For a time of the year that most celebrate, the average person doesn’t know much about the holiday season. There’s an entire world of interesting facts, thoughts, and trivia surrounding the holiday season. Whether preparing for a great game of holiday trivia or just being a trivia buff, here we present ten fun holiday trivia facts to help start the party this holiday season!
Christmas was not always celebrated in December
In a column I wrote last year, I pointed out that Jesus was not born on December 25. Today, we don’t know exactly when He was born. Jesus’ birth has been observed in every month of our present calendar, and then some. Scholars don’t agree when He was born, although they all agree it wasn’t in December. I’ve heard arguments in favor of both a spring and fall birthdate, but the truth is that no one knows for sure…except that it wasn’t in December. In the fourth century, church officials co-mingled the birth of Christ with the Roman feast of Saturnalia…and lo and behold, Christmas was born.
Silent Night is the most recorded Christmas song in history
With over 733 versions copyrighted since 1978 and over 137,315 recorded total, Silent Night is, by far and above, the most recorded Christmas song in all of history. For a song that’s actually a translation into English (the original version was written in German), that’s no small feat.
Other contenders include White Christmas, Jingle Bells, The Christmas Song, White Christmas, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Fried chicken on Christmas?
While Americans often carve turkey or ham for Christmas dinner, the Japanese employ a different Christmas bird all together! In Japan, fried chicken (specifically that from KFC) is a Christmas staple. In 1974, KFC launched a “Kentucky for Christmas” campaign, which inspired families to order holiday buckets and indulge in this stateside treat for the holiday. Associating it with a luxury food, this became a staple among the Japanese at Christmas. Since Christmas is a secular holiday in Japan, most Japanese didn’t have any special Christmas traditions until KFC came in and introduced their chicken. Through their clever marketing campaign, KFC became one of Japan’s lasting Christmas traditions. It’s so popular around the holidays, people have to pre-order their chicken to avoid waiting for hours to purchase it!
Christmas songs have made it to space!
Before anyone assumes I’m referring to something by Mariah Carey, I’m not. Jingle Bells was the first song played in space on December 16, 1965.
A time to break up?
A 2010 Facebook study revealed that Christmas is more than a time to be merry. Two weeks prior to Christmas is the most popular time of year for couples to break up. Maybe it’s due to holiday stress or rethinking desires and hopes for the new year? Whatever the reason, people find it the time of year when they’re ready to call it quits.
A snack for Santa
I’ve read a few different theories on why we leave cookies and milk out for Santa. One theory suggests it started during the Great Depression, as a symbol of hospitality. Even though families were poor, children were encouraged to show their gratitude for Santa by leaving him a snack. Cookies and milk were reasonably accessible, thus such became the standard Christmas snack. Another theory suggests that Dutch children left snacks out for St. Nick on St. Nicholas Day (December 6). A fun international fact, in Ireland, kids leave Santa a pint of beer rather than milk!
Regardless of the tradition, it’s stuck – and parents everywhere enjoy the items their kids leave for a late-night snack.
A bad Christmas song?
Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmas is considered by his fans to be the worst song he ever wrote. Regardless, it still generates over $322,000 in royalties every year!
Twelve Days of Christmas = 364 gifts
In the infamous song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, the total number of gifts given adds up to 364. They include:
- 12 partridges in a pear tree
- 22 turtle doves
- 30 French hens
- 36 colly birds
- 40 gold rings
- 42 geese a-laying
- 42 swans a-swimming
- 40 maids
- 36 ladies dancing
- 30 lords a-leaping
- 22 pipers piping
- 12 drummers drumming
If you were to buy these gifts online in modern times, it would cost somewhere around $52,024.03.
It’s a Wonderful Life wasn’t wonderful at the box office
It’s shocking to many to learn that It’s a Wonderful Life was actually a 1946 box office failure. It didn’t help that the movie was scrutinized by the FBI a year later, concerned the film was a tactic to discredit bankers (associating it with communism). Neither critics nor viewers took to this movie until its copyright expired in the 1970s. Then – and only then – it was shown on television during the holidays, turning it into a modern holiday classic. It’s a Wonderful Life ranks third among favorite holiday movies, behind Home Alone and the Muppet Christmas Carol.
Santa Claus gets around!
Did you know Santa Claus is technically a Canadian citizen? All letters should be sent to his personal zip code, which is H0H 0H0. Even though he’s Canadian, Santa has ran for president in the United States 2008 and 2012 elections.
Your turn!
What are some interesting holiday trivia facts you know?
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