7 fascinating pieces of Christmas trivia to bring out at the dinner table

27/11/2024

If you're looking to 1-up crackers with facts around the dinner table this year, read to discover 7 fascinating pieces of lesser-known Christmas trivia

Christmas crackers have been a staple of the festive period for years, bringing bright colours, fun prizes, and sometimes questionable jokes and trivia to the table.

According to the V&A Museum, crackers were invented in the 1840s by Tom Smith, a London confectioner. After a trip to Paris, where he discovered bon bons – sugared almonds wrapped in paper – Smith decided to add a twist: a small love motto inside the wrapper.

Later inspired by the crackling sound of a fireplace, he added the iconic “pop”.

By the 1920s, crackers became more extravagant, featuring toys, imitation jewellery, and even fascinating trivia.

While some of today’s cracker jokes and trivia may lean towards the ridiculous, every now and then, you stumble across a diamond in the rough.

So, if you’re looking for a few festive gems to impress your loved ones around the dinner table this year, continue reading to discover seven lesser-known pieces of Christmas trivia.

1. Japanese Christmas dinner

While you’re sitting down to enjoy your traditional roast dinner this Christmas, people in Japan tend to have a completely different, and perhaps unexpected, meal: fried chicken.

In fact, KFC has become so synonymous with Christmas dinner in Japan, that the BBC reveals that an estimated 3.6 million families follow this tradition.

This unique custom began in the 1970s when Takeshi Okawara – the manager of Japan’s first KFC – introduced a “party barrel” for Christmas.

The idea quickly gained popularity, as it capitalised on the lack of established Christmas dinner traditions in Japan. Today, long queues are a common sight outside KFC restaurants on Christmas Eve.

2. Christmas was once illegal

Believe it or not, Christmas hasn’t always been a time of celebration. In fact, it was illegal in several parts of the world at different points in history.

In England, Christmas celebrations were banned in 1647 under the Puritan government, who viewed the period as too closely associated with Catholicism and excess.

The ban led to riots in some cities, and Christmas wasn’t fully reinstated until 1660, with the restoration of King Charles II.

Similar things occurred in Scotland, where Christmas was banned in 1640 as part of the Scottish Reformation.

The holiday was seen as an inappropriate way to honour Christ and was punishable by imprisonment, and it wasn’t until 1958 that Christmas officially became a public holiday again – over 300 years later!

Even across the pond, Puritan settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony banned Christmas in 1659, imposing fines on anyone caught celebrating. The ban lasted until 1681, but it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that Christmas celebrations gained popularity again in New England.

3. The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings has humble beginnings

If, as a child, you ever found a tangerine in your stocking, you might have wondered why. This tradition dates back to 12th-century nuns who left stockings filled with fruit and nuts at the homes of the poor.

Inspired by the legend of St Nicholas, who famously gave gold to those in need, the nuns used tangerines to symbolise generosity and kindness, all while ensuring the poor could fill their bellies at such a festive time.

While your children or grandchildren might not appreciate this humble gift, its origins are actually rooted in the spirit of giving, so be sure to explain that if they complain about not receiving a toy in their stocking this year.

4. Ancient Celts believed mistletoe had magical powers

Mistletoe might seem like a simple Christmas decoration, but its origins are actually steeped in ancient mythology.

Indeed, for the Celts, mistletoe was believed to hold magical properties. Druid priests, who worshipped the oak tree, were fascinated by mistletoe when it grew on oak branches.

They reportedly called it “All Heal”, believing it could cure diseases, ward off evil spirits, and bring blessings of fertility, which might be why people still kiss underneath the mistletoe today.

During sacred ceremonies, mistletoe was also carefully harvested on the sixth night of the moon, as letting it touch the ground was thought to strip it of its power.

5. A famous company inspired the image of Santa

When you picture Santa Claus, there’s a good chance he’s dressed in a red suit, smiling warmly, and possibly holding a bottle of Coca-Cola.

Well, that’s no coincidence, as the modern image of Santa owes much to Coca-Cola’s marketing efforts in the 20th century.

In 1931, the company commissioned artist, Haddon Sundblom, to create illustrations of Santa for their advertising campaigns. Sundblom based his work on Clement Clarke Moore’s 1822 poem, ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’.

The resulting image was a jolly, rosy-cheeked figure delivering toys, and it became iconic.

From 1934 to 1964, Coca-Cola featured Santa in various campaigns, solidifying his red and white look. Even to this day, a timely reminder that Christmas is on its way is when the famous Coca-Cola advert starts appearing on TV.

6. Artificial Christmas trees were inspired by toilet brushes

These days, artificial Christmas trees have become a practical alternative to real trees, with data reported by Statista revealing that 62% of UK households planned to use one in 2023.

However, their origins are perhaps more unexpected than you may have thought.

In the late 19th century, people searched for alternatives to traditional evergreen trees, turning to wire and feather trees. While these were innovative, they were also highly flammable, especially when paired with candles.

Then, Addis Housewares, a UK company best known for making toilet brushes, created the first bottle-brush Christmas trees, which used the same type of bristles.

These safer, more durable trees quickly became a household staple, and paved the way for the artificial trees many use today.

7. Santa’s bones were supposedly once stolen

The man who inspired Santa Claus, St Nicholas, was a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and charitable acts. After his death, he was venerated as a saint, and his relics (or, in this case, remains) became highly sought after.

According to legend, St Nicholas was buried in Myra (modern-day Demre in Turkey). Though, during the medieval period – a time rife with relic theft – a group of sailors and merchants from Sicily stole his bones.

They did so to compete with Venice, who stole the bones of St Mark from Alexandria in 827.

However, the Venetians claimed they had already stolen the remains of St Nicholas during the First Crusade. Today, experts are still unsure where the bones lie, or even if they existed in the first place – fake relics were common at the time, as the “golden age of medieval forgery” was between 1000 and 1150.

This ongoing dispute has even involved the Turkish government, which formally requested the return of the relics in 2009, though the exact whereabouts of Santa’s bones still remain a mystery.

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Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.