HO HO HO!
With bells jingling and our holiday spirits tingling, we wish the warmest seasons’ greetings to all of you! As the merry time is upon us, let us celebrate this festival with taking good care of ourselves and our loved ones, and receiving the gift of knowledge by learning some things about Christmas that might land you directly in Santa’s good kids’ list.
- ‘X’ marks the celebrations
Although, “Christmas” is a shortened form of “Christ’s mass”, the further shortening of it came about through the abbreviation Xmas – which was based on the initial letter chi (X) in Greek Khrīstos.
- Please don’t ruin Christmas
From the ‘X’ to the ‘Ex’ who keeps coming back to you at Christmas out of nowhere, there’s a term for that behavior. It’s called Marleying, from the character Jacob Marley, who visits the protagonist around Christmas, in Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella ‘A Christmas Carol’.
- Take the Ex Away, Krampus
And speaking of unpleasant things associated with Christmas, Central and Eastern Alpine folklore believes in the Krampus – a horned, anthropomorphic figure who, during the Christmas season, scares children who have misbehaved.
- Duck Duck Snow
On a merrier note, the Swedes have a bizarre tradition of watching Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve. Every Christmas eve, most of Sweden sits down in front of the television for a family viewing of “Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul” (Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas)
- Reason’s Greetings
Interestingly, on Christmas day, some atheists, sceptics, etc., celebrate “GravMas”, where they exchange boxes of apples and science-related items as gifts, in honor of Sir Isaac Newton, who was said to have been born on the same date. Oh and btw, GravMas is short for Gravitational Mass. *facepalming hard*
- The Joy of Shopping..?
Although Boxing Day, celebrated after the Christmas day, is now massively popular for shopping, and sales, and whatnot, it had very noble origins from Europe where it came about as a holiday to give alms boxes, and gifts to the poor and needy.
That brings us to the end of the blog. However, we hope you will spread some love by sending this to your loved ones. Until next time, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
See you soon 😊
XOXO
