Twelve Issues You Never Knew About Christmas
1. Christmas trees were initial lighted with actual candles, which presented a fire hazard. As a result containers filled with water had to be kept near the Christmas tree. 2. Workers within the construction business are responsible for the tradition of having a Christmas tree on display at Rockefeller Center in New York City. They're credited with placing an undecorated tree at the website in early 1930s.
three. Since the mid-1960s, The National Christmas Tree Association has maintained a presence inside the White Home at Christmas by donating a Christmas tree to the Initial Family. 4. The former Woolworth department store very sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments in 1880.
5. Plastic became the primary material used to make tinsel after their use for decorative purposes was at one time prohibited mainly because lead was employed in the manufacturing process.
6. The notion of Christmas greeting cards started in Britain inside the late 1830s when John Calcott Horsley started to produce small cards that had festive scenes and a holiday greeting written inside. Comparable cards were also being made inside the United States at about the same time by R.H. Pease, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, who was a German immigrant. The concept of sending the greeting cards during Christmas gained popularity in both countries about 10 years later when new postal delivery services started. 7. The shortened form Xmas for Christmas has been well-known in Europe since the 1500s. It's believed to be derived from the Greek word 'Xristos' which means Christ.
8. According to the National Confectioners Association, for 200 years candy canes were only made within the color of white and it wasn't until within the 1950s that a machine was invented that could automate the production of candy canes. 9. The day after Christmas is referred to as Boxing Day in England and it is a national holiday. Various stories exist for the origination of the name. It's believed to have originated from the practice of boys who would be about collecting dollars in clay boxes. An additional thought is that the term is derived from a custom inside the Middle Ages, about 800 years ago, when churches would open their 'alms boxes' and distribute the contents to poor persons on the day after Christmas. Alms boxes are boxes in which donations of gifts and cash would be placed. Yet an belief is that it comes from a custom of masters giving their servants Christmas presents in boxes on the day after Christmas.
10. Evergreen trees had special meaning in winter to persons, particularly in Europe, before Christianity started. Ancient peoples would hang evergreen branches over their doors and windows since evergreens had been believed to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. For worshipers of the sun god, evergreen plants were a reminder of all green plants that would grow with the return of summer along with the sun god being strong once more.
11. In ancient times, several people today worshiped the sun as a god in December due to they thought winter occurred yearly mainly because the sun god had fallen into ill health. They therefore celebrated the winter solstice simply because it was a sign that the son god would begin to regain strength and return to excellent well being. 12. Legislators in Congress did business on Christmas Day in 1789, which was the 1st 1 to be observed under the country's new constitution. The reason for the Congressional session was due to the fact it had turn out to be unpopular then to observe and take component in English customs following the American Revolution. And when Christmas celebrations were barred in Boston earlier in 1659 to 1681, it became a pricey thing to be seen participating in any event or activity related to Christmas. Anyone caught performing so had to pay five shillings.
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