10 interesting 'must-know' things about Christmas

(Baonghean.vn) - The Christmas atmosphere is bustling everywhere, people are excitedly preparing gifts, Christmas cards and decorating their houses. Everyone knows that Christmas has been in people's minds for a long time, but there are also things you may not know about Christmas. Let's find out these special things!

1. Christmas tree

In winter, all trees turn yellow and lose their leaves, but the pine tree remains lush and green. Therefore, the pine tree symbolizes vitality, resurrection and hope every Christmas season.

Martin Luther was the first person to decorate an evergreen tree for Christmas. He brought one into his home and decorated it with candles and ornaments made of flowers, fruit and everyday objects, with the idea that the light would remind people of Jesus and the ornaments on the tree would represent the gifts of God's mercy.

2. Santa Claus

According to legend, the Bishop of Myra, born in Türkiye in 279, was famous for his life devoted to charitable activities. In the 9th century, the Catholic Church canonized him as the patron saint of children. From there, the name Santa Claus (called Father Christmas by the British and Americans) was born.

On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus returns to earth, through the chimney into each family, leaving candy and gifts in stockings that children hang near their beds or fireplaces, bringing sweet dreams to their childhood.

3. Advent wreath

Advent wreaths are made of green leaves and are usually placed on a table or hung high so that everyone can see them. The circular shape of the wreath represents the eternal nature and endless love of God. On the Advent wreath, there are usually 4 candles (3 purple and 1 pink).

4. Christmas Star

The Christmas star symbolizes God's miracle. According to legend, when Jesus was born, a brilliant star appeared, its light spreading hundreds of miles. Three kings were revealed to follow the star's light to Bethlehem where Jesus was born and witnessed a miracle (Feast of the Three Kings).

5. Candy cane

The candy cane is a symbol of Jesus' sacrifice. The white color of the candy cane represents the purity and innocence of Jesus, the three small red stripes on the candy cane represent the holy trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the dark red stripe symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed to save mankind. Looking at the candy cane, we see that it looks like a shepherd's staff because Jesus is the shepherd of the sheep. If you turn the candy cane upside down, it becomes the letter J, the first letter of Jesus' name.

6. Hang up the stocking to receive the gift

Legend has it that there was a family of three young girls who were of marriageable age but no man came to them because the family was too poor. Bishop Myra felt sorry for them and threw gold coins into the chimney of the three girls' kitchen. The gold coins landed on the girls' stockings that they hung by the fireplace and their wish was granted. Since then, there has been a tradition of children hanging stockings by the fireplace to receive gifts as the three girls wished from Santa Claus.

7. The cave and the manger

During Christmas preparations, churches often build a miniature model of a corner of the cave where Jesus was born, complete with human and animal figures according to biblical legends.

The creator of this lovely symbol was St. Francis. On Christmas Eve 1224, he erected in the church in a village near Assissi (Italy), a nativity scene with a real person.

8. Poinsettia

Legend has it that a little girl had no gift to offer the baby Jesus, so she brought a bunch of leaves to the manger. Her friends laughed at her, but when she placed the leaves at Jesus' feet, they turned into beautiful, bright red flowers.

9. Christmas Cards

In ancient Egypt and Rome, people had the habit of sending New Year greetings carved on pieces of wood. In 1843, Henry Cole (England) was too busy to write letters during the Christmas season, so he printed some cards to send to his colleagues. At that time, thousands of cards were printed and sold for one "Shilling".

10. Christmas Buche Cake

Western ancestors often lit firewood in their fireplaces, believing that the crackling fire would keep evil spirits away. Nowadays, few homes still have fireplaces. Instead, in 1875, a French baker created a cake shaped like a log for people to enjoy on Christmas Eve, a tradition that has been passed down to this day.

Kim Ngoc

(Synthetic)