- Santa's reindeer may all have male names, but that would be impossible because male reindeer shed their antlers around Christmas-time. Which means either all the reindeer are female, or Santa has just glued antlers to their heads. If the latter's true, we suggest PETA have a word.
Merry Christmas 2016: Best messages, wishes, greetings to be shared with friends and family
- According to the Guinness world records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was a 221-foot Douglas fir. The tree was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.
- Christmas is identified by three colours: Green, Red, and Gold. But what do these colours signify? Green is the colour for most symbols signifying life and rebirth; red is the blood of Christ, and gold represents light as well as wealth and royalty (so much for the poor then eh).
- Why do we stuff stockings? Well legend has it that there were three sisters who were so poor that their father had no money to get them married and they were destined to die alone and in poverty. St Nicholas who happened to be passing by (as he does) decided to help them out. On Christmas morning he snuck into the house and filled their stockings with gold, ensuring they lived happily ever after. Since then we've been hanging up and stuffing stockings with goodies.
The world's largest Christmas stocking measured 106 feet and 9 inches (32.56 m) long and 49 feet and 1 inch (14.97 m) wide. It held almost 1,000 presents. It was made by the Children's Society in London on December 14, 2007.
- While we longingly look for mistletoes so we can snog a reluctant , cringing human, ancient druids actually had no such flippancy towards the plant. Because it remains green and bears fruit during the winter when all other plants appear to die, druids revered the plant, and even thought it could ward off evil spirits. Pity it can't ward off the fool slobbering all over you.
- Before Santa there was Odin -- yup, Thor's dad! According to myth (because as we all know...he's really just Anthony Hopkins), Odin rode around on his flying horse (was there ever a doubt?) and gave out both gifts and punishments, and children would fill their boots or stockings with treats for Sleipnir, his horse. The question is, did he have a list and did he check it twice?
- The song White Christmas by Irving Berlin is said to be the best-selling single of all time, with over 100 million sales worldwide.
- The first person to decorate a Christmas tree was reportedly the Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546). No, not the "I have a dream" man, that was Martin Luther King Jr! According to legend, Luther (no, not Idris Elba) was so enthralled by the sight of stars shining through the braches of a fir tree that he sped home with a tree and decorated it with candles so his children could enjoy the sight too...Bless!
