Use this tag for questions pertaining to Christmas or other celebrations held on December 25th.
Questions tagged [christmas]
7 questions
28
votes
1 answer
Do Christmas celebrations have these diverse non-Christian origins?
This image from Truth Saves is a little tongue-in-cheek but it makes claims to the real origins of several modern Christmas related traditions such as the tree and carols.
You don't need to believe in
Yule, the Scandinavian fertility god, to…
Scept37
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24
votes
2 answers
Did a department store in Tokyo crucify Santa Claus?
There is a persistent urban legend that a Japanese department store got confused and crucified Santa Claus in a Christmas display. Today's BBC Magazine:
Remembering our mongrel Christmases reminds me of the Tokyo department
store which erected…
lambshaanxy
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21
votes
4 answers
Is Jesus Christ's birthday March 28th?
Prior to about a week ago, I've never known Christ's birthday to be anything other than December 25th. However, my kids are starting to tell me about how they're hearing claims from peers that this is not the case. Couple this with the latest…
Shawn Holmes
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20
votes
1 answer
Did Puritans punish people for celebrating Christmas?
The Facebook group Americans for the Separation of Church and State posted this link:
Puritans in Massachusetts arrested and fined anyone who celebrated Christmas. But go ahead, tell us how awful it was when that store clerk told you "Happy…
Larian LeQuella
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17
votes
1 answer
Which of these deities were believed to be born on Christmas?
I got this in my Facebook timeline today and it seems to be viral
Gods born on December 25th:
Happy Birthday Horus (c. 3000 BCE)
Happy Birthday Osiris (c. 3000 BCE)
Happy Birthday Attis of Phrygia (c. 1400 BCE)
Happy Birthday Krishna (c. 1400…
Sklivvz
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9
votes
1 answer
Does Santa Claus get more mail than any other fictional or divine entity?
Source
I was listening to the 2008 Christmas Special of the BBC radio programme The Unbelievable Truth, where the following was said to be true:
Santa has more mail than any other fictional or divine entity.
God and
Sherlock Holmes come next.
I…
Oliver_C
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8
votes
1 answer
In medieval times, were children beaten at Christmas to remind them of the cruelty of King Herod?
Via Reddit's Today I Learned (329+ votes):
The History Learning Site's Medieval Christmas page claims:
In Medieval England, children were reminded of Herod’s cruelty by being beaten.
Casebash
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