Although Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, it doesn’t actually mention December 25 anywhere in the bible. In fact, some historians think Jesus was born in the spring, not the winter at all! Christmas on December 25th wasn’t celebrated until about 336 AD.

When was Christ born? Determining the birth of Jesus involves tracing John the Baptist’s timeline, with his conception believed to be six months before Jesus’. By this calculation, Jesus might have been born in June, as suggested by the United Church of God, pinpointing June 13 to 17 as a possible timeframe for his birth.

Why was December chosen for Christmas celebration?  December became the chosen time for Christmas due to its alignment with existing pagan festivities. Romans celebrated the winter solstice and the pagan festival known as Saturnalia from December 17 to 25. Saturnalia honored Saturn, the god of agriculture, and marked the beginning of a new solar cycle. Alongside this, Mithraism, a worship practice of the Persian god of light, also held significant rituals during this period. When Emperor Constantine I embraced Christianity in 312, church leaders aimed to merge pagan celebrations with Christian beliefs. They linked Jesus’ birth to the winter solstice, citing a symbolic connection between the creation of the world and Jesus’ conception. This strategic move sought to ease the transition to Christianity for the Roman population. The decision to celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25 was, in part, an attempt to bridge the gap between differing beliefs, hoping to encourage the conversion of pagans to Christianity.

You can thank Prince Albert for your Christmas tree

Christmas trees have German roots, but they really took off in popularity thanks to Queen Victoria and her husband, German Prince Consort Albert. In 1848 they were sketched standing in front of their tree with their children by the Illustrated London News, which quickly made Christmas trees fashionable.

St. Nick was more generous than jolly

The original Santa Claus was actually St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop in the 4th century. He didn’t wear the red suit that’s so famous today, but he did give all of his inheritance to the poor and needy. In Dutch, his name is Sinter Klaas, which later morphed into Santa Claus.

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Coca-Cola played a part in Santa’s image

Santa wasn’t always the jolly man in red. Older depictions of Santa from the early 1900s depicted him more sternly, and there wasn’t a standardized “look” for his appearance. The classic image of a happy and plump Santa that we all know today came in part from Coca-Cola ads, drawn in 1931 by illustrator Haddon Sundblom.

“Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song

Turns out, we first started dashing through the snow for an entirely different holiday. James Lord Pierpont wrote the songcalled “One Horse Open Sleigh” for his church’s Thanksgiving concert in the mid-19th century. Then in 1857, the song was re-released under the title we all know and love and it’s still among the most popular Christmas songs today.

The term “Xmas” dates back to the 1500s

Contrary to popular belief, “Xmas” is not a trendy attempt to “take Christ out of Christmas”. “Christianity” was spelled “Xianity” as far back as 1100. X, or Chi, is the Greek first letter of “Christ” so “X” and back in the fourth century, Constantine the Great often referenced the shorthand version. Some say it was as early as 1021 that the abbreviation “XPmas” was used to reference the holiday, which was later shortened to “Xmas.”

Americans spend nearly $1,000 a year on gifts

According to the National Retail Federation’s most recent data, consumers spend an average of $967.13 on the holidays.

Tinsel has a storied history

Tinsel was invented in 1610 in Germany. It was spun from real silver and then hammered out and was more of a luxury decoration than the cheap tree trimming it is today. The U.S. government once banned tinsel because it used to contain poisonous lead, but no need to worry now — it’s just plastic. That said, it should still be kept away from young kids and pets since it can be a choking hazard.

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