Mary Jo Bellner Swartzberg
Can anyone explain where the last 12 months went? Seriously, wasn’t it just March? Actually, we have managed to use up another year—one that was filled with tons of memories, both good and bad. And on Dec. 31, as you lift your glass for a toast and sing “Auld Lang Syne,” you reflect on the previous 12 months, and you are filled with a sadness that you cannot explain. After all, there are revelers all around you laughing and merrymaking. Well, okay, so now, isn’t it time for some freaky factoids—just to make you feel better? To wit …
• Many of us are very conservative when it comes to holiday spending; however, the average American spends $1,000 on holiday gifts each year. Bah Humbug!
• Tinsel was first made in Germany during the 1600s, and it was made from silver. Warp speed ahead a couple hundred years, and the United States banned tinsel because of its lead content. Tinsel is made with aluminum or plastic now.
• Turkey or ham? Turkey is top dog (eww) when it comes to a holiday dinner.
• Since 1978, the song “Silent Night” (the most popular song of the holidays) has been recorded in 733 versions.
• A Christmas tree, full and fluffy, takes about 15 years to grow. Note that this year’s five- to six-foot Christmas tree will cost about $150.
• During the 1970s, KFC launched a marketing campaign in Japan. There is now a tradition of eating a bucket of KFC to celebrate Christmas. Arigato, KFC!
• “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is a popular song, of course, but its creator Robert L. May almost named the reindeer Reginald. Let’s see, “Reginald the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Nope, too many syllables.
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the highest grossing holiday film—ever! The computer-animated flick brought in $512,858,819 worldwide. Home Alone is the runner-up.
• Christmas celebrations were banned in the mid-17th century, thanks to the Puritan-led English Parliament. Instead, the parliamentarians chose a day of fasting on Dec. 25.
• Eighty-five percent of children in the United States believe in Santa Claus. Santa receives around 32,000 letters from children each day!
• The candy cane dates to 1670 and was given to young members of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany to keep them quiet during the Christmas Eve celebration.
• When first released, the film It’s a Wonderful Life was a flop. After the copyright expired in 1974, the film was shown on television, and it became one of the most beloved movies of all time.
• The song “Jingle Bells” was the first song played in space. It was Dec. 16, 1965, during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight.
• The image of Santa Claus was created in 1931. Coca-Cola commissioned Haddon Sundblom, an artist, to paint Santa Claus for its ads, which were inspired by the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Sundblom depicted Santa with a white beard, rosy cheeks, and twinkling eyes.