Interesting facts about Christmas

The Germans made the first artificial Christmas trees out of dyed goose feathers.  And the first printed reference to a Christmas tree was in 1531 in Germany.

All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas would equal 364 gifts.

In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.

Christmas trees have been sold in the U.S. since 1850.

Houses have been decorated for centuries, with evergreen such as holly with its red berries where used. 

The earliest known use of the phrase 'Christmas present' is from a 1663 entry in the diary of Samuel Pepys. of Samuel Pepys.

Robins on cards were a joke 150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics and were named after them.

Hanging stockings out comes from the Dutch custom of leaving shoes packed with food for St Nicholas's donkeys.

He would leave small gifts in return.Before turkey, the traditional Christmas meal in England was a pig's head and mustard.

The first Christmas celebrated in Britain is thought to have been in York in 521AD.

 Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer was created by the department store chain Montgomery Ward.

Nowhere in the bible does it mention celebrating Christ's birth which is why early Christians did not celebrate His birth.

Oliver Cromwell, a puritan, outlawed Christmas celebrations and carols in England from 1649-1660. The only celebrations allowed were sermons and prayers. 

Christmas carols in just an extension of the carols the Europeans use to sing during the Winter Solstices.  Carols such as "Good King Wenceslas" were written during the Victorian era. 

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole (a civil servant/government worker) who wanted to encourage ordinary people to use the newly formed "post office".

Christmas candy canes originated in Germany about 250 years ago. A story says that a choirmaster, in 1670, was worried about the children sitting quietly all through the long Christmas nativity service. So he gave them something to eat to keep them quiet! As he wanted to remind them of Christmas, he made them into a 'J' shape like a shepherds crook.

Mince Pies, like were originally filled with meat, such as lamb, rather than a dried fruit mix as they are today. They were also first made in an oval shape to represent the manger that Jesus slept in as a baby, with the top representing his swaddling clothes.

Source: 

http://facts.randomhistory.com/christmas-facts.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/50-things-yule-never-know-653613
http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/presents.shtml