Twelve things I never knew for Christmas

1. Christmas trees were first lighted with candles real fire hazard. Therefore, these containers are filled with water held around the Christmas tree.

2. Workers in the construction industry is responsible for the delivery of a Christmas tree on display in Rockefeller Center in New York. It is credited with the adoption of a bare tree on the site in early 1930.
3. Since mid 1960, the National Christmas Tree Association, a presence in the White House Christmas by donating a Christmas tree, the first family is maintained.
4. The former Woolworth department store first, sold manufactured Christmas tree in 1880.
5. Plastic was the main material used to make rags after use for decorative purposes, has led to a lockout, as used in production.
6. The idea for greeting cards at Christmas began in Britain in late 1830, when John Calcott Horsley started small cards, was one of the festive holiday scenes and produce a written greeting. These cards should be in the United States about the same time by RH Pease, Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, who was a German immigrant. The idea of sending greeting cards for Christmas gained popularity in both countries a period of about 10 years, when new mail delivery services are started.
7. The abbreviated form of Christmas Christmas is very popular in Europe since 1500. Supposedly, that is the Greek word Christos, Christ comes. 8. According to the National Confectioners Association, candy canes 200 years have produced only in white, and only in 1950 that he had invented a machine that could automate the production of candy trees.
9. The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day in England, and is a national holiday. There are many stories about the origin of the name. It is assumed that there would have arisen from the practice of boys to recover the money in boxes of clay. Another idea is that the concept of habit in the Middle Ages, before about 800 years, occurs when the churches will be the alms boxes and distribute content to a poor opening day after Christmas. Charity boxes boxes in which to gifts and donations of money to be affected. Even a belief that there should be a tradition of masters to their staff Christmas gifts in boxes in the wake of Christmas.
11. In ancient times, many people worshiped the sun as a god, in December, because they think that the winter was produced every year, because the sun god had fallen to the disease. Therefore, the winter solstice, celebrated as a sign that the Son of God's power and regain health.
12. The legislature is the Congress Center on Christmas Day in 1789, the first seen in the new Constitution. The reason for the meeting of Congress was because it became popular and then observe and participate in the following English customs of the American Revolution. And when the celebrations of Christmas already ruled Boston from 1659 to 1681, is an expensive thing to see who was associated with an event or activity for Christmas. Those caught had to pay five marks.

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History of Christmas Traditions

Some Christians celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, to observe an event and not a tradition. But many other activities to celebrate the Christmas developed from certain traditions, many of which relate to other countries, especially nations in Europe.

A common use in Christmas decorations, Holly and mistletoe. Both are mainly used in wreaths and garlands. The Druids began the tradition of using mistletoe as decorative elements, up to two hundred years before Christ. To celebrate the winter season, the Druids gathered the plants and use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed that mistletoe would bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits. Also believed that mistletoe had beneficial effects and is used for everything from healing wounds to increase fertility.
In Scandinavia, mistletoe was a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the goddess of love. This association is probably what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In the Victorian era, the English mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and doors during the holidays. The habit, like someone was standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room will embrace the person. Such behavior is not winning in the general Victorian community.
The use of mistletoe of Christmas was once banned by the church, but because of its associations with pagan traditions, and the use of holly was proposed instead.
Poinsettias used more traditional decorative flowers at Christmas. It is originally from Mexico, after Joel Poinsett, who was the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico and the names of the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe that the plants are symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem is one of the reasons associated with Christmas. There is also a story that was a little boy to see the game in the Church of the Nativity, but realizes that he has a gift for the baby Jesus. The boy gathered green branches, others scoffed. But when placed near the manger, a bright red flower in bloom poinsettias began in an area which has a traditional use at Christmas.
Rods Candy, a Christmas tradition, because red and white stripes to show the colors of the season, but for the most unusual because of the discipline. Because they have been treated, first, that the German children to keep their good behavior is the term used for sermons in church. Over time, the legend of the candy tree for Christmas with some of the most powerful symbols and beliefs of Christianity would be involved: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the Trinity, the blood of the Son God, the Jesus as the embodiment of holiness and of known purity and sinless Son of God as the shepherd of man. Cane symbols respectively represent the three stripes, red and white, color and shape.
Have religious icons of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, angels, shepherds and wise men are traditionally used for Christmas cards. Some cards are now scenes of the Nativity, but the images of Santa Claus, winter landscape, Christmas trees, gifts and other packages are also represented in modern Christmas cards.

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