It’s the holiday season and time for treats, lights, trees, and more! But in addition to being the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas is filled with tradition, spirit, and history. Here’s a list of seven interesting facts that you may not know about Christmas.
1. Christmas trees originated in Germany
The first Christmas tree dates back to the 1400s in Freiburg, Germany where the tree was decorated with sweet treats, flowers, and garland. Soon, the idea became so popular that the government passed laws stating that only one tree was allowed per household. However, Christmas trees were not popularized in the U.S. until the late 1700s, mostly in Native American and German immigrant communities.
2. Holly was first used for warding off demons
Holly was used for ceremonial purposes by ancient Romans and Pagan religions in Ireland but Christians in northern Europe adopted the plant for their own purposes. They would hang the plant over their doorways, believing that it would prevent evil spirits from entering the house. Now, holly is a more general Christmas decoration because it is hardy and survives cold weather and frost.
3. King Cake contains a small plastic baby as a prize
King Cake originated in Spain and France, but the French version spread to America through Franch immigrants in New Orleans. Traditionally decorated with green, yellow, and purple icing, it contains prizes like beans, small figurines, coins, and most importantly a small baby figure that represents the baby Jesus. Whoever finds the baby in their slice of cake is called “king” for a day and hosts the next party.
4. Silent Night was written to celebrate the end of a war
In 1816, Austria was recovering from the Napoleonic Wars and people were struggling to find jobs and support themselves. However, despite these problems, the nation was finally at peace. An Austrian priest named Josef Mohr wrote a poem called “Silent Night” about peaceful nights that had finally come to his country. The poem was later set to music and performed at Mohr’s church, where it became an instant classic.
5. Advent wreaths come from Germanic tribes
Advent wreaths are a popular Christian symbol during the Christmas season but its origins aren’t Christian at all. Germanic tribes would light candles around wreaths, counting down to cold season until spring. By the 1600s, some Christian sects had adopted this tradition and used it instead to count down the days until Jesus’s birth.
6. Poinsettias are native to Mexico
Poinsettias are actually weeds that grow on shrubs in Mexico. They were used as medicine by ancient Aztecs and were later adopted by missionaries in Mexico to decorate Christmas scenes because of their vibrant red coloring. Interestingly, the red parts of the plant are actually leaves and the flowers of the poinsettia are the small yellow buds in the center.
7. Christmas comes in summer in Australia
It might sound strange to think of Christmas in the middle of the warmest time of the year but it’s true! Australia isn’t the only country to experience this seasonal difference to our Christmas. Many countries below the equator also have Christmas in summer because of the earth’s natural rotation around the sun.
