Holiday Trivia

[nudeyorker]

YouTube - The Twelve Days of Christmas - Frank Kelly - With Lyrics
The 364 items in the song — from 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree — add up to $96,824, up 10.8%, according to the annual Christmas price index.

 

[nudeyorker]

According to the American Consumer Credit Council, the average American spends $935.00 on Christmas each year and carries an average credit card debt of $8562.00

 

[nudeyorker]

Ever wonder about the origin of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer?

The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward company, department store operators, had been purchasing and distributing children's coloring books as Christmas gifts for their customers for several years. In 1939, Montgomery Ward tapped one of their own employees to create a book for them, thus saving money. 34-year old copywriter Robert L. May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in 1939, and 2.4 million copies were handed out that year. Despite the wartime paper shortage, over 6 million copies had been distributed by 1946.

May drew in part on the story "The Ugly Duckling" and in part from his own experiences as an often taunted, small, frail youth to create the story of the misfit reindeer. Though Rollo and Reginald were considered, May settled on Rudolph as his reindeer's name.

Writing in verse as a series of rhyming couplets, May tested the story as he went along on his 4-year old daughter Barbara, who loved the story

Sadly, Robert Mays wife died around the time he was creating Rudolph, leaving Mays deeply in debt due to medical bills. However, he was able to persuade Sewell Avery, Montgomery Ward's corporate president, to turn the copyright over to him in January 1947, thus ensuring May's financial security.

 

[fratpack]

Wow! The things you learn on this site. Thanks nudeyorker and others for adding to my knowledge! Happy Holidays to all!

 

[nudeyorker]

Wow! The things you learn on this site. Thanks nudeyorker and others for adding to my knowledge! Happy Holidays to all!

Thank you! I've actually learned a great deal doing this thread. I wish there was a little more input of what our members holiday traditions are...

Meanwhile in my research I found out that after the 1917 Communist revolution, the Christmas tree was banned in Russia because it was seen as a religious symbol. New Year's Day became the most important holiday. The fir tree made a comeback in 1935 when Stalin allowed it as a centerpiece for New Year's parties. But only recently has the tree made an appearance in the Kremlin around Christmas time.

 

[nudeyorker]

Ever wonder what Santa does during the off season?
YouTube - Surfing Santa
It's true!

 

[nudeyorker]

In Sweden, the Christmas festivities begin on December 13 with St. Lucia's Day, which celebrates the patron saint of light. The eldest daughter gets up before dawn and dresses as the "Queen of Light" in a long white dress. She wears a crown of leaves. Singing "Santa Lucia," the Lucia Queen goes to every bedroom to serve coffee and treats to each member of the family. The younger children in the family help, too. The whole family helps to select the Christmas tree just a day or two before Christmas.

 

[nudeyorker]

Winter Solstice, also known as Yule, is the shortest day and longest night of the year. In much of the world today its rituals have been incorporated into Christmas, but disillusionment with the over-commercialisation of Christmas inspires many people to re-examine the ancient rituals.

In pagan Scandinavia the winter festival was the yule (or juul). Great yule logs were burned, and people drank mead around the bonfires listening to minstrel-poets singing ancient legends. It was believed that the yule log had the magical effect of helping the sun to shine more brightly.

Mistletoe, which was sacred because it mysteriously grew on the most sacred tree, the oak, was ceremoniously cut and a spray given to each family, to be hung in the doorways as good luck. The celtic Druids also regarded mistletoe as sacred. Druid priests cut it from the tree on which it grew with a golden sickle and handed it to the people, calling it All-Heal. To hang it over a doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors. Kissing under the mistletoe was a pledge of friendship. Mistletoe is still forbidden in most Christian churches because of its Pagan associations, but it has continued to have a special place in home celebrations.

 

[nudeyorker]

One of the first American mass merchandisers, F.W.Woolworth, began importing German glass ornaments into the US in the 1880s and by 1890, according to one source; he was selling $25 million worth of them. Need I remind anyone that the name of his stores were Woolworth’s Five and Dime. That’s a lot of ornaments.
I've been collecting them in my travels for years, here is one of my favorite!

 

[nudeyorker]

I go to an open house party at good friends every Christmas Eve... We have a $50.00 limit on gifts... I usually bake something and put it on a nice plate and top it was a unique christmas ornament.
This year I'm baking Gingerbread Cakes...(12 of them)
Gingerbread Cake
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/3 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tsp baking soda

Mix first group of ingredients in a bowl. Mix the baking soda in the boiling water and add to the batter immediately; mix well. Pour into prepared (lightly greased and floured) 9X13 pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Do not frost.

In keeping with the gingerbread theme, I bought the kids pajamas with gingerbread men or woman on them.
This is one of my favorite parties of the year!
What are you doing 24 December?

 

[SpeedoMike]

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was written in 1939 for Montgomery Ward department stores. Rudolph was not the first for the name.

 

[nudeyorker]

Well since it's almost Christmas... Merry Christmas to all...

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

 

[B_subgirrl]

As we've been invited in (I thought it was YOUR thread to share with us nudeyorker!), here's my contribution:

Carols by Candlelight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[nudeyorker]

As we've been invited in (I thought it was YOUR thread to share with us nudeyorker!), here's my contribution:

Carols by Candlelight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That sounds wonderful.

 

[nudeyorker]

Why is the holiday named Boxing Day?
The holiday is named Boxing Day because the tradition of giving gifts of cash, food, clothing and other goods to the less fortunate were placed into boxes for easier transportation. The goods were distributed based on the family needs and their services to the giver.

 

[nudeyorker]

I don't know who else does this but yesterday I went and bought wrapping paper, ribbon and holiday greeting cards for 75% off and put them away for next year. I also bought two presents for next year. My goal this year is to have everything done by July!

 

[B_subgirrl]

Why is the holiday named Boxing Day?
The holiday is named Boxing Day because the tradition of giving gifts of cash, food, clothing and other goods to the less fortunate were placed into boxes for easier transportation. The goods were distributed based on the family needs and their services to the giver.

My nan (source of all wisdom :biggrin1 used to say it's because posh people gave their servants their yearly pay (often in the form of boots and clothing) in boxes on the day after Xmas.

I don't know who else does this but yesterday I went and bought wrapping paper, ribbon and holiday greeting cards for 75% off and put them away for next year. I also bought two presents for next year. My goal this year is to have everything done by July!

Unfortunately, because of our addiction to blue and silver, we're lucky if we can buy wrapping paper BEFORE Xmas, let alone afterwards. Good way to do it though.

 

[nudeyorker]

OK the holidays are almost over; I'm going to continue to post until Epiphany on 6 January....
NEW YEAR TRADITIONS
Other traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

I don't make resolutions but I have a few things I do New Years Eve and New Years Day...
On 31, December I wear new red underwear to bring a year of love and sex...
I also eat green grapes to ensure no money problems in the coming year... We put silver coins in the window sill for the same reason.
And eat black eyed peas cooked with a silver coin for luck and prosperity.

If you want a year a year of travel and adventure run around the block at midnight carrying a suitcase. I stopped doing this as I have enough travel and adventure in my life.

Do you have any special traditions or superstitions for New Years?

 

[chicagosam]

I don't make resolutions but I have a few things I do New Years Eve and New Years Day...
On 31, December I wear new red underwear to bring a year of love and sex...I also eat green grapes to ensure no money problems in the coming year... We put silver coins in the window sill for the same reason.
And eat black eyed peas cooked with a silver coin for luck and prosperity.

If you want a year a year of travel and adventure run around the block at midnight carrying a suitcase. I stopped doing this as I have enough travel and adventure in my life.

All the above has worked well for you. We'll all have to give it a try.

I'll be staying home on New Year's Eve. I want to make sure that I see 2011.:biggrin1:

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

[nudeyorker]

I've spent the majority of my New Years celebrations in Honolulu or New York, I was lucky enough to also spend it in Japan and London....

London
The Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster chimes thirteen times when the clock's hands strike twelve on New Year`s Eve. It`s only then that the new year officially begins. The tradition I'm told is that the first visitor of each year should be male and should be the one to bring the gifts.
Traditional gifts are a loaf for the table, a drink for the master, and coal for the fire. For good luck, the guest should enter through the front door and leave through the back. Unwanted or empty-handed guests are not allowed to enter first.

JAPAN
Traditionally, on Japanese new year Oshogatsu, people clean and decorate their homes and prepare Kadomatsu and/or Shimenawa to welcome lucky gods before New Year's Eve. It’s preparation day to welcome toshigami (年&#31070, new year's god.