Why Do Some People Write Xmas?

According to the book Did You Ever Wonder... by Jeff Rovin, the word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. The use of the shortened form Xmas became popular in Europe in the 1500's.

How Many Seasons 'Til The Fruit Cakes Go Bad?

According to The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauere and Marion Becker, "Many people feel that these cakes improve greatly with age. When they are well saturated with alchoholic liquors, which raise the spirits and keep down mold, and are buried in powdered sugar in tightly closed tins, they have been enjoyed as long as 25 years after baking."

By that time, there's no telling how many relatives could have sheltered the cakes.

Is It Lucky Or Unlucky To Be Born On December 25?

Well, those born on Dec. 25 might not get a private party, but they do share an anniversary with these famous folks:

W C Field (1946)
Alice Cooper (1945)
Pricess Alexandra (1936)
Paul Borget (1935)
Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889)

When Did Christmas Become A 'Legal' American Holiday?

In 1836, Alabama is the first state in the U.S. to declare Christmas a legal holiday. In 1907, Oklahoma became the last state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.

Who Was Jolly Ol' Saint Nick?

Saint Nicholas Day -- Dec. 6 -- was the traditional day for giving gifts to children. It's still the day of gift-giving in the Netherlands.

Saint Nicholas was the bishop of Myra in Lycia (in modern Turkey) sometime before AD 350. Not much is known of his life except for the legends that have built up around him, but he was associated with kindness to children.

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