CHRISTMAS TRIVIA

 

• In Norway on Christmas Eve, visitors should know that after the family's big dinner and the opening of presents, all the brooms in the house are hidden. The Norwegians long ago believed that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve and would steal their brooms for riding.
• In Portugal, the traditional Christmas meal (consoada) is eaten in the early hours of Christmas Day. Burning in the hearth is the Yule log (fogueira da consoada). The ashes and charred remains of the Yule log are saved; later in the year, they are burned with pine cones during Portugal's thunderstorm season. It is believed that no thunderbolt will strike where the Yule log smoke has traveled.
• In southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use part of the log to ensure a plentiful harvest the following year.
• In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbock. Made from straw, it is a small figurine of a goat. A variety of straw decorations are a usual feature of Scandinavian Christmas festivities.
• In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by one of the Wise Men's camels. The gift-giving camel is said to have been the smallest one in the Wise Men's caravan.
• In Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker, the nutcracker's main enemy is The King of Mice
• In the "Nutcracker" section of Fantasia, Mushrooms dance the Chinese dance
• In the British armed forces it is traditional that officers wait on the men and serve them their Christmas dinner. This dates back to a custom from the Middle Ages.
• In the Christmas song, it was Mommy seen kissing Santa Claus under the mistletoe last night
• In the movie "Miracle on 34th Street", a man is on trial for claiming to be Santa Claus. When the US Postal Service delivers mail to him which convinces the judge to rule in the man's favor
• In the movie 'Miracle on 34th Street', Kris Kringle is hired to play Santa Claus in Macy's department store
• In the movie The Santa Clause, Tim Allen starred as the substitute Santa Claus
• In the Netherlands, Christmas centers on the arrival of Saint Nicholas, who is believed to come on horseback bearing gifts. Before going to bed, children leave out their shoes, hoping to find them filled with sweets when they awaken.
• In The Night Before Christmas I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter
• The stockings hung by the chimney in The Night Before Christmas.