3 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Christmas

Christmas has been around a long time, but you probably didn’t know these interesting Christmas tidbits.

Pilgrims Outlawed Christmas

Some groups of Pilgrims outlawed Christmas. They thought it was a British custom they could do without. That, and they could never get up early enough to beat the crowds on the Black Friday shopping rush.

The Nativity Scene Was First Staged in 1223

St. Francis of Assisi came up with the first nativity scene in 1223. He also created the first professional ice hockey scenes you see displayed in NHL arenas featuring Wayne Gretzky as the Chosen One.

Xmas is Legit

I had a nun that taught us writing “Xmas” is blasphemous because it disrespects Jesus. Yet theologians say it is okay to write Xmas. X is the first Greek letter in the word “Christ,” and X was used in place of Jesus’ name for hundreds of years. It is not known if the apostles called him “X” to his face as in, “Hey X, can you convert some more water into wine. We are running low at this party.”