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    Traditions of Christmas: 1, #1
    Traditions of Christmas: 1, #1
    Traditions of Christmas: 1, #1
    Ebook623 pages5 hours

    Traditions of Christmas: 1, #1

    By Heady Delpak

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    About this ebook

    From Dr. Seuss to Charles Dickens, Christmas stories have always captivated people. Many of us can remember sitting at someone's knee to hear a folkloric tale of Kris Kringle and his helper elves. Heck, the entire holiday has storybook elements!

    You have the magical Christmas tree decorations, a special Christmas dinner, and a mysterious gift delivery with all you've wished for. We all accept these as simply Christmas traditions but have you ever stopped to wonder, what's the real history of Christmas?

    From Dr. Seuss to Charles Dickens, Christmas stories have always captivated people. Many of us can remember sitting at someone's knee to hear a folkloric tale of Kris Kringle and his helper elves. Heck, the entire holiday has storybook elements!

    You have the magical Christmas tree decorations, a special Christmas dinner, and a mysterious gift delivery with all you've wished for. We all accept these as simply Christmas traditions but have you ever stopped to wonder, what's the real history of Christmas?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHeady Delpak
    Release dateMar 17, 2023
    ISBN9798215163849
    Traditions of Christmas: 1, #1
    Author

    Heady Delpak

    Dr. Heady Delpak has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from University of London in the UK. He has more than 30 years teaching experiences at Universities. He has published many Books in different languages.

    Read more from Heady Delpak

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      Book preview

      Traditions of Christmas - Heady Delpak

      SUMMARY

      The author would like to express his gratitude to  Engineer, N.  Eyvaz,  and Dr. Amalnik for all their moral support in preparation of this Report.

      Table of Contents

      1: Introduction

      1-1 :  It's a Christian Holiday, So It Has Religious Significance

      1-2 :  What is The Real Story Behind Christmas?

      1-3 :  December was already a significant month prior to Christianity, as many people

      celebrated the winter solstice as a turning point where the worst of winter was

      behind them

      1-4 :  During Early Christianity, Easter Was the Central Holiday

      1-5 :  How Did Christmas Traditions Start and Why?

      1-6 :  How Did Christmas Become an American Holiday?

      1-7 :  Who Invented Santa Claus?

      1-8 :  Term Christmas (Mass on Christ’s Day) is of Fairly Recent Origin

      1-9 :  Christmas Origin and Development

      1-10 :  Precise Origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear

      1-10-1 :  Christmas began to be widely celebrated with a specific liturgy in the 9th

      century but did not attain the liturgical importance of either 

      Good Friday or Easter

      1-11 :  Contemporary Customs in The West

      1-11-1 :  An analogous custom is the Advent calendar, which provides 24 openings, one

      to be opened each day beginning December 1

      1-11-2 :  Toward the end of the 18th century the practice of giving gifts to family

      members became well established  

      1-11-3 :  The Tradition of Celebrating Christmas as a secular family holiday is

      splendidly illustrated by a number of English Christmas Carols  

      1-12 :  In Most European Countries, Gifts are Exchanged on Christmas Eve

      1-13 :  Given the Importance of Christmas as one of the Major Christian Feast days

      1-14 :  Contemporary Customs in Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy

      1-15 :  Contemporary Customs in Other Areas

      1-15-1 :  Christmas customs in these societies thus often echo Western traditions

      because  people were exposed to Christianity as a religion and

      cultural artifact of the West  

      1-15-2 :  Japan Serves as Illustration of a Different Sort  

      1-15-3 :  The holidays are drawing closer, and that means it's time to finish up your

      shopping, trim your tree, and get those Christmas greetings in the mail

      1-15-4 :  In Scandinavian countries, the Yule goat figures into the Christmas decor of

      many homes

      1-15-5 :  In 2003, Billingsley then popped up in another seasonal classic, Elf, as Ming

      Ming the toy-making supervisor in Santa's workshop  

      1-16 :  Two of Santa's Reindeer originally had Different Names

      1-17 :  The Longest-Running Santa Claus Parade Happens in Illinois  

      1-18 :  One of The Oldest Christmas Markets Dates back to the 1600s  

      1-19 :  Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Was recorded by a 13-Year-Old  

      1-20 :  Artificial Christmas Trees Were Once Made With Goose Feathers

      1-21 :  Hallmark Holiday Movies only Take 2 Weeks to Film  

      1-22 :  Brazil Set the Record for the World's Largest Floating Christmas Tree

      1-23 :  Christmas Could Have Been a Spring Holiday  

      1-24 :  Jingle Bells Was the First Song Played in Space

      1-25 :  It Was Originally a Thanksgiving Song!

      1-26 :  The Tradition of Hanging Stockings Comes from a Legend about Marriage  

      1-26-1 :  Fortunately, Smithsonian explains, "St. Nicholas was wandering through the

      town where the man lived and heard villagers discussing that family's

      plight

      1-27 :  The NORAD Santa Tracker Was Created Due to a Child's Misunderstanding

      1-27-1 :  If you gave all the gifts listed in the Twelve Days of Christmas, it would

      equal 364 presents  

      1-28 :  In Ukraine, Spiders are Considered Symbols of Good Luck at Christmas  

      1-29 :  Santa Has a Postal Code in Canada

      1-30 :  There Is a Christmas Tree in Spain Worth $15 Million erstock

      1-30-1 :  The Christmas Tree Pickle is a tradition to keep eager kids calm on

      Christmas morning  

      1-30-2 :  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Was Originally Created as an Advertising

      Gimmick  

      1-31 :  Eggnog Dates Back to Medieval Times  

      1-32 :  Tinsel Was Once Made of Real Silver  

      1-33 :  Americans Expect to Spend around $837 on Christmas Gifts This Year  

      1-34 :  They Actually End up Spending Nearly $1,500 on Presents  

      1-35 :  The Statue of Liberty is the Largest Christmas gift Ever Given  

      1-36 :  Thomas Edison and his Business Partner Invented Christmas Lights

      1-36-1 :  The First Tree at Rockefeller Center was an unadorned tree from

      construction workers  

      1-37 :  Today, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree features more than 25,000 lights

      1-38 :  The First Christmas Card ever Sent is Worth Almost $30,000

      1-38-1 :  These days, over a billion and a Half Christmas Cards are sent each year in

      the U.S.

      1-39 :  The Smallest Christmas Card in the World is Invisible to the Human Eye

      1-40 :  Christmas Day Boasts the Lowest Number of Relationship Breakups  

      1-41 :  It's the Most Popular Time of Year to Propose

      1-42 :  A record Number of Babies is Conceived Around Christmas

      1-43 :  The Largest Gingerbread House ever made was as big as a real house  

      1-44 :  The Largest Snowflake Ornament ever Was Over 10 feet tall  

      1-45 :  Americans Spend Nearly $2 Billion on Holiday Treats Every Year  

      1-46 :  There are Nearly 750 Different Versions of Silent Night

      1-47 :  Home Alone is the Highest-Grossing Christmas Movie of all time  

      1-48 :  Decorating Disney World Involves 8.5 million lights

      1-49 :  The Tradition of Putting Up Christmas Trees is more than 500 years old  

      1-50 :  At First, Christmas Trees Weren't Accepted in the U.S.

      1-50-1 : There Are More Than 630 Different Kinds of Christmas Trees

      1-50-2 : And the U.S. Grows 77 Million of Them Annually

      1-50-3 : They're Grown in All 50 States , Even Hawaii  

      1-50-4 : The Biggest Elf Gathering Ever Included over 1,700 of Santa's Elves  

      1-50-5 : The Biggest Stateside Gatherings is Elfapalooza in Alabama  

      1-50-6 : Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Recreates a Norman Rockwell Christmas

      Painting each year  

      1-50-7 : Arizona has a 30-Foot Christmas Tree Made of Tumbleweeds  

      1-51 : You Can Recycle Your Christmas Tree by Donating it to Elephants  

      1-52 : Mistletoe Translates to Dung on a Stick

      1-53 : Poinsettias have been a Symbol of Christmas for Over a Century

      1-54 : Santa Has More Than 30 Different Names  

      1-54-1 : You Can Visit Santa's Village all Year Round in Canada  

      1-54-2 : Santa Performers Can Make Up to $1,200 an Hour

      1-54-3 : Around 28 Lego Sets are Sold every Second During the Christmas Season  

      1-55 : The Day After Christmas is National Candy Cane Day

      1-56 : People in Japan Eat KFC on Christmas  

      1-57 : The Man Who Wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is cred with creating the

      modern View of Christmas

      1-58 : The Yule Log Calls back to a Holiday Tradition from the Iron Age  

      1-58-1 : A Handwritten Copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas Was sold for

      $280,000

      1-59 : Mariah Carey Wrote All I Want for Christmas Is You in 15 Minutes

      1-60 : Children have been leaving cookies and milk out for Santa since at least 1896  

      1-60-1 : Tens of thousands of people go to the ER each year with decorating-related

      injuries

      1-61 : Santa Claus Wasn't Always Partial to the Color Red

      1-62 : References  

      2: Traditions of Christmas History

      2-1 :  What Are the Origins of Christmas?

      2-2 :  Why Do Some People Celebrate Christmas Day in January?

      2-3 :  When Was Christmas Canceled in America? 

      2-4 :  When Did Christmas Become an Official Holiday?

      2-5 :  Christmas Festivities can Expand Well Beyond December 25

      2-6 :  What is Up With all the Variations to the Christmas Season?

      2-7 :  The History of Christmas

      2-7-1 :  Prior to Christian celebrations, Roman pagans celebrated the holiday of

      Saturnalia, a week of raucous celebrations from December 17-25

      2-7-2 :  Though the pagan celebrations died out as the pagans were converted to

      Christians, Puritans did not observe the holiday due to its non-Christian

      origins

      2-7-3 :  When the Saxons, the Germanic tribes of Europe, were converted to

      Christianity, they brought the word yule, meaning mid-winter

      2-7-4 :  Santa Claus, one of the most recognizable Christmas traditions and one that

      was added during the mid-19th century

      2-8 :  Celtic Gods and Goddesses

      2-8-1 :  The Christmas tree, was also a pagan tradition, one where the Asheira cult,

      Druids, and their offshoots, had long worshiped trees in the wild

      2-9 :  The Gifting is Associated with the Holidays has a Murkier Past

      2-9-1 :  Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ,

      observed primarily on December 25

      2-9-2 :  The traditional Christmas narrative recounted in the New Testament, known

      as the Nativity of Jesus

      2-9-3 :  The Celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have

      a mix of  pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins

      2-11 :  Christmas Other Names

      2-12 :  Nativity of Jesus

      2-12-1 :  The nativity sequences included in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke

      prompted early Christian writers to suggest various dates for the anniversary

      2-13 :  Christmas Played a Role in the Arian Controversy of the Fourth Century

      2-14 :  Chronology of Jesus

      2-14-1 :  Early Christians celebrated the life of Jesus on a date considered equivalent

      to 14 Nisan (Passover) on the local calendar

      2-14-2 :  The calculation hypothesis is considered academically to be "a thoroughly

      viable hypothesis", though not certain

      2-14-3 :  In 221, Sextos Julius Africanus (c. 160 – c. 240) gave March 25 as the day of

      creation and of the conception of Jesus in his universal history

      2-15 :  Solstice Date Hypothesis

      2-16 :  Such Solar Symbolism Could Support more than One Date of Birth

      2-16-1 :  In the 17th century, Isaac Newton, who, coincidentally, was born on

      December 25, argued that the date of Christmas may have been selected to

      correspond with the solstice

      2-17 :  History of Religions Hypothesis  

      2-18 :  In 1743, German Protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski argued Christmas was placed

      on December 25 to correspond with the Roman solar holiday 

      Dies Natalis Solis Invicti

      2-18-1 :  Hermann Usener[80] and others[22] proposed that the Christians chose this

      day because it was the Roman feast celebrating the birthday of Sol Invictus

      2-18-2 :  We have evidence from the second century, less than fifty years after the close

      of the New Testament, that Christians were remembering and celebrating the

      birth of the Lord

      2-19 :  Relation to Concurrent Celebrations

      2-19-1 :  Prior to and through the early Christian centuries, winter festivals were the

      most popular of the year in many European pagan cultures

      2-20 :  Post-Classical Hhistory

      2-20-1 :  By the High Middle Ages, the holiday had become so prominent that

      chroniclers routinely noted where various magnates celebrated Christmas

      2-20-2 :  Christmas during the Middle Ages was a public festival that

      incorporated ivy, holly, and other evergreens

      2-21 :  Modern History (17th and 18th Centuries)

      2-21-1 :  Following the Parliamentarian victory over Charles I during the 

      English Civil War, England's Puritan rulers banned Christmas in 1647

      2-21-2 :  The Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 ended the ban, and Christmas was

      again freely celebrated in England

      2-21-3 :  As in England, Puritans in Colonial America staunchly opposed the

      observation of Christmas 

      2-22 :  Modern History (19th Century)

      2-22-1 :  The term Scrooge became a synonym for miser, with Bah! Humbug!

      dismissive of the festive spirit

      2-22-2 :  In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the early 19th century by the

      German-born Queen Charlotte

      2-23 :  By The 1870s, Putting Up a Christmas Tree had Become Common in America

      2-23-1 :  In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem 

      A Visit From St. Nicholas (popularly known by its first line: Twas the Night

      Before Christmas) 

      2-24 :  Modern History (20th Century)

      2-24-1 :  Up to the 1950s in the UK, many Christmas customs were restricted to the

      upper classes and better-off families

      2-24-2 :  League football matches continued in Scotland until the 1970s while in

      England they ceased at the end of the 1950s

      2-25 :  Christmas Traditions and Observance of Christmas by Country

      2-26 :  Church Attendance

      2-27 :  Christmas Decoration

      2-27-1 :  The first commercially produced decorations appeared in Germany in the

      1860s, inspired by paper chains made by children

      2-27-2 :  In the United States, these "German Lutherans brought the decorated

      Christmas tree with them; the Moravians put lighted candles on those trees

      2-27-3 :  Other traditional decorations include bells, candles, candy canes, 

      stockings, wreaths, and angels

      2-28 :  Nativity Play  

      2-29 :  Christmas Music

      2-29-1 :  The songs now known specifically as carols were originally communal folk

      songs sung during celebrations such as harvest tide as well as Christmas

      2-29-2 :  The singing of carols initially suffered a decline in popularity after

      the Protestant Reformation in northern Europe  

      2-30 :  Completely Secular Christmas seasonal Songs emerged in the late 18th Century

      2-30-1 :  One of the most ubiquitous festive songs is

      "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", which originates from the

      West Country of England in the 1930s

      2-31 :  Traditional Cuisine  

      2-32 :  Christmas Card

      2-32-1 :  Christmas cards are purchased in considerable quantities and feature

      artwork, commercially designed and relevant to the season

      2-33 :  Christmas Stamp

      2-34 :  Christmas Gift

      2-34-1 :  And the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh which were given to the baby

      Jesus by the Magi

      2-35 :  List of Christmas and Winter Gift-Bringers by Country

      2-35-1 :  The best known of these figures today is red-dressed Santa Claus, of diverse

      origins

      2-35-2 :  His feast day, December 6, came to be celebrated in many countries with the

      giving of gifts

      2-35-3 :  The modern popular image of Santa Claus, however, was created in the

      United States, and in particular in New York

      2-35-4 :  Current tradition in several Latin American countries (such as Venezuela and

      Colombia) holds that while Santa makes the toys

      2-36 :  Date According to Julian Calendar

      2-36-1 :  Therefore, the aforementioned Orthodox Christians mark December 25 (and

      thus Christmas) on the day that  is internationally considered to be January 7

      2-37 :  Economics of Christmas

      2-37-1 :  In the UK and Ireland, the Christmas shopping season starts from mid-

      November, around the time when high street Christmas lights are turned on

      2-38 :  Christmas Controversies .

      2-38-1 :  One Controversy is the Occurrence of Christmas Trees Being Renamed

      Holiday Trees

      2-38-2 :  The government of the People's Republic of China officially espouses state

      atheism,  and has conducted antireligious campaigns to this end

      2-39 :  References

      2-40 :  Christmas Traditions 

      2-41 :  Church Attendance  

      2-42 :  Christmas Decoration

      2-43 :  Nativity Scenes Are Known From 10th-Century Rome

      2-44 :  The Christmas Tree was first used by German Lutherans in the 16th century

      2-44-1 :  The Christmas tree is considered by some as  Christianization  of  pagan

      tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice

      2-45 :  From Germany The Custom was Introduced to Britain

      2-45-1 :  Other traditional decorations include bells, candles, candy canes,  stockings,

      wreaths, and angels

      2-46 :  Nativity Play  ma.

      2-47 :  Felix Mendelssohn Wrote a Melody Adapted to Fit Wesley's Words 

      2-48 :  Christmas Traditional Cuisine 

      2-48-1 :  The Maltese traditionally serve Imbuljuta tal-Qastan, a chocolate and

      chestnuts beverage, after Midnight Mass and throughout the Christmas

      season

      2-49 :  References  

      3:  Mass of Christ

      3-1 :  When Rome eventually instituted Christianity as the state religion in the fourth

      century, the Roman church converted Saturnalia and Sol Invictus to a

      Christian holiday

      3-2 :  Christians have redeemed December 25 and have celebrated it as the birth of

      Christ ever since the fourth century  

      3-3 :  Christians simply celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of our Lord and

      Savior, Jesus Christ. Celebrating Christmas is a matter of conscience    

      3-4 :  What is Christmas?

      3-4-1 :  Christians have long believed that the gospel not only transcends culture, it

      also transforms it

      3-5 :  The Historical Roots of Santa Claus Come from Many Sources

      3-6 :  The Origin of Christmas Eve

      3-7 :  What is Christmas Means?

      3-8 :  For Many of Us, Christmas Truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

      3-9 :  What is Christmas Spirit?

      3-10 :  When Did Christmas Begin?

      3-11 :  Christmas (4th Century - 17th Century)

      3-12 :  Christmas (17th Century - Present Day)

      3-13 :  Christmas Trees

      3-14 :  Santa Claus

      3-14-1 :  The Legend of St. Nicholas

      3-15 :  Christmas Tradition Around the World

      3-15-1 :  Christmas in Finland: ‘Hyvää Joulua!’

      3-15-2 :  Christmas in Norway: ‘Gledelig Jul!’

      3-15-3 :  Christmas in Germany: ‘Froehliche Weihnachten!’

      3-15-4 :  Christmas in Mexico: ‘Feliz Navidad!’

      3-15-5 :  Christmas in England: ‘Merry Christmas!’

      3-15-6 :  Christmas in France: ‘Joyeux Noël!’

      3-15-7 :  Christmas in Italy: ‘Buon Natale!’

      3-15-8 :  Christmas in Australia

      3-16 :  The Tradition and History of Bell Ringing  

      3-16-1 :  What is The Story Behind The Ringing Bells at Christmas?  

      3-16-2 :  Incorporating Bells into Music is Not New

      3-16-3 :  Today, Bells are Used in a Variety of Ways

      3-16-4 :  The sounds of Christmas bells and Christmas carols is primarily associated

      with excitement, happiness and joy

      3-16-5 :  Christmas is, after all, one of the major feasts and celebrations in the overall

      Christian tradition

      3-17 :  Xmas

      3-17-1 :  The Suffix -Mas is From the Latin-Derived Old English Word for Mass

      3-17-2 :  Style Guides and Etiquette  

      3-17-3 :  Xmas Use in English  

      3-17-4 :  Since at least the late 19th century, Xmas has been in use in various other

      English-language nations

      3-17-5 :  Use of X for Christ  

      3-17-6 :  The word "Christ and its compounds, including Christmas", have been

      abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years  

      3-17-7 :  In Ancient Christian Art, χ and χρ Are Abbreviations for Christ's Name

      3-17-8 :  Other Uses of X(t) For Chris(t)-  

      3-18 :  References  

      3-19 :  Visitation (Christianity)

      3-19-1 :  Biblical Narrative  

      3-19-2 :  Some Catholic commentators have maintained that the purpose of this visit

      was to bring divine grace to both Elizabeth and her unborn child

      3-19-3 :  The Word Blessed is rendered in Greek not by the word makarios but as

      evlogimeni  

      3-19-4 :  Western Christianity

      3-19-5 :  In the Tridentine Calendar, it Was a Double

      3-19-6 :  Eastern Christianity  

      3-19-7 :  Commentary  

      3-19-8 :  References  

      3-20 :  The Date of Birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any

      historical sources

      3-20-1 :  Year of Jesus Birth  

      3-20-2 :  Both Luke and Matthew associate Jesus' birth with the time of

      Herod the Great

      3-20-3 :  Luke 1:5 Mentions the reign of Herod shortly before the birth of Jesus

      3-20-4 :  Other Gospel Evidence  

      3-20-5 :  Theories Based on the Star of Bethlehem  

      3-20-6 :  According to Dionysius Exiguus: The Anno Domini System  

      3-20-7 :  The last year of the old table, Diocletian Anno Martyrium 247, was

      immediately followed by the first year of his table, Anno Domini 532

      3-20-8 :  At the time, it was believed by some that the resurrection of the dead and end

      of the world would occur 500 years after the birth of Jesus

      3-20-9 :  Day and Season  

      3-20-10 :  Saturnalia, the Roman feast for Saturn, was associated with the winter

      solstice

      3-20-11 :  Alternatively, 25 December may have been selected owing to its proximity to

      the winter solstice because of its symbolic theological significance

      3-20-12 :  In the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Lord's Day (Sunday) was the earliest

      Christian celebration and included a number of theological themes 

      3-20-13 :  Ignacio L. Götz suggests that Jesus could have been born "in the late spring

      of the year because pregnancies began in the fall

      3-20-14 :  Shia View  

      3-20-15 :  References  

      4: Christmas Traditions  

      4-1 : Christmas Decoration

      4-2 : Typical images on Christmas decorations include Baby Jesus, 

      Father Christmas, Santa Claus, and the star of Bethlehem

      4-3 : Christmas Tree

      4-3-1 : In discussions of folklore, some claim that the Christmas tree is a

      Christianization of pagan tradition  

      4-4 : Types of Christmas Decorations

      4-4-1 : Glass Ornaments  

      4-4-1-1 : Method  

      4-4-2 : Cotton Batting  

      4-4-3 : Dresden  

      4-4-4 : Plants

      4-4-5 : Outdoors

      4-4-6 : Others  

      4-4-7 : Season  

      4-4-7-1 : In the United States, many stores immediately remove decorations the day

      after Christmas, as some think of the holiday season as being over once

      Christmas has passed  

      4-4-8 : References  

      4-5 : Nativity Play

      4-5-1 : Liturgical  

      4-5-2: Popular  

      4-5-2-1 : In Belgium, puppet theatres often put on variations on the Nativity play in

      the weeks before Christmas, with parents and their children in the audience

      4-5-3 : In Schools

      4-5-3-1 : The infant Jesus is sometimes represented by a doll, but sometimes played by

      a real baby

      4-5-4 : Nativity of Jesus in Later Culture

      4-5-5 : References  

      4-6 : Christmas Music

      4-6-1 : Early Music

      4-6-2 : Music Was an Early Fature of the Christmas Season and its Celebrations

      4-6-3 : Puritan Prohibition  

      4-6-4 : Royal Restoration   

      4-6-5 : Christmas caroling, Christmas observance and caroling traditions vary

      considerably between nations in the 21st century

      4-6-6 : The tradition of singing Christmas carols in return for alms or charity began in

      England in the seventeenth century after the Restoration

      4-7 : Church Feasts  

      4-7-1 : Classical Music

      4-8 : Christmas Carols  

      4-8-1 : Standards  

      4-9 : Early Secular Christmas Songs  

      4-10 : Published Christmas Music  

      4-11: Choirmasters Poll  

      4-12 : Popular Christmas Songs

      4-12-1 : United States  

      4-12-2 : Long-time Christmas classics from prior to the rock era still dominate

      the holiday charts

      4-12-3 : Since the mid-1950s, much of the Christmas music produced for popular

      audiences has explicitly romantic overtones, only using Christmas as a setting

      4-12-4 : Most-Performed Christmas Songs  

      4-12-5 : The top thirty most-played holiday songs for the 2015 holiday season are

      ranked here, all titles written or co-written by ASCAP songwriters and

      composers

      4-12-6 : His follow-up a year later introduced "Frosty the Snowman", the central

      character of his song  

      4-12-7 : This phenomenon was noted in the webcomic xkcd and referred to as "a

      massive project to carefully recreate...baby boomers’ childhoods"

      4-13 : Christmas Song Surveys  

      4-13-1 : Pinnacle Media Worldwide Survey  

      4-13-2 : ThoughtCo Ranking  

      4-14 : List of Christmas Hit Singles in the United Kingdom

      4-14-1 : The best Christmas song "to get adults and children in the festive spirit for the

      party season in 2016" was judged by the Daily Mirror to be "Fairytale of New

      York"

      4-14-2 : Christmas Number Ones  

      4-14-3 : The Beatles, Spice Girls, and Lad Baby are the only artists to have achieved

      consecutive Christmas number-one hits on the UK Singles Chart

      4-14-4 : At the turn of the 21st century, songs associated with reality shows became a

      frequent source of Christmas number ones in the UK  

      4-14-5 : Briton Will Young, winner of the first Pop Idol, charted at the top of the Irish

      charts in 2003  

      4-15 : Australia  

      4-16 : Other Popular Christmas Songs  

      4-16-1 : Titles and Recordings added To The Popular Christmas Song Canon  

      4-16-2 : Christmas Songs From Musicals  

      4-17 : Christmas Novelty Songs  

      4-17-1 : Seattle radio personality Bob Rivers became nationally famous for his line of

      novelty Christmas songs  

      4-18 : Juvenile  

      4-19 : Non-Christian Writers  

      4-19-1 : Many popular Christmas tunes of the 20th-century mention winter imagery,

      leading to their being adopted into the Christmas and holiday season

      4-19-2 : Quite the contrary, Sleigh Ride, composed originally in 1948 as an

      instrumental by Leroy Anderson, was inspired by a heatwave in Connecticut

      4-20 : Radio Broadcasting of Christmas Music  

      4-20-1 : Outside the United States  

      4-21 : References  

      4-22 : Christmas Card

      4-22-1 : Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding 

      Christmas Day by many people (including some non-Christians) in Western

      society and in Asia

      4-22-2 : A Christmas card is generally commercially designed and purchased for the

      occasion

      4-22-3 : The first known Christmas card was sent by Michael Maier to 

      James I of England and his son Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales in 1611

      4-22-4 : The first commercially available card was commissioned by Sir

      Henry Cole and designed by John Callcott Horsley in London 1843

      4-22-5 : At Christmas 1873, the lithograph firm Prang and Mayer began creating

      greeting cards for the popular market in Britain

      4-22-6 : The production of Christmas cards was, throughout the 20th century, a

      profitable business for many stationery manufacturers  

      4-22-7 : Modern Christmas cards can be bought individually but are also sold in packs

      of the same or varied designs

      4-23 : Official Christmas Cards

      4-23-1 : There is a long-standing custom for the President and First Lady to

      send White House Christmas Cards each holiday season

      4-24 : Commercial Christmas Cards  

      4-25 : Charity Christmas Cards  

      4-26 : Christmas Stamps and Stickers  

      4-27 : Collectors Items  

      4-28 : Home-Made Cards  

      4-28-1 : Advances in digital photography and printing have provided the technology

      for many people to design and print their own cards

      4-29 : The Christmas Card List

      4-30 : Christmas Letters  

      4-31 : Environmental Impact and Recycling  

      4-31-1 : Recent concern over the environmental impact of printing, mailing and

      delivering cards has fueled an increase in e-cards

      4-32 : International Christmas Greetings  

      4-33 : References  

      4-34 : Christmas Stamp  

      4-34-1 : It is a Matter of Some Debate as to which was the First Christmas Stamp

      4-34-2 : In 1935, British Forces troops stationed in Egypt were issued with a Christmas

      stamp for their mail home

      4-34-3 : In 1937, Austria issued two Christmas greeting stamps featuring a  rose

      and zodiac signs. In 1939

      4-34-4 : The Next Christmas Stamps did Not Appear Until 1951

      4-35 : Christmas Stamp Designs  

      4-35-1 : Stamps tend to be normal-sized, and offered in one or a few denominations,

      for instance to cover differing domestic and international rates  

      4-35-2 : During the 1970s many countries issued Christmas stamps featuring

      children's drawings, with the young artist identified by name and age  

      4-36 : Christmas Stamp  

      4-36-1 : Christmas is a Popular Theme for Topical Collecting

      4-37 : Other Holiday Stamps  

      4-38 : References  

      4-39 : Christmas Gift

      4-39-1 : In ancient Rome, gift giving might have occurred near the winter solstice

      in December which was celebrated during the Saturnalia holiday

      4-39-2 : Another related aspect was the growing desire by parents to keep children at

      home, away from the corrupting influence of the urban streets

      4-39-3 : Christmas season lasting twelve days according to the liturgical calendars of

      many Christian Churches

      4-39-4 : Christmas Economic Impact

      4-39-5 : The relationship between involvement in giving gifts and giving branded items

      as gifts was investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient

      4-39-6 : In the early 2000s it was estimated that shoppers in the U.S. alone spend over

      $4 billion each day during the Christmas shopping season

      4-39-7 : This Leads to Gifts Often Being Returned, Sold, or Re-Gifted

      4-39-8 : Wrapping  

      4-39-9 : References  

      4-40 : Santa Claus

      4-40-1 : He is Commonly Portrayed as Laughing in a way that sounds like ho ho ho

      4-40-2 : Saint Nicholas  

      4-40-3 : In 1087, the Greek Christian inhabitants of Myra were subjugated by the

      newly arrived Muslim Seljuq dynasty

      4-40-4 : These were later taken by Venetian sailors during the First Crusade and

      placed in Venice

      4-40-5 : During the Middle Ages, often on the evening before his name day of 6

      December, children were bestowed gifts in his honor

      4-41 : Father Christmas

      4-41-1 : Dutch, Belgian and Swiss folklore

      4-41-2 : Prior to Christianization, the Germanic peoples (including the English)

      celebrated a midwinter event called Yule (Old English geola or giuli)

      4-41-3 : In Finland, Santa Claus is called Joulupukki (direct translation 'Christmas

      Goat')  

      4-41-4 : In the English and later British colonies of North America, and later in the

      United States, British and Dutch versions of the gift-giver merged further

      4-41-5 : Santa Claus (19th Century)

      4-41-6 : Santa Claus Evolved Into a Large, Hheavyset Person

      4-41-7 : Story that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole may also have been a Nast

      creation

      4-41-8 : The idea of a wife for Santa Claus may have been the creation of American

      authors, beginning in the mid-19th century

      4-41-9 : Santa Claus  (20thC)

      4-41-10 : Images of Santa Claus were conveyed through Haddon Sundblom's depiction

      of him for The Coca-Cola Company's Christmas advertising in the 1930s

      4-41-11 : Coca-Cola's competitor Pepsi-Cola used similar Santa Claus paintings in its

      advertisements in the 1940s and 1950s

      4-41-12 : Volunteers dressed as Santa Claus typically became part of fundraising

      drives to aid needy families at Christmas time  

      4-41-13 : Santa Claus in film and Santa Con

      4-41-14 : In 1912, the actor Leedham Bantock became the first actor to be identified as

      having played Santa Claus in a film

      4-41-15 : In Kyrgyzstan, a Mountain Peak Was Named After Santa Claus

      4-41-16 : A gathering of Santas in 2009 in Bucharest, Romania attempted to top the

      world record, but failed with only 3,939 Santas

      4-42 : Traditions and Rituals

      4-42-1 : Chimneys

      4-42-2 : In the Italian Befana tradition, the gift-giving witch is perpetually covered

      with soot from her trips down the chimneys of children's homes

      4-42-3 : Christmas Eve

      4-42-4 : In Slovenia, Saint Nicholas (Miklavž) also brings small gifts for good children

      on the eve of 6 December

      4-42-5 : The next morning they will find the hay and carrot replaced by a gift; often,

      this is a marzipan figurine

      4-42-6 : Ho, ho, ho

      4-42-7 : There is also a city named North Pole in Alaska where a tourist attraction

      known as the Santa Claus House has been established  

      4-42-8 : In France, Santa is believed to reside in 1 Chemin des Nuages, Pôle Nord

      (1 Alley of Clouds, North Pole)

      4-42-9 : Santa's Workshop § Santa Claus Grottos/Department Stores

      4-42-10 : The area set up for this purpose is festively decorated, usually with a large

      throne, and is called variously Santa's Grotto, Santa's Workshop or a

      similar term

      4-42-11 : There Are Schools Offering Instruction on How to Act as Santa Claus

      4-43 : Letter Writing To Santa Claus

      4-43-1 : Many Postal Services Allow Children to Send Letters to Santa Claus

      4-43-2 : In 2007, Canada Post replied to letters in 26 languages and Deutsche Post in

      16 languages  

      4-43-3 : Canada Post has a special postal code for letters to Santa Claus, and since

      1982 over 13,000 Canadian postal workers have volunteered to write

      responses

      4-43-4 : In Mexico and other Latin American countries, besides using the mail,

      sometimes children wrap their letters to a small helium balloon, releasing

      them into the air so Santa magically receives them

      4-43-5 : Children can also receive a letter from Santa through a variety of private

      agencies and organizations, and on occasion public and private cooperative

      ventures

      4-44 : Tracking Santa Claus

      4-44-1 : The origins of the NORAD Tracks Santa program  began in the United States

      in 1955

      4-44-2 : Opposition from Some Christian Denominations

      4-44-3 : Condemnation of Christmas was prevalent among the 17th-century English

      Puritans and Dutch Calvinists who banned the holiday as

      either pagan or Roman Catholic

      4-44-4 : Opposition Under State Atheism

      4-44-5 : Santa Claus

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