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The Holiday Season is on your doorstep. Enjoy these truly amazing fun facts about Christmas you never knew.

1. The Greeks celebrated Christmas on January 7. Until in A.D. 350, Pope Julius I proclaimed December 25 the official date for Christmas.
2. In Greek, 'X' stands for Christ. This is from where the word 'Xmas' originated.

3. If you wait for Santa to bring you a gift on every Christmas Eve, then keep these facts in mind. According to US scientists, if Santa is to deliver all the world's gifts on Christmas eve, then he would have to visit 822 homes a second, while travelling at no less than 650 miles per second. That has to be fast...
4. The legend of Santa Claus comes from a real saint, St. Nikolas of Myra, who lived in today's Turkey around the fourth century. The term 'Santa Claus' is itself derived from Sankt Niklaus, German name for Saint Nicholas.
5. According to a story, the tradition of Christmas stockings have been originated from three sisters who could not afford a marriage dowry. They were helped by Saint Nicholas, who crept down their chimney and filled their stockings with gold coins.
6. Apples were the first known Christmas tree decorations. Until they were replaced by lights, a trend first started by protestant reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546). According to a story, he got the idea after watching stars shining between the branches of a fir tree.

7. In Britain, people wear paper crowns on Christmas. The origins of this tradition can be traced back to the Roman Saturnalia Celebrations.
8. The term 'Christmas' has been derived from the Old English word "Cristes maesse" which means "Christ's Mass".
9. Christmas was first celebrated in Britain in 521 in York.
10. An average Christmas tree takes 15 years to grow.
11. An average household in America mails out 28 cards on Christmas and see 28 Christmas cards return to their place.
12. In Canada, Santa Claus has his own postal zip code, H0H 0H0.
13. In 1647, Christmas was made illegal by the English Parliament. The Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting on a holy day to be immoral, banned the Christmas festivities. The ban was lifted only when Cromwell lost power in 1660.
14. The song "Jingle Bells" was originally written for Thanksgiving in the year 1857.

15. The Norwegians believed that witches come out on Christmas eve to look for brooms to ride. Thus, all the brooms in the house were hidden and men went outside and fired a shotgun to frighten the evil spirits away.
16. 56 percent Americans say that they always sing Christmas carols to their pets.
17. During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards are swiped an average of 5340 times every minute in the United States.
18. There are two islands in the world named 'Christmas'. One in the Pacific ocean and the other in the Indian ocean.
19. According to a study, two weeks before Christmas is the most popular time for couples to break up.
20. The Germans made the first artificial Christmas tree out of dyed goose feathers.

More Christmas Fun Facts

Here is a great book to dive deeper into Christmas facts. You may find some questions in this book that will stump you. Some of the answers may even surprise you. A fun read for the whole family. Buy Christmas Facts for Fun from Amazon

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