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882. Christmas tree lights were first mass-produced in 1890.
- The custom of sending Christmas cards was started in the UK in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. Cole, a civil servant, was very interested in the new Public Post Office and wondered how it could be used more by ordinary people. Sir Henry with his friend John Horsley, an artist, designed the first Christmas card and sold them for 1 shilling each.
- 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 (modern day Turkey), St Nikolas is the world’s most popular non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed him more often than any other saint except the Virgin Mary.
- The first decorated Christmas tree was in Riga, Latvia in 1510.
( Source : dc )
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