Christmas Before & After
Christmas _______
__________ Cap
Night (or Stocking)
In 2021, a whopping 92% of holiday decorations bought in the US came from this country, where only about 1% of the population celebrate Christmas.
China
Fear of this creepy crawly is the number one phobia in the world, but in Poland they are common Christmas tree decorations because, according to legend, one wove a blanket for baby Jesus.
A Spider
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
__________________________!
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Adorn the room with sacred branches.
Original phrase: The first line of a famous Christmas Carol.
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
While we've been using the word Christmas as an abbreviated form of Christ's Mass since about the year 1030, this abbreviation, commonly considered a modern affectation, actually dates back to the 1500s and stems from X representing the Greek character of 'chi', the first letter of the Greek name for Christ.
X-mas
Christmas _______
__________Dream
Day
This least appreciated and most maligned Christmas food originated in ancient Egypt, where it was considered essential for the afterlife.
Fruitcake
Bolivians celebrate Misa del Gallo on Christmas Eve, with some people bringing this farm animal to the midnight mass in the belief that it was the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus on the first Christmas morning.
A Rooster
He's got a bag that's filled with toys
For boys and girls again
Hear those sleigh bells jingle jangle,
Oh what a beautiful sight
So jump in bed and cover your head, 'cause
_____________________________!
Santa Claus Comes Tonight
Attitude matters.
Original phrase meaning: The kindness behind the act is its most important aspect.
It's the thought that counts.
While most Hollywood movies take an average of 8 weeks to shoot, and others quite a bit more (White Christmas with Bing Crosby took 14 weeks), on the other end of the spectrum, according to E! News, the popular holiday movies made by this company are wrapped up in about two.
Hallmark
Christmas _______
_________ Crumbs
Cookie (or Cracker)
Approximately 20,000 of these seasonal positions are filled every year, with workers usually undergoing some sort of training along the lines of, be patient, keep smiling, and don't eat garlic, onions, or beans for lunch.
Rent-a-Santas
Christmas comes in the summer in this tropical country, the largest in South America, causing Santa to don a more beach-worthy outfit and, for some reason, use a trampoline to deliver presents.
Brazil
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
________________________.
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
The excitement is now.
Original phrase meaning: Christmastime is a source of jubilation.
'Tis the season to be jolly
There are real Christmas trees, artificial Christmas trees and, according to Fodor's Travel, in this southwestern state, there's a 30-foot Christmas tree made out of 1,200 tumbleweeds bound together, covered in glitter and lights, and 20 gallons of flame retardant.
Arizona
Christmas _______
_________ Surgeon
Tree
There are 13 Santas or "Yule Lads" in this North Atlantic, Nordic island country who come down from the mountains one by one and leave a gift each for every child, and have names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer, Window Peeper and Meat Hook.
Iceland
(The Yule Lads used to be a lot more creepy, but parents were officially banned from tormenting their children with the stories in 1746)
In Sweden and parts of the northern United States, families adorn their homes and Christmas trees with these straw animals, most likely originally in honor of Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr who, in Norse mythology, pulled Thor’s chariot.
Goats
Here we come a-wassailing
among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wandering,
___________________.
So fair to be seen
It is proven in football.
Original phrase meaning: The success of something can only be judged by testing or using it.
The proof is in the pudding.
Considered the worst song this musical performer ever recorded, Wonderful Christmastime still earns him nearly half a million dollars a year in songwriter and performer royalties.
Paul McCartney
Christmas _______
__________ System
Star
With origins dating back to the 12th century, this demonic Santa counterpart, a familiar if terrifying sight in Austria, Germany and Hungary, accompanies St. Nicholas and punishes badly behaved children with chains and birch rods.
Krampus
For more than sixty years, on Dec. 24 at 3 p.m., approximately half the population of Sweden sits down in front of the television for a family viewing of the 1958 Walt Disney Christmas Special starring this beloved cartoon character, long considered to be Mickey Mouse's best friend.
Donald Duck
Grandma got run over by a reindeer,
Walking home from our house Christmas eve.
You can say there's no such thing as Santa,
_________________________________!
But as for me and Grandpa, we believe!
It's good in the box.
Original phrase meaning: The size of something does not indicate its value.
Good things come in small packages.
This famous American Christmas Carol from the mid-1800's was originally written in honor of Thanksgiving, and became the first song played in space when, on 16 December 1965, it was broadcast during NASA's Gemini 6A space flight.
Jingle Bells