Some Facts About Christmas

It is an accepted fact that the Christmas tree traditionthe White House. This tradition can be credited to
is one that was brought to the shores of America byPresident Calvin Coolidge who lit the first decorated
German immigrants who continued a practice thatChristmas tree outside at the White House in 1923.
was popular in their former homeland. Today, aThe lighting of the National Christmas Tree has also
Christmas tree, even a miniature one, is present in justbeen used to convey some symbolic meaning not
about every home at Christmas. It is thereforerelated to Christmas. It was not lighted until Dec. 22 in
interesting to note some little-know facts about the1963 because of a national mourning period of 30
Christmas Tree and other traditions related todays for the assassination of President Kennedy. And
Christmas.while Teddy Roosevelt was President he gave an
The first interesting fact is the source of realorder that banned the Christmas tree from the White
Christmas Trees for some Americans. These can beHouse, not for the assassination of President McKinley
bought at a Christmas Tree Farm or at many localin 1901, which caused him to become president, but for
stores and other places of business in just aboutreasons related to the environment.
every town and city across the country aroundAlso of note is that when the National Christmas Tree
Christmas time. But according to the Nationalwas lighted on Dec. 13 in 1984, temperatures were in
Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy aboutthe 70s during an unusually warm December.
330,000 Christmas trees that are real throughChristmas has been celebrated in the United States
e-commerce or from a catalogue and have themsince the 1600s although it wasn't always very popular.
shipped by mail-order.It took more than two centuries into the mid-late 1860s
The scent of real Christmas trees is the reason theyfor Christmas to become a popular holiday season all
are so popular. But as they stand silently in theiracross America. So maybe the rest of the country
decorative wonder, they also are providing anotherowes the holiday of Christmas Day to the state of
benefit. The Christmas Tree Association says theAlabama, which in 1836 became the first state to
amount of oxygen produced on a daily basis by onedeclare Dec. 25 a legal holiday.
acre of Christmas tree is enough to provide enoughIt is interesting to note that on Christmas Day of 1789
oxygen for 18 people. And during the first week, aCongress was in session. And to show how far
Christmas Tree at home will use up to one quart ofahead of the game Alabama was, it wasn't until June
water each day to help retain its longevity for the26, 1870 that the federal government declared
many days of Christmas.Christmas as a federal holiday. Although Christmas is
Since Christmas celebrations gained popularity inbased on the Christian religion, not all Christian groups
America, the Christmas Tree has always been a bigcelebrate the season. Among the Christian groups
tradition. During the 1950s however, artificial Christmaswho do not celebrate Christmas and related traditions
trees were not always green. It was very popularsuch as sending greeting cards are Jehovah
during those times to have artificial trees with otherWitnesses. Jehovah Witnesses and other
colors such as silver, pink and aqua. The appeal innon-participating Christian groups say Christmas isn't
having these colored Christmas trees may have beenspecifically mentioned in the Bible as a time or reason
due to the fact that they looked shiny and bright andto celebrate and since they strictly adhere to the word
appeared like tinsel instead of green foliage.of the Bible, they refuse to celebrate Christmas.
An important ceremony related to the Christmas treeLearn about pictures of dragonflies and dragonfly
that gains national attention during the Christmasnymph at the About Animals site.
season is the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at