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See also: Christmas Eggnog Riot; Christmas Recipes; Christmas Quotes; Christmas Articles
CHRISTMAS TRIVIA
Christmas Food Trivia
'The Children's Friend' an 8 verse poem published in 1821 was the first printed mention of flying reindeer and Santa's sleigh. The author is uncertain.
"Old Santeclaus with much delight
His reindeer drives this frosty night.
O'er chimney tops, and tracks of snow,
To bring his yearly gifts to you....."
This poem also connects Santa with northern winters and snow and was an influence in helping to shape the American view of Santa Claus. One year later in 1822, Dr. Clement Clark Moore wrote a poem for his children. It was published without his permission the following year in the December 23, 1823 issue of the 'Troy Sentinel.' This poem was most responsible for shaping the American notion of Santa Claus. It was entitled 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' and begins: ”Twas the night before Christmas...." - you know the rest.
In 1931 the Coca-Cola Company commissioned artist Haddon Sundblom to show Santa drinking a Coke to encourage sales in the winter months. From 1931 to 1964 these annual ads became a Christmas tradition, and helped to reinforce the modern American image of Santa Claus (which had been forming since the early 1900s): a rotund, jolly and bearded man, dressed in a red outfit trimmed in white fur with a broad black belt and black boots.
The only Christmas Song to be #1 in the U.S. on Christmas Day:
In 1958 the #1 song on Christmas Day was 'The Chipmunk Song' by David Seville (Ross Bagdasarian) as sung by Alvin, Simon and Theodore (the Three Chipmunks). No other Christmas song has ever been #1 in the U.S. on Christmas Day.
Good luck or an extra present goes to the first one to find a glass pickle ornament hidden on a Christmas tree. This German custom originated in an ornament making district, and has spread to the United States.
In Australia, Father Christmas uses six white boomers (male kangaroos) In the Louisiana swamps travels in a pirogue drawn by alligators and a red nosed werewolf and in the Netherlands St. Nicholas rides on a tall white horse. Other modes of transportation for Santa Claus are a donkey (Switzerland), a broom (Italy), a dugout canoe, (Hawaii).
Christmas may have been celebrated in the 'New World' long before Columbus arrived. Vikings inhabiting Newfoundland around 1,000 AD were Christians, and might very well have celebrated the Feast of the Nativity.
In the year 1213, England's King John (1166-1216) ordered 3,000 capons, 1,000 salted eels, 400 hogs, 100 pounds of almonds, and 24 casks of wine for his Christmas festivities.
In 1377 at the Christmas feast of King Richard II of England, 28 oxen and 300 sheep were consumed.
In 1415, England's Henry V orders food distributed to the citizens of Rouen, who are trapped by his siege. Henry himself dines on roast porpoise.
In 1512 the Duke of Northumberland was served 5 swans for Christmas dinner.
In 1580, the Christmas feasts of Sir William Petrie includes 17 oxen, 14 steers, 29 calves, 5 hogs, 13 bucks, 54 lambs, 129 sheep and one ton of cheese.
England’s 'Long Parliament' of 1646 banned mince pie, Christmas pudding and Christmas dinners of more than 3 courses. These laws were never repealed, so technically they are still in effect!
The celebration of Christmas was banned in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Anyone showing Christmas spirit was fined 5 shillings! This was due to the pilgrims belief that it was a decadent celebration.
American explorer Zebulon Pike celebrated Christmas (1806) by allowing 'two pounds extra of meat, two pounds extra of flour, one gill of whiskey, and some tobacco, to each man, in order to distinguish Christmas Day.'
In 1852 a 446 pound baron of beef was served to Queen Victoria and the royal family.
Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.
Berrien Springs, Michigan calls itself the Christmas Pickle Capital of the World. There is an annual Christmas Pickle Celebration in early December with a Pickle Parade lead by the Grand Dillmeister.
Australia: On Christmas Eve snacks are left out for Father Christmas (cookies and milk, or maybe some beer?) and water for the kangaroos that pull his sleigh while in Australian airspace.
Austria: A typical Christmas dinner would consist of braised carp served with gingerbread and beer sauce, but as in many countries turkey is becoming more popular. Christmas baking is a tradition, with dozens of cookie varieties, cakes and Christstollen bread.
Germany: The Germans tend to have a game feast on Christmas day, usually wild boar or venison. According to German tradition, partaking in a roast of pork dinner on Christmas Eve will prevent evil and promote prosperity in the New Year.
Ireland: There are 3 special puddings made for the holidays; one for Christmas, one for New Year's and another for Twelfth Night.
Italy: Tortellini is a specialty of the Bolognese Christmas dinner (filled with turkey, ham, and sausage forcemeat).
Ireland: Turkey with whiskey glaze - whiskey and honey together with a splash of orange will give an impressive and great tasting twist to the traditional bird.
British Turkey Information Service (www.britishturkey.co.uk)
Jamaica: Christmas dinner usually consists of rice, gungo peas, chicken, ox tail and curried goat.
Mexico: In Oaxaca, Mexico, Christmas Eve is also the Night of the Radishes, when large radishes are cut into animal shapes.
Netherlands: The Dutch eat chicken stuffed with sauerkraut at Christmas to mark the end the year and celebrate the beginning of the New Year. The reason for chicken? Because the animal scratches the ground, it symbolizes scratching the earth over the old year.
(www.Steinfeldssauerkraut.com)
Norway: The big festive feast takes place on Christmas Eve. Most people around the coastal regions eat fish - concoctions of cod and haddock and a variety called lutefisk. Inland they go for pork chops, specially prepared sausages and occasionally lamb.
Poland: The traditional Christmas Eve supper consists of 12 non-meat dishes, representing the months of the year and featuring fish such as pike, herring and carp. Other typical Polish dishes are fish soup, sauerkraut with wild mushrooms or peas and Polish dumplings with various fillings.
Scotland: Rich tatties and neeps - a traditional dish made with mashed potatoes, Swede, carrots, onion and butter, garnished with chives and black pepper.
Sweden: Hiding an almond inside rice pudding is a Christmas custom in Sweden. Whoever gets it has good luck for the new year.
United Kingdom: The majority of families (90%) around the UK consider turkey a Christmas tradition. According to the British Turkey Information Service, UK residents consumed 10 million turkeys in 2000 for Christmas, along with 25 million Christmas puddings, 250 million pints of beer and 35 million bottles of wine.
Wales: Leek and onion sauce to accompany the turkey. Leeks, onion, cloves, breadcrumbs, milk, nutmeg and bay leaves blended to create a thick and creamy alternative to ordinary bread sauce.
Stargazy pie is a fish pie of Cornish origin. It is made with the fishes' heads sticking out of the crust all round the rim, and presumably takes its name from their appearance of gazing skywards. In her Observer Guide to British Cookery (1984) Jane Grigson notes that 'it is a specialty of Mousehole where they make it on 23 December every year, Tom Bawcock's Eve, in memory of the fisherman who saved the town from a hungry Christmas one stormy winter.'
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