Did you know this about Christmas?

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missjane

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Here are some interesting facts I found today about Christmas. Feel free to add any that you may have found, too! It will be fun to learn new things about the holiday we love celebrating!!

Christmas Facts
Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.
Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today's Mardi Gras parties.
From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.
Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.
The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.
Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.
The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.
Rudolph, "the most famous reindeer of all," was the product of Robert L. May's imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.
Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

Found it here: http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/page2
 

HouseElf

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Boxing Day is the day following Christmas Day, when servants would receive gifts from their employers, known as a "Christmas box".

In Canada, Boxing Day takes place on 26 December and is a federal holiday.

Boxing Day is primarily known now as a sale/shopping holiday in parts of Canada.
 

MinnieCo

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Very fun....
 

missjane

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Wow! I've always wondering what Boxing Day in Canada was about. Great way to honor those who work for you.
 

luludou

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Great thread!

Christmas Eve in Japan is a good day to eat fried chicken and strawberry shortcake.

In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce and spinach.

Here it is mostly Turkey, Ham, or Tourtière on Christmas day with a Yule Log.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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What interesting facts. Nice to know