Interesting facts about Christmas Bashny.Net

The Germans made the first artificial Christmas trees from goose feathers.
In the US alone each year is distributed over three million Christmas cards.
In 320 AD, Pope Julius First, the bishop of Rome, on December 25 announced the official date of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to records in the Guinness Book of Records, the highest ever felled Christmas tree was 66-meter Douglas fir, which stood in 1950 at the mall Northgate in Seattle.
Traditional flowers to decorate the Christmas tree are green, red and gold.
It has been observed that most married (and not only) couples break up two weeks before Christmas. This conclusion was based on the messages on Facebook. Nevertheless, the very day of Christmas is the least to move on divorce day.
Contrary to popular belief, the number of samoubistv Christmas is not great. The largest number in the spring.

The length of the largest Christmas stocking is 32, 56m, and the width at it - 14, 97m. It weighs as five reindeer, and holds nearly a thousand gifts. It was produced children's community in London December 14, 2007.
Christmas trees are sold in the US since 1850. Before they are sold, they are grown for 15 years.
In many European countries believe that good and evil spirits are active during the twelve days of Christmas. These spirits gradually evolved into the elves of Santa Claus, especially under the influence of the book of Clement Moore (1779-1863), "The Night Before Christmas", illustrated by Thomas Nast (1840-1902).
In Bolivia celebrate Misa del Gallo or "Rooster Mass" on Christmas Eve. Some people bring to the midnight mass cocks. This symbolizes that the cock was the first living being who announced the birth of Jesus.
Brits put on a Christmas lunch paper crown. Crown stored in a special tube, which is called "Christmas cracker».
In Poland, spiders or web are a common decoration of the Christmas tree, because, according to legend, a spider wove a blanket for Jesus when he was a baby. Poles believe spiders symbol of goodness and prosperity, which must be present on Christmas Day.
Alabama was the first state in the US, which is officially recognized Christmas as a national holiday. This happened in 1836.
At the federal level in the US Christmas holiday was recognized June 26, 1870, but in Oklahoma Christmas was declared a holiday in the least - in 1907.
English as a Christmas decoration also use mistletoe (a parasitic plant that grows on the branches of trees). Ancient people, such as the Druids, mistletoe was considered sacred because it remained green, and it remained all winter fruit when all the plants or have died, or shed their leaves. Druids cut plants golden crescent and never allowed to come into contact with the ground mistletoe. They believed that mistletoe is able to cure infertility and diseases of the nerves, as well as protection from evil.
Evergreens are considered a symbol of rebirth and eternal life since ancient times. Pagan worship and veneration of evergreen trees and their branches developed in the tradition of decorating their Christian Christmas.
Since the American Puritans considered decadent Catholic Christmas holiday, the period from 1659 to 1681, he was denied them, and for any violation will be charged 5 shillings. Some Puritan leaders proclaimed fans of Christmas enemies of the Christian religion.
It is believed that the so-called Christmas log, burned on Christmas Eve or any other of the Twelve Days of Christmas symbolizes the cyclic return of the sun. Burning piece of wood or coals left of him are considered a symbol of health, fertility, good luck, as well as a talisman against evil spirits.
Because of the identification with paganism, holly (associated with the masculine) and Ivy (with female), as well as other living green decoration in homes Catholics were banned Christian church cathedral in Braga.
The roots of Christmas traditions can be found in some pagan festivals such as Saturnalia (from 17 to 23 December), Calenda (1 to 5, the prototype of the Nativity) and Deus Sol Invictus, or the invincible sun birthday (December 25). The Christian church did not approve of such celebration and assimilate them, declaring December 25 the birthday of Jesus Christ, even though the evidence that Jesus was born on this day, there is.
The prototype of Santa Claus became really existed person Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the fourth century. He was born in Patara, which was located on the territory of modern Turkey, and became one of the most popular saints unbiblical. Artists use his image more often, with the exception of portraits of the Virgin Mary. He is the patron saint of bankers, lenders, pirates, thieves, orphans and New York City.
Puritan Oliver Cromwell announced the celebration of Christmas and related chants outside the law (1649-1660) .Byli allowed only sermons and prayers.
Christmas tradition of filling stockings with gifts came from the three sisters who were so poor that they could not get married and engaged in prostitution. However, they were rescued by Saint Nicholas of Myra, who made his way to him through the chimney and filled their stockings with gold coins.
Until now, historians argue about which one of the presidents of the first set of Christmas tree in the White House. Some of them say that it did Franklin Pierce in 1856, while others argue that it was Benjamin Harrison, and he did it in 1856.