5 Christmas Facts

It's the yuletide season, and with it comes one of the most celebrated American holidays, Christmas! While Christmas has roots in Christianity, the celebration is open to anyone looking to celebrate the holidays. Here are a few fun facts that you probably don't know about Noel.

1. Christmas Has Many Names

Yuletide, Noel, and Cristes Maesse are all names for Christmas. And each of these names has a unique origin. 

Yuletide: Yuletide has roots in Germanic history and dates back to the time of Vikings. The Viking equivalent of Christmas was the Winter Festival. Much like the Christmas we know today, the Winter Festival was centered around gifts, feasts, and festivities. 

Noel: Noel was originally the Latin word, Natalis, which means birth or birthday. Noel is a nod to Christmas' Christian roots. Bonus fact: while we call him Santa Claus, the French say Père Noël.

Cristes Maesse: Cristes Maesse is Old English and, of all the names we've mentioned, is the one closest to what we call Christmas. Cristes Maesse translates to Mass of Christ. Cristes Maesse can be traced back to around the year 1,000. 

2. Candy Canes are German

While the inventor of candy canes is up for debate, it's proven that the tasty treats originate from Germany. Some state that they can be found as early as 1670 in Germanic history and lore. Their first appearance in the United States was in 1847 when a German immigrant who lived in Ohio named August Imgard used them to decorate his Christmas tree.

3. Christmas Stockings are Dutch

The history of Christmas stockings begins with the history of Sinterklaas, the Dutch word for Saint Nick and Santa Claus. As far back as at least the 16th century, Dutch children filled their clogs (wooden shoes) with carrots and hay. In return, Sinterklaas filled the clogs with bags of gold!

Not a bad trade at all. 

4. Christmas Officially Became a Federal Holiday in 1870

Shockingly, it wasn't until 1870, 94 years after America was founded, that Christmas became a federal holiday. President Ulysses S. Grant made Christmas a holiday in an attempt to unite the country after the American Civil War. Credit for Christmas being a federal holiday also belongs to politician Chauncey Cook, who first introduced it as a bill. 

5. Christmas Wasn't Always Popular

It's worth noting that a large portion of Americans at the time didn't want Christmas to become a federal holiday. A lot of early complaints dealt with the religious background of Christmas, the mixing of religion and government, and concerns about overindulging during the festivities. Despite these concerns, Christmas quickly became a widely celebrated holiday in America, and the rest is, as they say, history!

The Takeaway

Whether it's Christmas, Yuletide, Winter Festival, or anything in between, the end of December has been a time for celebrations for thousands of years! So, set up your tree, gather family and friends, and enjoy the Christmas season!