THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S CHRISTMAS LETTER
If you celebrate the December holiday season – and even if you don’t -- you have no doubt been exposed to a vast amount of information about the meaning of the Christmas holiday, the customs and traditions, how to decorate, how to dress, and how to everything else. I’m sure you don’t need an annual repeat. This about some of the statistics and oddities about Christmas that you may not know.
If you celebrate the December holiday season – and even if you don’t -- you have no doubt been exposed to a vast amount of information about the meaning of the Christmas holiday, the customs and traditions, how to decorate, how to dress, and how to everything else. I’m sure you don’t need an annual repeat. This about some of the statistics and oddities about Christmas that you may not know.
● MISTLETOE
Viscum album [mistletoe] means “dung on a twig” in the Anglo-Saxon language. Mistletoe spreads through bird droppings.
Image Credit: Geograph
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
Viscum album [mistletoe] means “dung on a twig” in the Anglo-Saxon language. Mistletoe spreads through bird droppings.
Image Credit: Geograph
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● CHRISTMAS GIFTS
A 2014 survey from Japan-based online retailer Rakuten found three-quarters of Americans didn’t like their holiday gifts with one-third choosing to regift, 27 percent donating to charity, and 14 percent cutting their losses and selling while the item still had value.
● ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE DUMPING
Data analyst David McCandless analyzed more than 10,000 Facebook status updates and found that approximately two weeks before Christmas is the most likely time that a man or woman will dump their significant other. Wait until the last week to buy that gift.
A 2014 survey from Japan-based online retailer Rakuten found three-quarters of Americans didn’t like their holiday gifts with one-third choosing to regift, 27 percent donating to charity, and 14 percent cutting their losses and selling while the item still had value.
● ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE DUMPING
Data analyst David McCandless analyzed more than 10,000 Facebook status updates and found that approximately two weeks before Christmas is the most likely time that a man or woman will dump their significant other. Wait until the last week to buy that gift.
● BEWARE CHRISTMAS DANGERS
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are approximately 15,000 Christmas decoration-related emergency room visits each holiday season. These must be old statistics. I'd have bet on a much higher number of visits.
Image Source: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/christmas/
● US MILITARY TRACKS SANTA
It started by accident when, in 1955, a local department store had a typo in their newspaper ad which misdirected children to call NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. In response to the many calls, NORAD started Santa Tracker, and has assigned one colonel to answer calls every Christmas since then. That’s almost 70 years.
● LETTERS TO SANTA
In 1982, Canada Post assigned Santa the postal code of H0H 0H0. It has received an annual letter volume of 1 million ever since, addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are approximately 15,000 Christmas decoration-related emergency room visits each holiday season. These must be old statistics. I'd have bet on a much higher number of visits.
Image Source: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/christmas/
● US MILITARY TRACKS SANTA
It started by accident when, in 1955, a local department store had a typo in their newspaper ad which misdirected children to call NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. In response to the many calls, NORAD started Santa Tracker, and has assigned one colonel to answer calls every Christmas since then. That’s almost 70 years.
● LETTERS TO SANTA
In 1982, Canada Post assigned Santa the postal code of H0H 0H0. It has received an annual letter volume of 1 million ever since, addressed to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada.
Image Credit: Promotional still from The Grinch, c/o Zimbio
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● CHRISTMAS REQUIRES TORTURE RESISTANCE TRAINING
According to the Chicago Tribune, film funnyman Jim Carrey was so uncomfortable in his Grinch costume for 2000’s live-action adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, he likened it to being “buried alive,” and hired a Navy SEAL to train him in torture resistance so he could endure wearing it.
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● CHRISTMAS REQUIRES TORTURE RESISTANCE TRAINING
According to the Chicago Tribune, film funnyman Jim Carrey was so uncomfortable in his Grinch costume for 2000’s live-action adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, he likened it to being “buried alive,” and hired a Navy SEAL to train him in torture resistance so he could endure wearing it.
● TALLEST CHRISTMAS TREE
The Northgate Mall in Seattle has lost its status as having had the tallest Christmas tree ever at 221 feet. Image Credit: English Book in Georgia -- Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
The Northgate Mall in Seattle has lost its status as having had the tallest Christmas tree ever at 221 feet. Image Credit: English Book in Georgia -- Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
Gubbio, a town in the region of Umbria, Italy, now holds the distinction of having the largest Christmas tree in the world. It was first inaugurated in 1981, and it’s a tree of colored lights spread over the slopes of Monte Ingino. The roots sink into the walls of the village, while the star is at the top where the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo, patron saint of Gubbio, is located. It can be seen from up to 30 miles away. (See photo below.)
With a base of 1,148 feet wide and 2,130 feet high, the Christmas tree of Gubbio consists of 3000 multi-colored lights placed all the way up the slopes of Monte Ingino, which towers above the city. Green lights outline the shape of a Christmas tree, with over 300 multicolored lights scattered in the central body and at the top, at least two hundred lights outside the star. The tree lighting takes place every year on December 7th.
Image Source: www.italybyevents.com/world-largest-christmas-tree
With a base of 1,148 feet wide and 2,130 feet high, the Christmas tree of Gubbio consists of 3000 multi-colored lights placed all the way up the slopes of Monte Ingino, which towers above the city. Green lights outline the shape of a Christmas tree, with over 300 multicolored lights scattered in the central body and at the top, at least two hundred lights outside the star. The tree lighting takes place every year on December 7th.
Image Source: www.italybyevents.com/world-largest-christmas-tree
● CHRISTMAS CARDS
Werner Erhard is cited in the book The Curious World of Christmas as holding the world record for sending the most Christmas cards in a single year (December 1975). He sent 62,824 cards. Considering standard postage at the time, the postage cost alone would have been $8,167.12, which works out to around $30,783.76 in today’s dollars. (No estimate on the cost of the cards.)
According to Wikipedia, Werner Hans Erhard (born John Paul Rosenberg; September 5, 1935) is an American author and lecturer known for founding Erhard Seminars Training. In 1985, Erhard replaced the his seminars with a newly designed program, the Forum. While Wikipedia does not mention the Christmas cards, based on his involvement in training seminars, and the large number of people who took his seminars over the years, it is certainly possible that this is the same person.
● KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
Each year since the 1970s, millions of Japanese families have celebrated Christmas Day with a “Party Barrel” from Kentucky Fried Chicken. According to the BBC, a local-to-Japan KFC restaurant owner dreamed up the idea, and the company took it national in 1974.
Werner Erhard is cited in the book The Curious World of Christmas as holding the world record for sending the most Christmas cards in a single year (December 1975). He sent 62,824 cards. Considering standard postage at the time, the postage cost alone would have been $8,167.12, which works out to around $30,783.76 in today’s dollars. (No estimate on the cost of the cards.)
According to Wikipedia, Werner Hans Erhard (born John Paul Rosenberg; September 5, 1935) is an American author and lecturer known for founding Erhard Seminars Training. In 1985, Erhard replaced the his seminars with a newly designed program, the Forum. While Wikipedia does not mention the Christmas cards, based on his involvement in training seminars, and the large number of people who took his seminars over the years, it is certainly possible that this is the same person.
● KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
Each year since the 1970s, millions of Japanese families have celebrated Christmas Day with a “Party Barrel” from Kentucky Fried Chicken. According to the BBC, a local-to-Japan KFC restaurant owner dreamed up the idea, and the company took it national in 1974.
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Image Credit: Boing Boing Image Credit: KFC Japan
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/ Image source: www.bbc.com/worklife/japan-christmas--kfc
● ROLLER-SKATING TO CHRISTMAS MASS
In the capital city of Venezuela, Caracas, there's a 'wheelly' fun tradition which involves pretty much the entire city roller skating to early morning church services throughout the Christmas period. They even close the roads off specially to allow for the unconventional commute.
Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/ Image source: www.bbc.com/worklife/japan-christmas--kfc
● ROLLER-SKATING TO CHRISTMAS MASS
In the capital city of Venezuela, Caracas, there's a 'wheelly' fun tradition which involves pretty much the entire city roller skating to early morning church services throughout the Christmas period. They even close the roads off specially to allow for the unconventional commute.
According to Hispanic Culture Online, children are put to bed earlier than normal the night before to give them enough strength to wake up and skate to Mass. Afterwards, those who attended apparently all go out, eat tostados and drink coffee.
Image Credit: Getty
Image Source: //metro.co.uk/2017/12/20/venezuelans-roller-skate
Image Credit: Getty
Image Source: //metro.co.uk/2017/12/20/venezuelans-roller-skate
● WORLD’S TALLEST SNOWMAN
Guinness World Records credits the title of world’s tallest snowman — snowwoman, rather – to Bethel, Maine, after the entire city pitched in on the 122' 1" tall creation, named Olympia, who measures just a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty (also a woman). She was built is 2008 and named after Senator Olympia Snowe. She had skis for her eyelashes and wreaths for her eyes. She wore a 100-foot long scarf, and waved 2 whole 27-foot tall trees as arms. And imagine lugging her 8-foot nose up there!
Image Credit: Guiness World Records - Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
Guinness World Records credits the title of world’s tallest snowman — snowwoman, rather – to Bethel, Maine, after the entire city pitched in on the 122' 1" tall creation, named Olympia, who measures just a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty (also a woman). She was built is 2008 and named after Senator Olympia Snowe. She had skis for her eyelashes and wreaths for her eyes. She wore a 100-foot long scarf, and waved 2 whole 27-foot tall trees as arms. And imagine lugging her 8-foot nose up there!
Image Credit: Guiness World Records - Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● WORLD’S LONGEST CHRISTMAS STOCKING
The Italy-based emergency services organiza-tion, Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni, located in Carrara, Italy, captured the world’s longest Christmas stocking title from Guiness World Records on Jan. 5, 2011. The final size was over 168 feet in length and more than 70 in width (from heel to toe). Image Credit: World Record Academy -- Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● BECOME A BETTER SANTA CLAUS
If you are a part-time Santa Claus for the last few months of the year, there's a place you can go to hone you Santa Claus skills for that department store gig. There is no more prestigious place to do that than the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.
The Italy-based emergency services organiza-tion, Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni, located in Carrara, Italy, captured the world’s longest Christmas stocking title from Guiness World Records on Jan. 5, 2011. The final size was over 168 feet in length and more than 70 in width (from heel to toe). Image Credit: World Record Academy -- Image Source: //www.robertreeveslaw.com/
● BECOME A BETTER SANTA CLAUS
If you are a part-time Santa Claus for the last few months of the year, there's a place you can go to hone you Santa Claus skills for that department store gig. There is no more prestigious place to do that than the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.
The school has operated since 1937 (86 years), teaching Santa history, proper dress, Santa sign language, toy making, the latest toy-and-gadget wish lists, and live reindeer habits. Every year, nearly 300 of "Santa's cousins" come from across the country and the world for fellowship, inspiration and a celebration of the Christmas spirit… and to learn how to be a better Santa.
Image credit: Katy Kildee/[email protected] -- Source of Images: www.ourmidland.com/Charles-W-Howard
Image credit: Katy Kildee/[email protected] -- Source of Images: www.ourmidland.com/Charles-W-Howard
● CHRISTMAS AT DENNY’S
Denny’s restaurants have long been known for their “always open” motto, even on Christmas. In 1988, Management, having experienced a rare moment of compassion for its employees, decided to give them Christmas day off. The only problem was 700 of the franchise’s then-1,221 locations had no locks per the company policy. Image Credit: Denny’s Restaurants
Image Source: heavy.com/dennys-christmas-open Thankfully, corporate was able to come through with
last-minute installations, and the employees got to go home for Christmas. No word on what their policy is now.
JUST SAYIN'!
Sources:
https://metro.co.uk/2017/12/20/christmas-around-the-world-why-venezuelans-roller-skate-to-mass-on-christmas-eve-7018407/
https://www.italybyevents.com/en/events/umbria/world-largest-christmas-tree-gubbio/
https://www.robertreeveslaw.com/blog/strange-bizarre-hilarious-christmas-facts/
https://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-largest-snowperson/https://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-largest-snowperson/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Erhard
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20161216-why-japan-celebrates-christmas-with-kfc
https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Charles-W-Howard-Santa-Claus-School-continues-13324811.php
https://heavy.com/news/2015/12/dennys-menu-near-me-christmas-open-on-hours-is-holidays/
https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/christmas/
https://www.mcall.com/1988/12/21/dennys-is-taking-a-day-off/
Denny’s restaurants have long been known for their “always open” motto, even on Christmas. In 1988, Management, having experienced a rare moment of compassion for its employees, decided to give them Christmas day off. The only problem was 700 of the franchise’s then-1,221 locations had no locks per the company policy. Image Credit: Denny’s Restaurants
Image Source: heavy.com/dennys-christmas-open Thankfully, corporate was able to come through with
last-minute installations, and the employees got to go home for Christmas. No word on what their policy is now.
JUST SAYIN'!
Sources:
https://metro.co.uk/2017/12/20/christmas-around-the-world-why-venezuelans-roller-skate-to-mass-on-christmas-eve-7018407/
https://www.italybyevents.com/en/events/umbria/world-largest-christmas-tree-gubbio/
https://www.robertreeveslaw.com/blog/strange-bizarre-hilarious-christmas-facts/
https://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-largest-snowperson/https://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-largest-snowperson/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Erhard
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20161216-why-japan-celebrates-christmas-with-kfc
https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Charles-W-Howard-Santa-Claus-School-continues-13324811.php
https://heavy.com/news/2015/12/dennys-menu-near-me-christmas-open-on-hours-is-holidays/
https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/christmas/
https://www.mcall.com/1988/12/21/dennys-is-taking-a-day-off/
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