According to tradition, the original Saint Nicholas (A.K.A Sinter Klaus, Santa Clause) secretly left bags of gold for three poor girls near their chimney. Some of the gold accidentally fell down the chimney and fell into their stockings that were hanging near the chimney to dry.

According to legend, the father of the three daughters caught St. Nicholas leaving gifts one night. Saint Nicholas begged him not to tell anyone, but the father did, and the Saint Nicholas’ actions become widely known.

Ever since then, children have hung up their Christmas stockings (usually near a chimney) on Christmas Eve, hoping to wake up on Christmas Day and find them filled with gifts.

INTERESTING FACTS
  1. Despite the tale of three wise men paying homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never gives a number. Matthew’s Gospel refers to merely “wise men”.
  2. There is no reference to angels singing anywhere in the Bible.
  3. The word Noel derives from the French expression “Les bonnes Nouvelles” or “the good news”.
  4. Many parts of the Christmas tree can actually be eaten, with the needles being a good source of Vitamin C.
  5. Jingle Bells was the first song broadcast from space when Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra sang it on December 16, 1965
  6. The word Christmas comes from the Old English “Cristes maesse” meaning “Christ’s Mass”.
INTERESTING VIDEO

INTERESTING REFERENCES
  1. LiveScience.com – Why Do We Hang Stockings For Christmas?
  2. BabyCentre.co.uk – The reasons behind our favourite Christmas traditions
  3. Mirror.co.uk – 52 Christmas facts you never knew about the festive period

Categorized in:

Culture

Tagged in: