Christmas is one of the most widely observed holidays in the world, celebrated by over 2 billion people across both religious and secular traditions. And yet most people know almost nothing about where its traditions actually came from. These facts fix that.
Historical Origins
The Date Was a Political Decision
The Bible doesn't mention December 25th — there's no biblical record of Jesus's exact birthdate. Many historians believe the birth likely occurred in spring or early autumn, since the Gospel of Luke describes shepherds keeping watch over their flocks outdoors, which would have been unusual in a Palestinian winter.
December 25th was first recorded as the official date of Christmas in 336 CE under the Roman Emperor Constantine. The date was likely chosen to coincide with existing Roman winter solstice celebrations (Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti), making the Christian holiday easier to adopt for a pagan population.
Christmas Was Banned in England and America
During Oliver Cromwell's Puritan rule in England (1645–1660), Christmas celebrations were officially banned. The holiday was seen as too rowdy and too pagan. Shops were required to stay open on December 25th, and soldiers were dispatched to confiscate food being prepared for Christmas feasts.
In early colonial America, several states — including Massachusetts — made celebrating Christmas a criminal offence. It wasn't made a federal holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.
Medieval Christmas Looked More Like Mardi Gras
Medieval Christmas celebrations lasted twelve days (still commemorated in the carol) and had more in common with carnival than with the quiet, family-centred holiday we know today. There was public feasting, drinking, costumes, role reversals (servants were served by masters), and general revelry that the church periodically tried and failed to suppress.
Traditions & Their Real Origins
Rudolph Was a Marketing Campaign
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 by Robert L. May, a copywriter at Montgomery Ward department stores in Chicago. The stores had been buying and giving away children's colouring books for Christmas every year; May's boss suggested they create their own instead of buying them. May wrote the story of Rudolph over several months, partly inspired by his own feelings of being an outsider.
Montgomery Ward gave away 2.4 million copies of the Rudolph booklet in 1939. The song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" wasn't written until 1949.
Santa Claus Was Not Invented by Coca-Cola
The persistent myth that Coca-Cola invented the modern image of Santa Claus — red suit, white beard, jolly and large — is false. The red-suited Santa was created by political cartoonist Thomas Nast in a series of illustrations published in Harper's Weekly between 1863 and 1886. Coca-Cola's 1930s advertising campaign popularised and standardised that image, but didn't create it.
The real Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop in what is now Turkey, known for secretly giving gifts to people in need.
Christmas Trees Were Once Illegal in Some US States
The Christmas tree tradition was brought to the United States primarily by German immigrants in the early 19th century. Before it was widely adopted, the practice was viewed with suspicion by many Protestant communities who saw it as a pagan tradition. Several states had laws against displaying Christmas trees in public schools well into the 20th century.
Eggnog Is an American Invention
Eggnog evolved from a medieval British hot ale drink called "posset." When the recipe migrated to the American colonies, rum replaced ale (it was cheaper and more available), and the drink was served cold. The first recorded American eggnog was made in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607.
Christmas By the Numbers
- Approximately 25–30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the US each year. Most were growing for 7–10 years before they were cut.
- The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was put up in 1931 — by construction workers building the complex, who decorated it with tin cans, paper, and garland.
- The poinsettia plant was introduced to the United States by Joel R. Poinsett, the first US Ambassador to Mexico, in 1828.
- The twelve days of Christmas originally referred to the period between December 25th and January 6th (Epiphany) — not twelve items to buy.
- Orthodox Christian churches celebrate Christmas on January 7th, thirteen days after December 25th, following the Julian calendar.
More Holiday Reading
If you enjoyed this, check out the real history of Christmas carols — several of those stories are equally surprising. And when you're ready to organize your holiday gift exchange, Elfster's free Secret Santa generator takes about 60 seconds to set up.