CHRISTMAS
IN HISTORY
IN HISTORY
336: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS AS WE KNOW IT TAKES PLACE ON DECEMBER 25TH IN ROME UNDER THE RULE OF THIS CHRISTIAN-CONVERT EMPEROR.
WHO IS CONSTANTINE THE GREAT?
IN RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, RUDOLPH BEFRIENDS AN ELF NAMED HERMIE WHO LONGS TO QUIT MAKING TOYS AND INSTEAD TAKE UP THIS CAREER.
WHAT IS A DENTIST?
THESE VIBRANT FLOWERS ARE NAMED AFTER JOEL ROBERT POINSETT, A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN AND DIPLOMAT TO MEXICO WHO INTRODUCED IT TO THE U.S.
WHAT ARE POINSETTIAS?
1963: THIS ICONIC COOKING SET HIT TOOK OVER THE TOY MARKET, WITH ITS FIRST MODEL HEATING SIMPLE CAKES, BROWNIES, COOKIES, AND PRETZELS USING AN INCANDESCENT BULB.
WHAT IS THE EASY-BAKE OVEN?
ERRONEOUSLY ATTRIBUTED TO GERMANY, THE TRADITION OF HIDING ONE OF THESE IN THE CHRISTMAS TREE, KNOWN AS THE WEIHNACHTSGURKE, FIRST APPEARED IN LATE 1860’S AMERICA.
WHAT IS A PICKLE?
THIS EIGHT-DAY “FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS” IS CELEBRATED IN THE JEWISH FAITH.
WHAT IS HANNUKAH?
1066: FOLLOWING THE NORMAN CONQUEST OF ENGLAND, THIS “CONQUEROR” IS CORONATED, THE FIRST MONARCH TO BE CORONATED IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
WHO IS WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR?
RALPHIE OPENS UP AND IS FORCED TO DON THIS HUMILIATING CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM HIS AUNT IN THE CLASSIC A CHRISTMAS STORY.
WHAT IS A PINK BUNNY ONESIE?
IN NORWEGIAN, A KNAGG IS A METAL PEG, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO THE SCOTTISH TERM NUGG, A BEER WARMED BY SITTING NEXT TO A HOT METAL POKER, EVOLVING INTO THIS STILL SOMETIMES BOOZY HOLIDAY DRINK.
WHAT IS EGGNOG?
1983: RATHER THAN SIMPLY PURCHASING THEM, CHILDREN WOULD “ADOPT” THESE BABY DOLLS, RESCUING THEM FROM A NEGLECTED MAGICAL GARDEN.
WHAT ARE CABBAGE PATCH KIDS?
CHILDREN IN AUSTRIA AND OTHER PARTS OF EASTERN EUROPEAN MUST LOOK OUT FOR THIS CHRISTMAS MONSTER, A GOAT-LIKE CREATURE THAT GETS ITS OWN NIGHT OF PARADES.
WHAT IS KRAMPUS?
CREATED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN ACTIVIST MAULANA KARENGA, THIS SIX-DAY CELEBRATION COMBINES DIFFERENT HARVEST-THEMED TRADITIONS FROM SEVERAL AFRICAN CULTURES.
WHAT IS KWANZAA?
1826: THE INFAMOUS EGGNOG RIOT RAGES AT THIS ICONIC NEW YORK MILITARY ACADEMY, IN WHICH CADETS SMUGGLE BOOZE ONTO THE CAMPUS AND EFFECTIVELY TAKE IT OVER IN A DRUNKEN SPREE, EVEN IMPLICATING FUTURE CONFEDERATES LIKE JEFFERSON DAVIS AND ROBERT E. LEE.
WHAT IS WEST POINT?
THE NAME OF THE GRINCH’S SURPRISINGLY LOYAL DOG / REINDEER IN HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS.
WHAT IS MAX?
THIS SHIMMERING DECORATION COMES FROM THE FRENCH WORD ÉTINCELLE, MEANING TO SHINE OR SPARKLE.
WHAT IS TINSEL?
1960: THIS TOY LET PEOPLE CREATE MASTERPIECES WITH ALUMINUM POWDER BY TURNING JUST 2 KNOBS.
WHAT IS ETCH A SKETCH?
SINCE THE LATE 1800’S, THIS EUROPEAN COUNTRY HAS CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS BY HAVING ITS NATIONAL LOTTERY GIVE OUT THE LARGEST JACKPOT OF THE YEAR, NICKNAMED “EL GORDO,” A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, WITH A CHOIR OF CHILDREN SINGING OUT THE NUMBERS.
WHAT IS SPAIN?
THIS ANCIENT ROMAN HOLIDAY TOOK PLACE OVER SEVERAL DAYS AND FEATURED A CARNIVAL-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, SACRIFICES, GIFT EXCHANGES, FEASTING, GAMBLING, AND ROLE-REVERSALS, MEANING MASTERS WOULD SERVE THEIR SLAVES AND SERVANTS. IT IS CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT PRECURSOR TO CHRISTMAS.
WHAT IS SATURNALIA?
DAILY DOUBLE!
1868: THIS PRESIDENT GRANTS AN UNCONDITIONAL PARDON TO ALL CONFEDERATES FOR THEIR TREASON.
WHO IS ANDREW JOHNSON?
IN THE POLAR EXPRESS, THIS ITEM ENDS UP AS THE FIRST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS AND IS ONLY HEARD BY THOSE WHO “BELIEVE.”
WHAT IS ONE OF SANTA’S SLEIGHBELLS?
FROM THE LATIN ORNARE, MEANING TO ADORN.
WHAT ARE ORNAMENTS?
1984: COLLEGE QUADS WERE NEVER THE SAME AFTER THIS CROCHETED BAG OF PLASTIC PELLETS HIT THE SCENE.
WHAT IS THE HACKY SACK?
SPECIFICALLY IN UKRAINE BUT ALSO IN OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THEIR TREES ARE NOT DECORATED WITH TINSEL BUT THIS CREEPY-CRAWLY AND STICKY MATERIAL.
WHAT ARE SPIDER WEBS?
A SECULAR ALTERNATIVE TO CHRISTMAS TO PROVIDE A BREAK FROM THE PRESSURES AND COMMERCIALISM OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND POPULARIZED BY SEINFELD, THIS HOLIDAY FEATURES AN UNADORNED ALUMINUM POLE AS THE CENTRAL DECORATION, CALLING COMMONPLACE EVENTS MIRACLES, PERFORMING FEATS OF STRENGTH, AND THE AIRING OF GRIEVANCE.
WHAT IS FESTIVUS?
1793: THIS “MAD” MAJOR GENERAL AND FOUNDING FATHER WON THE BATTLE OF FALLEN TIMBERS, WINNING THE NORTHWEST INDIAN WAR. HE IS THE NAMESAKE OF SEVERAL FORTS AND FORT-INSPIRED CITIES AROUND THE MIDWEST.
WHO IS MAD ANTHONY WAYNE?
IN IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, JIMMY STEWART PLAYS GEORGE BAILEY, WHO WORKS IN THIS PROFESSION AS HE NAVIGATES THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN HIS SMALL TOWN.
WHAT IS BANKING / FINANCE / BUILDING AND LOANS?
THIS EVERGREEN TREE’S NAME COMES FROM THE MIDDLE ENGLISH TERM FOR PRUSSIA, WHERE THE TIMBER OF THE TREE WAS COMMONLY IMPORTED FROM.
WHAT IS SPRUCE?
1972: WHILE FIRST COMING OUT IN 1969, THIS LOW-RIDING PLASTIC TRICYCLE ROSE TO POPULARITY AS A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE OUTDOOR TOY FOR TODDLERS.
WHAT IS THE BIG WHEEL?
THIS BRITISH COUNTRY CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS IN A VERY MACABRE AND ANCIENT CELTIC WAY, BY PARADING AROUND A HORSE SKULL WEARING A WHITE SHEET NAMED “MARI LWYD.”
WHAT IS WALES?
THIS HOLIDAY COMMEMORATES THE DAY THE HISTORICAL BUDDHA EXPERIENCED ENLIGHTENMENT UNDER A HOLY FIG TREE.
WHAT IS BODHI DAY?