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Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas But Were Afraid to Ask
by Danny Meiers
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Did you know that...
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... "Jingle Bells" was the first song ever played in space? 1965 two Gemini 6 astronauts made a joke and
sent the following message to Earth:
"We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in polar orbit...
I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a
red suit."
Then they started playing "Jingle Bells" with a harmoica and a tambourine.
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... the US-Federal State Maryland uses the melody of the song "Oh Christmas Tree" as they anthem?
Actually this song was planned to be a sad love song but it got changed because of the big success it had
at winter time.
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... the everlasting christmas hit "Last Christmas" gets re-released every year in Germany? And of course
it always enters the charts in at a high position. In 1984 when it was released the first time it did
not hit the pole position in Great Britain. "Do They Know It's Christmas Time?" was blocking this
postition. Anyway Wham!'s song sold much better and now it is the best sold song that has never been
leading the charts in GB.
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... Dutch families celebrate December 6th bigger than 24th or 25th? The customs around Santa Claus have
they roots with the Turkish bishop Nikolaus from Myra who visits kids around the globe on December 6th
where he has a special holiday.
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... Santa himself has his roots in the Dutch traditions? European immigrants took the St. Nikolaus
customs to the USA. Especially the Dutch colonies celebrated the "Sintaclaasfeest". Additionally
St. Nikolaus was the patron of New Amsterdam which later became New York. Sintaclaas turned to St. Claus
and finally Santa Claus.
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... on December 24th at 3pm Swedish families are watching a special Disney christmas program? Norwegian
families also have a special christmas TV custom: the Czech version of Cinderella called "Drei Nüsse für
Aschenbrödel" ("Three nuts for Cinderella"). It is also a classic christmas movie here in Germany.
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... the first words the Finish Santa says when he enters the house are: "Onkos täällä kilttejä lapsia"?
This means, "Are here any good children?" One of his reindeers, Petteri Punakuono, was the inspiration
for Rudolph The Red-Nosed-Reindeer!
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... Rudolph was none of Santa's original reindeers? 1823 a anonnmously released poem named Santa's
reindeers for the first time: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph
joined them 1939 through the poem by Robert L. May.
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... in Katalonia there is always somebody shitting on christmas? The "Caganer" ("little shitter") is part
of the traditional christmas customs. It is a small figure dropping its pants. Actually it looks a little
bit like a Smurf to me. It is not sure how this custom developed. Maybe it stands for the wish for a good
harvest.
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... December 25th is an official holiday in Hongkong and Macao? Both were western colonies.
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... in Sydney Santa arrives on a surf board? There christmas is always in the summer time. So there is a
Turkey-BBQ at Bondi Beach in Sydney. I could not image to celebrate christmas while it is like 25 °C.
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... that Santa has many many homes? Americans believes that he lives on the northpole. Finish kids think
he is from Lapland. The Danish Santa comes from Greenland. The Swiss Santa is from Germany, he lives in
the Black Forest. Finally the Dutch Santa comes from Spain.
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... Santa Claus has not been invented by Coca Cola? The Swedish cartoonist Haddon Sundblom who worked for
Coca Cola just took this look because people thought that Santa would look like this anyway. He just gave
Santa the face of a former Coca Cola worker.
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... scientists are trying to proove that Santa doesn't exist? To bring presents to all children he would
have to travel with a speed of 1040 km/s and would be confrontated with powers of 20,6 mio newton. Those
scientists say that nobody, not even Santa, could survive this conditions.
Scientist that believe in Santa reply that Santa is a supernatural or even extraterrestic beeing and
uses unknown technology. So those conditions would not be a big problem for him.
Another theory is that there is more than just one Santa!
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... that christmas is not the most important custom in the christian church? Easter is more important
even though kids just get hard boiled eggs and stupid chocolate bunnies.
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That's it for this year. I wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year 2009!
Danny
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