How Many Days Until Christmas?

Christmas is December 25, and it is the most widely celebrated holiday in the world. Over 2 billion people observe it in some form, whether as a religious holiday, a cultural tradition, or simply a day for family, food and gifts. In the US alone, the Christmas season generates about $886 billion in retail sales.

The holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, though historians believe the actual birth was likely in spring, not December. The December 25 date was established by the early Christian church in the 4th century, possibly to coincide with existing Roman winter festivals like Saturnalia and Sol Invictus, making the new holiday easier for pagans to adopt.

🎄 Christmas Traditions and Origins

🎅 Where Did Santa Claus Come From?

Santa Claus evolved from Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop born in what is now Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generosity, and stories about him spread across Europe. The Dutch called him Sinterklaas, which English speakers eventually turned into Santa Claus. The modern image of Santa as a jolly red-suited man was solidified by Coca-Colas 1930s advertising campaign, though the red suit actually predates those ads. Thomas Nasts illustrations in Harpers Weekly during the 1860s established many of the details we know today: the North Pole workshop, the naughty-and-nice list, and the round belly.

🎄 When Did Christmas Trees Become Popular?

Christmas trees became mainstream in the 1800s, thanks largely to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were depicted with a decorated tree in an 1848 illustration. Americans saw the image and adopted the tradition enthusiastically. Today about 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the US each year, and another 94 million households use artificial ones.

📊 Christmas by the Numbers

Americans exchange about 1.3 billion Christmas cards each year. The average American spends about $900 on gifts. Over 6 billion candy canes are produced annually. The most popular Christmas song ever recorded is "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide.

🌍 How Is Christmas Celebrated Around the World?

In Australia, Christmas falls during summer, so many families celebrate with beach barbecues. In Japan, eating KFC for Christmas dinner has been a tradition since a wildly successful 1974 marketing campaign. In Iceland, there are 13 "Yule Lads" instead of one Santa, each arriving on a different night before Christmas. In Catalonia, Spain, families have a "Caga Tio" (a log with a face that "poops" out small gifts when children hit it with sticks). Traditions vary enormously, but the core themes of generosity, family and light in the darkness are nearly universal.

🎄 Rudolph Was Created by a Department Store Copywriter

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was not folklore. He was invented in 1939 by Robert L. May, a copywriter at Montgomery Ward department stores, as a coloring book giveaway. May was inspired by his own childhood experiences of being bullied. The store distributed 2.4 million copies the first year. Mays brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, later wrote the song, which Gene Autry recorded in 1949. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time.