Christmas has been traditionally celebrated all around the world for about two millennia but undeniably, there are information about this we are not sure and knowledgeable about. Aside from the fact that Christmas is the birth of our Lord, here are the fun facts about Christmas that you can enjoy reading with the whole family.
- The word “Christmas” comes from the Old English name “Christes Maesse,” which means “Christ’s Mass.”
- The common abbreviation of Christmas to “Xmas” isn’t irreligious but is actually derived from the Greek alphabet. “Chi,” the first letter of Christ’s name in the Greek alphabet is written as “X.”
- Before Western Christians decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, several dates were proposed: January 2, March 21, March 25, April 18, April 19, May 20, May 28, and November 20.
- Santa Claus has different names in different countries: Sheng Dan Lao Ren in China, Father Christmas in England, Papa Noel in Brazil and Peru, and Pere Noel in France.
- St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early 4th century. The Dutch first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
- In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.
- The Puritans forbade the singing of Christmas carols, judging them to be out of keeping with the true spirit of Christmas.
- 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.
- Despite the tale of three wise men paying homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never gives a number. Matthew’s Gospel refers to merely “wise men”.
- The word Noel derives from the French expression “les bonnes nouvelles” or “the good news.”
- Astronomers believe the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the wise men to Jesus, may have been a comet or the planet Uranus.
- If Aranzazu is known in San Mateo for apples, did you know that the earliest known Christmas tree decorations were apples? At Christmas time, medieval actors would use apples to decorate paradise trees (usually fir trees) during “Paradise Plays,” which were plays depicting Adam and Eve’s creation and fall.
With all these trivia about this present celebration you’ve just read, may it not only feed your minds but also your souls to fully believe in His plans of salvation. May you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
Sources:
http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/12/06/11/18-interesting-facts-about-christmas
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/top-christmas-facts-52-2017-653613
https://wwwfactretriever.com/christmas-facts
Mariele Aquino
Junior Writer, Website Team, Media Ministry
Mariele R. Aquino is a member and website writer of the NSDA’s Media and Public Information Ministry, an aspiring future medical specialist and currently a STEM senior high school student in the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas. Her principle in life is that genuine success is something achieved through a path and battlefield of dodging a thousand bullets without the course of self-centered desires and conducts for temporary existential accomplishment. As a form of simple youthful religious fervor, Mariele used her skills, talent and dedication in writing to serve her Lord but also to grow not only intellectually but more on spiritually.
