FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
As the year 2025 draws to a close, millions of people around the world eagerly awaited this period to put up decorations, colorful lights, delicious foods, pleasant music, and exciting gifts.
But beyond these, how much do we know about Christmas, now transformed into a super fun holiday?
National Geographic brings 10 curiosities about Christmas:
1- Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe to be the son of God. For most people, the holiday takes place each year on December 25, the day the Roman Catholic Church chose to mark Jesus' birthday. But, in fact, no one knows the exact date of Jesus' birth.
2- Not all Christians celebrate Christmas on the same day. In countries with large populations of Orthodox Christians, such as Russia, Ukraine, and Romania, Christmas Day falls on January 7. Some Greek Orthodox Christians also celebrate Christmas on January 7.
3- The name “Christmas” comes from the Old English phrase Cristes maesse, meaning “Christ’s Mass.” But what about ‘Christmas’? Many people think this is just a modern-day abbreviation, but it actually dates back to the 16th century. It is said that the “X” represents the Greek letter “Chi,” the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, Χριστός (pronounced “Christos”).
4- Many of the festive traditions we have today originally originated in the Victorian era, such as Christmas cards, gifts, and traditional foods like pies and roast turkey.
5- Christmas trees were first seen in 16th-century Germany, where people decorated the fir tree with fruit and nuts, later with sweets, paper shapes and candles. But historians believe the origins of this festive tradition may date back to the ancient Romans and Egyptians, who used evergreens and wreaths as symbols of eternal life.
6- Every year, Norway sends a beautiful Christmas tree to London, where it is decorated with lights in Trafalgar Square. The 20-meter-tall tree is a thank-you gift for the help the United Kingdom gave Norway during World War II.
7- We can't talk about Christmas without mentioning the jolly man with the big beard, rosy cheeks: Santa Claus. But have you ever wondered how Santa Claus got his name? It comes from Sinterklaas, which means Saint Nicholas in Dutch. Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop who lived in the 4th century – known for being kind and generous, he later became the patron saint of children.
8- Santa Claus is not the only Christmas character. There are many others around the world. In Italy, for example, it is said that a kind witch called La Befana flies around on a broomstick delivering toys to children. And in Iceland, children leave shoes under their windows for 13 mischievous trolls called Yule Lads. If the child has been good, they will find sweets in their shoes, but if they have been bad, the star boys will leave them a rotten potato.
9- We all love to sing along to Jingle Bells, but have you ever noticed that the song doesn't mention Christmas, Jesus, or Santa Claus? That's because it wasn't originally a Christmas song. In fact, the cheerful hymn was written in 1850, under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh," for the American holiday of Thanksgiving.
10- Now, imagine if there was no Christmas. Would that seem pretty strange? Well, believe it or not, in 1644 Christmas celebrations were made illegal in England, and shortly after that, in the English colonies in America. At the time, members of the government thought that the religious meaning of Christmas had been forgotten, and so they banned the holiday celebrations. Some people celebrated in secret, until Christmas was made legal again, almost 20 years later.
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