Sure, we all know the Christmas basics: presents, decorations, and holiday cheer, but do you know all the surprising fun facts behind Christmas?
Whether you’re looking for Christmas facts for kids or just want to impress your friends and family with some cool holiday trivia, we’ve rounded up some fascinating and unexpected facts about Christmas that are sure to make you smile and say, “I had no idea!”
Let the holiday fun begin!
20 Fun Facts About Christmas You’ve Never Heard Before
Billions of Christmas cards are sent every year
Did you know that every year people send around 20 to 50 Christmas cards? Over 2 billion Christmas cards are mailed in the U.S. alone. Even though social media and online messaging are easy ways to connect, paper cards are still popular.
E-cards have become more common too, with about 500 million sent each year. The most common greetings on Christmas cards are “Merry Christmas” (53%), “Happy Holidays” (21%), and “Season’s Greetings” (12%).
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Christmas tree traditions since 1850
Around the 1850s, Christmas trees became popular in America. People started buying trees that were randomly cut from forests.
A magazine called Godey’s Lady’s Book helped spread the trend by sharing a picture of the British royals with a Christmas tree. Americans used to decorate their trees with things like popcorn and berries.
By the 1930s, electric lights started being used on Christmas trees as more homes got electricity. Moreover, the White House started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1923, an event where the president and other officials lit up a big Christmas tree in front of the White House to celebrate the holiday season.
Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas
Alabama is often said to be the first U.S. state to officially recognize Christmas as a legal holiday, possibly in 1836. This was more than 30 years before the federal government made it a holiday in 1870.
However, some historians question if this really happened, because the Alabama Department of Archives and History doesn’t show clear evidence of it. It’s possible the state officially recognized Christmas later, around 1848.
Even with this uncertainty, Alabama is still seen as an important part of the story of Christmas becoming a national holiday—one of the fun facts about Christmas history!
Santa Claus was inspired by a real-life person
Santa Claus comes from a real person named St. Nicholas, who was a bishop in the 4th century in what is now Turkey. He was famous for being kind and secretly giving gifts to those in need. Over time, the Dutch started calling him “Sinterklaas,” and when the name was brought to English, it became “Santa Claus.”
There are many stories about him, like how he saved three girls from being sold by giving their father gold, calmed storms on the sea, and helped soldiers who were unfairly punished. He was jailed for his faith but released after the Roman Emperor Constantine came to power. The anniversary of Nicholas’s death became a day of celebration.
Dutch immigrants brought the Sinterklaas tradition to America, which over time changed and combined with other influences, eventually becoming the Santa Claus we’re familiar with today—a jolly man in a red suit who delivers presents to kids at Christmas.
Teddy Roosevelt wanted to ban Christmas trees
A fun fact about Christmas is that rumors say Theodore Roosevelt banned Christmas trees in the White House because he was worried about deforestation. Others believe the family just didn’t bother with a tree one year, and it wasn’t about banning them.
Some suggest Roosevelt’s kids kept their own small tree a secret. One story tells of son Archie smuggling a small tree into a closet. The family celebrated with gifts and meals but not always a tree. There’s also a fun story about Roosevelt’s son, Archie, secretly bringing in a small tree and hiding it in a closet so the family could still have some holiday spirit.
Despite we do not entirely know what really happened, the Roosevelt family still celebrated Christmas with gifts, food, and festive traditions, even if they didn’t always have a tree.
Some believe Roosevelt's love for the environment (he earned the nickname "the conservationist president") made him want to stop the tradition of having Christmas trees, but it's unclear if he ever actually made it official or banned them.
Queen Victoria Popularized Christmas Trees
Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, helped make Christmas trees popular in England. Even though Queen Charlotte (Victoria’s grandmother) had already introduced the idea of Christmas trees a bit earlier, it wasn’t until Victoria and Albert showed off their decorated tree that it really caught on.
In 1848, a picture of the royal family around their Christmas tree was published in a magazine called Illustrated London News. People loved the image, and soon after, families across England started decorating their own Christmas trees. The royal family’s tree made Christmas feel cozy and cheerful, and people wanted to bring that same feeling into their own homes.
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The dark truth about Christmas trees
Both real and fake Christmas trees affect the environment. Real trees produce less CO2 if recycled, but if they end up in a landfill, they release much more. Artificial trees, on the other hand, have a larger carbon footprint right from the start, especially when thrown away, but using one for 12 years can make it as eco-friendly as a real tree.
Both options cause harm: real trees lead to deforestation, habitat loss, and pollution from chemicals used on farms, while fake trees are made from plastic and contribute to pollution and microplastics. They also contain harmful chemicals like lead and don’t break down easily.
One-sixth of annual retail sales happen at Christmas
Many retailers heavily depend on sales during the holidays to make a big chunk of their yearly income. In the U.S., November and December alone make up 18.4% of all retail sales. Some stores even make more than 25% of their yearly sales during this time. For example, hobby, toy, and game stores made 26.2% of their total sales in 2023 just from holiday shopping.
White Christmas tops 100m sales
Bing Crosby’s song “White Christmas” is a popular holiday classic written by Irving Berlin. It was first recorded in 1942 and featured in a movie called Holiday Inn. The song became an instant hit, topping the music charts for 11 weeks.
Since then, “White Christmas” has sold about 50 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling single ever. Some estimates even say the song’s total sales could be even higher, over 100 million copies!
“White Christmas” is a classic that people still listen to every year during the holiday season!
The Bible doesn’t mention December 25 as the Christmas date
A fun fact about Christmas is the Bible doesn’t specify December 25 as Jesus’ birth date, meaning it wasn’t mentioned in the Scriptures. Early Christians in the 4th century chose to celebrate Christmas on December 25 for two main reasons.
One reason is that it was already a Roman holiday called Sol Invictus, celebrating the sun god, so early Christians might have chosen the same day to make it about Jesus instead and Christianize the celebration.
Another reason is that some early Christians believed Jesus was conceived on March 25 (which is also the date when the Annunciation, the day the angel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus, is celebrated) And if you count nine months from from March 25, you get December 25.
While the exact date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, this date became the most popular day for celebrating it, and that’s why December 25th is celebrated as Christmas today.
Evergreens are a holiday symbol
Evergreens are plants that stay green all year, even during the cold winter months. Because of this, they’ve been seen as symbols of life and hope. While the rest of nature might seem lifeless in winter, evergreens remind people that life continues.
In ancient cultures like the Romans and Egyptians, evergreens were used during their winter celebrations. They believed these plants represented the sun’s return and coming spring. People also hung evergreen branches in their homes for good luck and to ward off evil spirits.
The Christmas tree tradition we know today actually started in Germany in the 1500s. People in Germany decorated trees with candles, which symbolized the light of Christ. Over time, this tradition spread to other countries and evolved into what we celebrate as Christmas trees now.
Coca-Cola shaped Santa’s modern image
Did you know that before 1931, Santa Claus didn’t have one fixed look? He was shown in so many different ways, like wearing a variety of clothes or looking more serious—pretty wild for a fun Christmas fact!
It was Coca-Cola that shaped the version of Santa we know today. In 1931, the company hired an artist named Haddon Sundblom to paint Santa for their ads. He created the Santa we recognize today: jolly, warm, and friendly, with rosy cheeks and a fluffy white beard. Sundblom was inspired by a popular 1822 poem called “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” which described Santa as a cheerful, chubby man with a sleigh and reindeer.
Coca-Cola’s ads made Santa really popular, turning him into a symbol for Christmas all year long. By doing this, they connected Coca-Cola with the holiday season, making people think of their drink more often, especially around the holidays, and even all year round. This boosted Coca-Cola’s image and helped it become a go-to drink.
Rudolph’s Red Nose was a marketing campaign
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer started as a marketing idea by a department store called Montgomery Ward in 1939.
The company wanted to bring more people into their stores, so they decided to give away free coloring books during the holiday season. Robert May, a copywriter for the store, created a character named Rudolph for the book. He based Rudolph on his own life, making him an underdog—someone who’s different and doesn’t fit in, but eventually succeeds.
In the first year, the store gave away 2.4 million copies of the coloring book, which was a huge success. Because of this success, Montgomery Ward later gave Robert May the rights to the character.
Wreaths represent eternal life
Christmas wreaths have a deep meaning that connects to different symbols of love, faith, and tradition. The wreath’s circular shape represents eternity, and God’s eternal presence. The evergreen branches used in wreaths symbolize continuity and survival. Holly, a plant often seen in wreaths, represents Jesus’ crown of thorns, which is part of his sacrifice.
Wreaths also stand for warmth and hospitality, making a home feel inviting and filled with joy. Overall, they remind us of the true spirit of Christmas: sharing love, kindness, and joy with others.
Colonial America once banned Christmas
Back in Colonial America, the dark truth about Christmas is that it wasn’t always welcome. There are some fun facts about how Christmas was once banned in certain places.
The Puritans, who were a religious group, didn’t want people celebrating Christmas the way it was happening in Europe. They thought it was an excuse for excessive behavior, rather than focusing on its religious meaning. Because of this, they banned Christmas in Massachusetts from 1659 to 1681. If someone was caught celebrating, they could be fined five shillings (a small amount of money at the time).
Similarly, the Pilgrims, who settled in America in 1620, didn’t celebrate Christmas, and in fact, on December 25th, they worked in the fields to show they didn’t approve of the holiday.
Even after the ban ended, many people in the colonies continued to ignore Christmas celebrations for a long time.
Eggnog: a British import turned American favorite
Eggnog started as a “posset” in medieval Britain: a warm milk drink with eggs, ale (a type of beer), and spices. In the 17th century, aristocrats in Britain began adding expensive spices like nutmeg and cinnamon to make a fancier version of the drink.
When colonists came to America in the 1700s, they found that rum was cheap and easy to get, especially since there were many farms growing ingredients like eggs and milk. So, they started making their own version of the drink, which came to be called “egg-n-grog.” Grog was a slang term for a drink made with alcohol, like rum.
As time went on, eggnog became a popular drink, especially around the holidays. No wonder, it’s rich, creamy, and warming, perfect for the cold weather! Even George Washington had his own special eggnog recipe, which included rye whiskey, rum, and sherry. And that’s just one of the many fun facts about Christmas you probably didn’t know.
As time passed, eggnog became an American Christmas favorite because it was a luxurious and festive drink enjoyed during the colder months.
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Image by chandlervid85 on Freepik
Xmas abbreviation dates to the 1500s
Many people think “Xmas”’ is just another modern name for Christmas but they’d be surprised to learn that it dates back to the 1500s.
The “X” in “Xmas” stands for the Greek letter “chi,” which is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, “Christós.” So, it’s not about removing “Christ” from Christmas; it’s an old shorthand to make the word shorter and quicker to write.
Over time, people also used similar abbreviations, like “Xpian” and “Xtian,” which follow the same pattern. So, it’s really just an old and simple way to make the word quicker and easier to say or write!
Canada’s HOH OHO: Santa’s postal code
Canada Post created a special postal code for Santa Claus: H0H 0H0. This code makes it simple for kids to send letters and wish lists to the North Pole. In fact, Santa gets over a million letters every year and replies to them in the same language the letter was written in.
The idea of answering letters started when Canada Post staff noticed many kids were sending letters to Santa, so they decided to help by responding. In 1983, they made it official, and it became a well-known tradition. Did you notice the postal code H0H 0H0 is a fun way to spell out Santa’s classic laugh, “Ho ho ho”?
Also, here’s another fun fact: kids don’t need to put stamps on their letters to Santa at Christmas. They can simply send them to the North Pole, and Canada Post takes care of the rest!
Yule: another name for Christmas from ancient traditions
Christmas is called different names depending on what people focus on. For example, “Nativity” refers to celebrating Jesus’ birth. “Yuletide” comes from old traditions in Norse and German, celebrating the winter season, especially around the longest night. The Winter Solstice is the darkest day of the year and is important in many cultures.
“Noel” is another name for Christmas, often heard in French songs or greetings. The Festival of Lights is mostly for Hanukkah but also relates to Christmas, celebrating light during the dark winter months.
Each of these names of Christmas shows how different cultures celebrate in their own way.
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The True Meaning of Christmas: Love, Giving, and Hope
What is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas focuses on love, kindness, and faith. It’s a time to come together and show love and appreciation for our family, friends, and neighbors. For Christians, it’s a reminder of God’s love for humanity, shown through the gift of Jesus, who came to spread love, hope, and joy.
Over time, while Christmas has become commercialized, at its heart, the true meaning of Christmas lies in deeper values of love and connection.
10 reasons why we celebrate Christmas
- Celebrate the birth of Jesus: Christmas is all about honoring the birth of Jesus, a key moment for Christians.
- Spread love and kindness: It’s the perfect time to show care for family, friends, and even strangers.
- Embrace hope and new beginnings: Christmas brings hope and the promise of fresh starts.
- Give generously: Exchanging gifts remind us of the ultimate gift—Jesus—and inspire us to give.
- Cherish family time: Christmas is made for bonding with loved ones and making memories.
- Enjoy the fun: Traditions, celebrations, and activities make Christmas a time of joy.
- Reconnect Spiritually: For many, Christmas is a time to reflect on their faith and grow closer to God.
- Spread kindness: Christmas encourages acts of kindness, especially toward those in need.
- Feel the joy and happiness: It’s a season of happiness and togetherness, no matter who you are.
- Celebrate diversity: Christmas is celebrated in so many unique ways around the world.