In 1822, the postmaster of Washington D.C. proposed a law limiting to the number of Christmas cards someone could receive.
While some still regard Christmas solely as a religious holiday, Christmas has become, for many, a day to celebrate family and be merry (and to needlessly spend aplenty, as some cynics would note!). In the spirit of holiday cheer, many observe the traditions of Santa Claus, mistletoe, Christmas trees and Christmas cards described below.
The tradition of Christmas trees was started in 16th century Germany. Martin Luther, a German theologian, is thought to have popularized the concept. On a brisk, clear Christmas Eve, Luther was walking home under a bright, starry sky, which was so beautiful that he wanted to recreate its beauty for his children. His idea was to decorate a large evergreen with glowing candles, a custom we still honor today in more modern forms.
Chicago has the largest cookie factory, where Nabisco made over 4.6 billion "Oreo" cookies in 1997.
American novelist Mark Twain was the first known author to submit a typed manuscript.
A language becomes extinct in this world every two weeks.
Kwanzaa, which means "First Fruits," is based on ancient African harvest festivals and celebrates ideals such as family life and unity.
Santa Claus got his name from Saint Nicholas, a bishop of the town of Myra, who was known for being especially kind to children. Today, Myra is part of the country of Turkey.
Bill Bowerman, founder of the shoe company Nike, got his first shoe idea after staring at a waffle iron. This gave him the idea of using squared spikes to make the shoes lighter.
Using green in holiday decorating might be a throwback to the pagan winter festivals when greenery was used. Also, green comes from the pine tree and the holly, which retain their color in winter.
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