By Joe Joe  Wright

The United States was nearly 100 years old before Christmas was recognized a national Holiday on June 26, 1870.

Eggnog was made in America for the first time and consumed by Captain John Smith in 1607.

Christmas was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681.

The date of December 25^th was selected as Christmas Day by Pope Julius I.

And the reason

In early Christianity only Easter was celebrated but the church wanted to celebrate the birth Christ. Since the Bible does not give a specific day early church leaders felt that combining the Pagan Holiday of Saturnalia ( which was a celebration of the Winter Solstice) that the celebration would be absorbed in favor of the new religion, and it was.

Germany is credited with bringing an evergreen tree into their homes and decorating it in the mid 1500’s.

Santa Claus was originally called St. Nicholas a monk born 280 A.D. in Turkey.

Santa’s reindeer are first mentioned in the 1823 poem “ A visit from St. Nicholas.” Often called “The night before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore

Also did you know that reindeer really can’t fly.

The Rockefeller Center tradition of putting a huge Christmas tree was started by construction crews working in the area in 1931.

Did you know that the proper term to use after Thanksgiving is “Merry Christmas” and that Happy Holidays and X-Mas are terms used to diminish that Jesus is the reason for the season. ( Oh how soon we forget)