Christmas Trivia

Some interesting and little known Christmas facts:

  • The first US state to declare Christmas Day a holiday was Alabama in 1836

  • The last US state to declare Christmas Day a holiday was Oklahoma in 1907

  • Reindeer antlers grow by up to an inch a day

  • President Pierce was the first to introduce a Christmas tree to the White House

  • President Roosevelt banned Christmas trees from the White House due to concenrs over damage to the forests

  • A traditional Ukranian Christmas feast consists of twelve courses

  • Christmas tinsel decorations used to be made from lead or silver but these were banned due to the health risks

  • According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, around 1,000 people in Britain every year end up in hospital with Christmas tree related injuries

  • Before the 4th century Christmas Day was not fixed on December 25th but - like Easter - was a moveable feast

  • The movie It's A Wonderful Life made a loss during its original 1946 run

  • The movie White Christmas was the top grossing film of 1954

  • Dickens' character Tiny Tim was originally to have been called Little Larry, Puny Pete or Small Sam

  • Puritan England banned celebrating Christmas for 13 years between 1647 and 1660

  • Puritan Boston banned celebrating Christmas for 22 years between 1659 and 1681

  • The first commemorative Christmas stamps were issued by Austria in 1937