Fun Facts About Christmas

Santa & Traditions

• Santa Claus is based on a real person — St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop known for secretly giving gifts to the poor.
• Santa’s red suit became popular after Coca-Cola Christmas adverts in the 1930s — before that, Santa was drawn in many colours.
• Santa receives over 1 million letters every year worldwide — some countries even have official “Santa postal services.”

Christmas Around the World

• Christmas is celebrated in over 160 countries, even in places where Christians are a minority.
• In Iceland, there isn’t one Santa — there are 13 Yule Lads, each with their own personality.
• In Norway, people hide brooms on Christmas Eve — an old belief that evil spirits roam that night.

Gifts & Shopping

• Black Friday and Christmas shopping now generate trillions globally, making December the biggest retail month in the world.
• On average, people buy more gifts for others than for themselves during Christmas — generosity peaks in December.

Music & Movies

• “Jingle Bells” was originally written for Thanksgiving, not Christmas.
• “All I Want for Christmas Is You” earns millions every year and re-enters music charts annually.
• Christmas songs make up over 30% of all seasonal music streaming in December.

Trees & Decorations

• The tradition of the Christmas tree comes from Germany.
• The world’s tallest Christmas tree (a real one) was over 220 feet high.
• Artificial Christmas trees were first made using toilet brush bristles in the 1930s.
• Tinsel was once made from real silver.

Food Facts

• Over 6 million turkeys are eaten at Christmas every year in the UK alone.
• In many African homes, Christmas food is prepared outdoors, turning cooking into a social event.
• Mince pies originally contained actual meat — not just fruit.

Calendar Curiosities

• Christmas is celebrated on different dates:
  • December 25 (most countries)
  • January 7 (Orthodox churches)
• 25/12/25 (Christmas 2025) is a rare once-in-a-century number pattern — day, month, and year all “25”.

The Spirit of Christmas

• Charitable giving spikes by up to 40% in December compared to other months.
• People are statistically happier, more generous, and more social during the Christmas season.
• Acts of kindness increase — even among strangers.
•  Christmas dinner calories don’t count… officially.