Before You ArriveRequirements:
Required Documents:
Applying for a Thailand Pass(1) Register for a Thailand Pass at https://tp.consular.go.th/ (available from 1 November, 2021). Until then, apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/. (2) Upload the required document (along with the valid visa/re-entry permit, if required), and allow 3-5 working days for the approval process. Wait for the approval of the Vaccine Certification and paid accommodation, including the RT-PCR test. (3) Confirm the approval, and receive a Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE). Arrival in Thailand(4) Present the Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE) to the Health Control to carry out checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures. During Your Stay(8) Wait for the test result within the hotel room. When You Are Leaving(12) Free to go anywhere in Thailand or leave Thailand to other countries. However, travellers are advised to follow the guidelines and measures announced by the respective province/country of their destination. For more information, please visit: https://www.tatnews.org/thailand-reopening/. The post Thailand Reopening: Exemption from Quarantine (TEST & GO) appeared first on TAT Newsroom. Thailand Reopening: Exemption from Quarantine (TEST & GO) published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr Thailand Reopening: Exemption from Quarantine (TEST & GO)
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Before You ArriveRequirements:
Required Documents:
Applying for a Thailand Pass(1) Register for a Thailand Pass at https://tp.consular.go.th/ (available from 1 November, 2021). Until then, apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/. (2) Upload the required document (along with the valid visa/re-entry permit, if required), and allow 3-5 working days for the approval process. Wait for the approval of the Vaccine Certification and paid accommodation, including the RT-PCR test. (3) Confirm the approval, and receive a Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE). Arrival in Thailand(4) Present the Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE) to the Health Control to carry out checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures. During Your Stay(9) Stay at least the first 7 nights within one of the 17 Blue Zone Sandbox destinations if planning to continue the journey to other destinations in Thailand. When You Are Leaving(12) After having completed a 7-night stay in one of the 17 Blue Zone Sandbox destinations, you are free to go anywhere in Thailand or leave Thailand to other countries. However, travellers are advised to follow the guidelines and measures announced by the respective province/country of their destination. For more information, please visit: https://www.tatnews.org/thailand-reopening/. The post Thailand Reopening: Living in the Blue Zone (17 Sandbox Destinations) appeared first on TAT Newsroom. Thailand Reopening: Living in the Blue Zone (17 Sandbox Destinations) published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr Thailand Reopening: Living in the Blue Zone (17 Sandbox Destinations) Before You ArriveRequirements:
Required documents:
Applying for a Thailand Pass(1) Register for a Thailand Pass at https://tp.consular.go.th/ (available from 1 November, 2021). Until then, apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) at https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/. (2) Upload the required document (along with the valid visa/re-entry permit, if required), and allow 3-5 working days for the approval process. Wait for the approval of the Vaccine Certification and paid accommodation, including the RT-PCR test. (3) Confirm the approval, and receive a Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE). Arrival in Thailand(4) Present the Thailand Pass QR Code (or COE) to the Health Control to carry out checks, then proceed through the Immigration procedures. During Your Stay(9) Must complete the required quarantine period if planning to continue the journey to other destinations in Thailand.
(10) Practice the D-M-H-T-T-A precautions: D – Distancing, M – Mask wearing, H – Handwashing, T – Temperature check, T – Testing for COVID-19, and A – alert application. When You Are Leaving(11) After having completed the required quarantine period, you are free to go anywhere in Thailand or leave Thailand to other countries. However, travellers are advised to follow the guidelines and measures announced by the respective province/country of their destination. For more information, please visit: https://www.tatnews.org/thailand-reopening/. The post Thailand Reopening: Happy Quarantine Nationwide appeared first on TAT Newsroom. Thailand Reopening: Happy Quarantine Nationwide published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr Thailand Reopening: Happy Quarantine Nationwide Here are 5 easy ways to save money as an expat. via Tumblr 5 Tips To Save Money As An Expat Bangkok, 27 October, 2021 – The Bureau of the Royal Household has announced that the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, along with other royal palaces and locations would reopen from 1 November, 2021. The reopening of Bangkok’s most famous attraction, the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, will allow tourists once again to explore the beauty and splendour of the historically significant and much-revered site. The Grand Palace complex, within which the Temple of the Emerald Buddha or Wat Phra Kaeo is located, was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its reopening date of 1 November is the same day that Thailand will start welcoming fully vaccinated tourists from 46 approved countries and territories with no quarantine requirement. Health and safety measures are in place at both venues to help ensure the safety of visitors and staff. This includes the compulsory wearing of face masks at all times, body temperature screening upon entry, handwashing facilities, and registration on the Thai Chana application. Social distancing will be observed at service points in the complex, and common contact surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected every 20 minutes, while medical professionals will be on standby in the case of emergencies or first aid being needed. The opening hours of the Grand Palace complex are daily from 08.30 Hrs. to 15.30 Hrs. The entry fee is 500 Baht per person, with tickets purchasable at the entrance or online at https://ift.tt/3pI8GhR (online tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance). Meanwhile, other royal palaces and locations that will also reopen from 1 November, 2021, are:
The Arts of the Kingdom Museum in Ayutthaya will reopen on 19 November, 2021. The post Thailand’s Royal Palaces reopen to visitors on 1 November 2021 appeared first on TAT Newsroom. Thailand’s Royal Palaces reopen to visitors on 1 November 2021 published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr Thailand’s Royal Palaces reopen to visitors on 1 November 2021 Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel. [Updated 10/26/21 ] Like most kids who grew up in the US, I became fascinated with Santa Claus from a very early age.From his fuzzy red suit and his long white hair and beard to the reindeer who pulled his sleigh, this jolly old elf who distributed presents to kids all around the world was a larger-than-life legend. But unlike other children, I never really grew out of my interest in St. Nick. Always the inquisitive kid, I had so many questions: Who was Santa Claus? Where did he come from? How did he get to be so beloved by children all around the world? Raised in the Episcopal Church, I became particularly fascinated with the history of Santa Claus. In particular, the origin of Santa in the Catholic Saint Nicholas, the 4th century Greek bishop who was known for his charitable gift-giving and countless miracles. The older I got, and the more I learned about Santa, the more I came to treasure the Christmas spirit he represented and the importance of keeping it in our hearts all year round. This year, as my 17-year-old daughter celebrates her last holiday at home before heading off to college, will be an extra special season for us. So, in addition to our annual traditions (including reading The Night Before Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas), we’ll be sharing these 55 fascinating facts about Santa’s 1600-year history and honoring St. Nicholas’ legacy of charitable giving. Here at Green Global Travel, we like to put an emphasis on the green aspect by finding lots of little ways to make life more sustainable. READ MORE: 35 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make The History & Names for Santa Claus Around The World GuideTHE STORY OF ST NICHOLAS1. Saint Nicholas was a Greek Christian bishop born sometime around 280 A.D. (approximately 1738 years ago) near Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia (now located in Turkey). He was famous for his generous and anonymous gifts to the poor. He once helped three impoverished daughters of a local Christian with dowries (dropping a sack of gold through their window each night) so that they wouldn’t have to become prostitutes. 2. Given his birthplace, the real St Nicholas likely looked very different from the image of Santa Claus most people know today. He almost certainly had an oil skin tone, brown eyes, and grey/silver hair. When scientists reconstructed his face using forensic technology, they discovered that the future saint had a badly broken nose. They surmised that he had received the injury during the persecution of Christians under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, who famously divided the Roman Empire. 3. The saint is also commonly known as Nicholas the Wonderworker, due to the many miracles attributed to his intercession. These include tales of him calming stormy seas, chopping down a tree that was possessed by a demon, and saving three innocent soldiers from being put to death. 4. In 1087, the Italian city of Bari mounted an expedition to locate the tomb of the Christian Saint and procure his remains in order to attract tourism to the area. The reliquary of St Nicholas was desecrated by Italian sailors and the spoils were taken to Bari, where they are kept to this day. 5. St. Nicholas has been the world’s most popular non-Biblical saint for centuries. Led by Erik the Red and later his son, newly converted Christian Leif Eriksson, the Vikings were the first Europeans to arrive in the New World. In 1126 they built a cathedral dedicated to Nicholas, who is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, students, and more. Christopher Columbus named a port in Haiti for St. Nicholas in 1492, and the Spanish also named the St. Nicholas Ferry settlement (now Jacksonville, Florida) after him. READ MORE: 25 Symbols of Christmas: History & Meaning of Christmas Decorations NAMES FOR SANTA CLAUS AROUND THE WORLD
HISTORY OF SANTA AROUND THE WORLDOdin, Sleipnir & the Yule Goat (Scandinavian Santa)6. Numerous parallels have been drawn between Santa Claus and Odin, a major god of the Germanic peoples prior to their Christianization. According to legend, Odin kept two ravens that would listen at people’s chimneys to find out who was good or bad. During the Germanic holiday of Yule, he led a great hunting party through the sky, riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances (sound like Santa Claus’s reindeer?). 7. Odin was referred to by many names in Skaldic poetry, including Langbarðr (“long beard”) and Jólnir (“Yule figure”). According to some traditions, children would place their boots near the chimney, filling them with carrots, straw, or sugar for Sleipnir to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir’s food with gifts or candy! Eventually, the use of Christmas stockings began to replace boots. 8. In other countries, the figure of St. Nicholas was blended with local pagan folklore. In Nordic countries such as Sweden and Norway, the original bringer of gifts at Christmastime was the Yule Goat. 9. In the 1840s, an elf in Nordic folklore called “Tomte” or “Nisse”– a short, bearded man dressed in gray clothes and a red hat– started to deliver the Christmas presents in Denmark. This new version of the folkloric creature was obviously inspired by the Santa Claus traditions that were gradually spreading to Scandinavia. 10. By the end of the 19th century this tradition had also spread to Norway and Sweden, replacing the Yule Goat entirely. Even though the tradition of the Yule Goat as a bringer of presents is now gone, a straw goat is still a very common Christmas decoration in all of Scandinavia. READ MORE: 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World (with Fun Facts) Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa Claus) 11. In the Netherlands and Belgium, presents are delivered by Sinterklaas (another name for Santa), who is often called De Goede Sint (“The Good Saint”) and De Goedheiligman (“The Good Holy Man”). His feast, known as Sinterklaasfest, dates back to the Middle Ages and originally combined philanthropy to the poor with parties of Carnival-style excess. The feast takes place on December 6, and eventually came to be celebrated in many countries around the world. 12. Most of the iconic imagery we associate with Santa Claus actually started with Sinterklaas, who was a blend of pagan and Christian traditions. Like St. Nicholas, he’s elderly, with long white hair and a full beard. He wears a long red cape over a white bishop’s vestment, carrying a ceremonial shepherd’s staff. Just as Odin rode Sleipnir, Sinterklaas rides a white horse. Where Odin’s ravens told him whether kids were naughty or nice, Sinterklaas’ helpers do the same. He keeps his checklist in a big, red book he carries with him. 13. In the Dutch tradition, Sinterklaas has helpers commonly known as Zwarte Piet (“Black Peter”) in Dutch. Popularized by an 1850 book written by Amsterdam-based teacher Jan Schenkman, the character is said to be black because he’s a Moor from Spain. People portraying Zwarte Piet typically wear blackface make-up, colorful clothes from the Renaissance era, curly-haired wigs, red lipstick, and earrings. This has led to controversy, with critics calling it an offensive racial stereotype reminiscent of the Dutch colonial era. 14. Schenkman’s book, Sint-Nicolaas en zijn knecht (“Saint Nicholas and his Servant”), is also credited with introducing what would become traditional Dutch images of Sinterklaas. These included scenes of him delivering presents by going down the chimney, riding over the roofs of houses on a horse, and arriving from Spain by steamboat. Today, the Dutch holiday season traditionally begins in mid-November, when Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat at a designated port, then parades through the streets on his horse. 15. Some 26% of the Dutch population gives presents on both Sinterklaas Day and Christmas Day. In Belgium, presents are given to children only, but to almost all of them, on Sinterklaas Day. On Christmas Day, everybody receives presents, but often without the help of Sinterklaas. READ MORE: The 25 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe Father Christmas (British Santa Claus)16. The figure later known as Father Christmas first appeared in Christmas his Masque, a 1616 play written by Ben Jonson. In the festive production, “Old Christmas” was portrayed as a jolly, well-nourished, bearded man dressed in a fur-lined robe. He personified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas. He was accompanied by his 10 children, whose names included Wassail, Carol, Misrule, and Minced-Pie. 17. Father Christmas was considered controversial in those pre-reformation days after the English Civil War. The government, which was controlled by Puritans, wanted to abolish Christmas and its traditional customs because they considered it a Catholic holiday. Supporters of King Charles adopted Father Christmas as a symbol of their cause because he represented bountiful feasting and good cheer. It wasn’t until Victorian times that he started being associated with giving gifts to children. 18. Father Christmas first became known outside the UK as “the Ghost of Christmas Present” in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. In that holiday classic, he was portrayed as a large, genial man who takes Ebenezer Scrooge through the bustling streets of London on Christmas morning, sprinkling the essence of the holiday onto the happy populace. The book, which depicts Scrooge reluctant to give Bob Cratchit coal for the fire, is also thought to have inspired the “lump of coal for naughty kids” tradition. 19. When Father Christmas first began showing up in illustrations, he wore many different colored robes, including green, purple, blue, and brown, among others. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that it first became popular to depict Santa Claus wearing a red suit. 20. By the early 1800s, pre-modern representations such as the historic St. Nicholas and the Dutch Sinterklaas had merged with the British Father Christmas to create the character now known as Santa Claus. Father Christmas is now considered to be one of the other names for Santa as they are now considered to be the same person. The British leave out beer or sherry for him rather than milk on Christmas Eve. READ MORE: 10 Best Environmental Charities for Holiday Donations Christkindl or “Kris Kringle” (German Santa Claus)21. The German Santa Claus was nearly eliminated for centuries by Martin Luther, the 16th German professor of theology who played a major role in the Protestant Reformation. With his native land divided between Protestants and Catholics, Luther wanted to rid Christmas of all its Catholic customs. To replace St. Nicholas, he introduced das Christkindl, an angelic Christ Child who would bring gifts to good girls and boys. Eventually this figure was replaced by der Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas) in Protestant regions and in the U.S., where Christkindl mutated into “Kris Kringle.” Ironically, Christkindl is still popular in the Catholic region of Bavaria. 22. There are actually dozens of different names used for the German Santa Claus. The four most popular names are Weihnachtsmann, Klaus, Nickel, and Niglo, each of which is more popular in a different region of the country. But there are countless other local names, with most more commonly associated with December 6 (Niklolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day) than Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. 23. When St. Nicholas arrives, he’s not accompanied by jolly little elves. In Germany, his companions are more malevolent characters, with different names in different regions. They’re known as Aschenmann, Bartl, Boozenickel, Hans Trapp, Klaubauf, Belsnickel/Pelznickel, Ruhklas, and Knecht Ruprecht, and all of them are pretty darn frightening. Collectively known as the Nikolaus-Begleiter (Nicholas Companions), these sinister souls reflect the twisted darkness of the Grimm Brothers fairy tales, which were based on ancient Germanic folklore. 24. The most famous of these St. Nicholas companions is Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon creature with a hideous face, horns, fangs, and a long, pointed tongue. Legend in the Alpine countries holds that Krampus comes to punish the naughty children. Some versions of the traditional folklore suggest he’ll swat them with birch branches, while others involve a sack for taking them to Hell. He traditionally appears during festivals on Krampusnacht (December 5), the night before the feast of St. Nicholas. 25. As early as 1555, St. Nicholas brought German children gifts on December 6, which was the only “Christmas” gift-giving time during the Middle Age. Now, on the night of December 5 or 6, a man dressed as der Heilige Nikolaus (who resembles a bishop and carries a staff) goes from house to house in small communities in Austria and the Catholic regions of Germany in order to bring small gifts to the children. READ MORE: 20 Best Festivals in the World (includes Krampusnacht) Père Noël (French Santa Claus)26. Known as Pére Noël, the French Santa Claus has a keen sense of style. Instead of the traditional red hat with a white pom pom on top, Père Noël has a fur-lined hood built right into his cloak, which is also trimmed with white fur. Not only does this (presumably fake) fur cloak make the French Santa more fashionable, it’s also more practical when flying across the night sky at light speed! 27. In the period leading up to Christmas, French children write letters to Père Noël (the French name for Santa) in class at school, asking him for certain presents. A fun fact is that, in 1962, a law was passed in France decreeing that all letters written to Santa would be responded to with a postcard so that when a class writes letters, each pupil gets a response. 28. In the Franche-Comté region of eastern France, on the border with Switzerland, Père Noël is not nearly as popular as la Tante Arie (Aunt Arie). She is said to be the reincarnated form of Henriette de Montbéliard, the Countess of the County of Montbéliard. This fanciful fairy is said to always be accompanied by her donkey, Marion, and to reward good children with gifts and naughty children with nothing but a boot filled with twigs. She’s also believed to perform miracles for virtuous, hardworking, charitable people. 29. Instead of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa in France on Christmas Eve, the children leave carrots and other treats for Père Noël’s flying donkey, Gui (the French word for mistletoe). Apparently the French really have a thing for Christmas donkeys! 30. There are no presents under the tree for French kids on Christmas Day. Instead, Père Noël brings toys after the evening Mass on Christmas Eve. Well, the good children get presents from Père Noël. But naughty children may instead encounter Le Père Fouettard (“the father whipper”), a nasty bad guy in black robes who– as his name implies– whips children who don’t behave. READ MORE: Real Christmas Tree vs Fake Christmas Tree: Which is Better? HISTORY OF SANTA CLAUS IN AMERICA31. If you love Santa Claus but don’t like immigrants, consider yourself a hypocrite. It was Dutch immigrants who originally brought the legend of Saint Nicholas (who was known to them as Sinterklaas) with them to New Amsterdam, which we now know as New York City. They also brought the Christmas traditions of their homeland, which included giving gifts and sweets to children on December 6, the day of his feast. 32. In Washington Irving’s satirical story History of New York(1809), Sinterklaas was Americanized into the name “Santa Claus.” This name for St. Nicholas was first used in the American press in 1773. But by then the character had lost his bishop’s apparel. He was instead pictured as a big-bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe and a green winter coat. Irving’s story may also be the first time Santa was depicted as sliding down a chimney to deliver presents. 33. John Pintard, who founded the New York Historical Society in 1804, also deserves his fair share of credit for making jolly old St. Nick more popular in the US. It was he who launched the society’s first annual St. Nicholas anniversary dinner on December 6, 1910. To honor the occasion, he commissioned artist Alexander Anderson to create the first known American image of the saint. The portrait pictures Santa leaving treats in children’s stockings hanging by a fireplace. The accompanying poem reads, “Saint Nicholas, my dear good friend! To serve you ever was my end, If you will, now, me something give, I’ll serve you ever while I live.” 34. Many of our current ideas of what Santa Claus looks like came after the publication of the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” in the Troy, New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823. Initially published anonymously, the famous poem– which is better known today as “Twas The Night Before Christmas”– was later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore. Modern details originally established in this poem included riding in a sleigh that lands on the rooftop, having 8 reindeer, and carrying a bag full of toys. 35. One of the first artists to define Santa Claus’s modern-day image was Thomas Nast, a German-born cartoonist of the 19th century. Nast was best known as a political cartoonist, particularly for his pro-Union work during the Civil War and creating the Republican Party’s iconic elephant. But in 1863 he created his most enduring work, when his famous illustration of “Merry Old Santa Claus” appeared in Harper’s Weekly. The story that Santa lives at the North Pole may have been a Thomas Nast creation. His 1866 collage of engravings titled Santa Claus and His Works included the caption, “Santa Clausville, N.P.” READ MORE: The 20 Best Places to Spend Christmas in the USA THE COCA-COLA SANTA CLAUS CONNECTION36. Early illustrations of Santa Claus often pictured him as a stern, commanding disciplinarian holding a birch rod. The image of the jolly old elf we know and love today was created by artist Haddon Sundblom for Coca-Cola advertisements, which debuted in The Saturday Evening Post in 1931. The popularity of Sundblom’s images spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was invented by the Coca-Cola Company, or that Santa wears red and white because they’re the colors used to promote the Coca-Cola brand. 37. Coca-Cola was not the first soft drink company to utilize a modern image of Santa Claus in its advertising. White Rock Beverages used Santa to sell mineral water in 1915, and then in advertisements for its ginger ale in 1923. Coca-Cola first used Santa for its Christmas ads in the 1920s, but they were not nearly as popular as Sundblom’s Coca-Cola Santa Claus. 38. Sundblom’s early paintings of Santa Claus were actually based on a live model– his buddy Lou Prentiss, a retired salesman. After he passed away, Sundblom began using himself as a model, painting while looking into a mirror. This led to a huge hullabaloo one year, when Santa’s belt was backwards! He also used other real people as models for his paintings, with the children based on his neighbors and a poodle in a 1964 painting belonging to his neighborhood florist. 39. In 1942 Sundblom introduced a new friend for his Coca-Cola Santa, known as “Sprite Boy.” The character, who appeared in Coke’s Christmas ads for nearly two decades, was named for the fact that he was a sprite (another name for an elf). The company didn’t actually introduce the Sprite beverage until the 1960s. 40. Sundblom’s Coca-Cola Santa Claus became one of the 20th century’s most successful ad campaigns. His indelible images were used in magazines, store displays, billboards, posters, calendars, and plush dolls, many of which are valuable collectibles today. He created his final Santa painting in 1964, but his art went on to be exhibited at the Louvre, the Royal Ontario Museum, and many more famous museums around the world. Many of Sundblom’s original paintings can now be seen at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. READ MORE: Atlanta Christmas Events: 50 Things to do for Christmas in Georgia MISCELLANEOUS SANTA FACTS41. During the Protestant Reformation, St. Nicholas was relegated to being Jesus’ sidekick, and looked nothing like the Santa Claus of today. In Germany he was known as Ru-laus (Rough Nicholas), Aschenklas (Ashy Nicholas), or Pelznickel (Furry Nicholas). Protestants also turned the Devil into St. Nick’s helper in an attempt to demonize the Catholic saint, hoping their faithful flock would associate Santa with hellfire and damnation. 42. Although Santa/St. Nicholas has been celebrated for over 1,000 years now, Mrs. Claus didn’t get a single mention until the 1849 publication of A Christmas Legend, a short story by James Rees. She was later popularized by Katherine Lee Bates’s 1889 poem “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride” (the term “Goody” was short for “Goodwife,” or “Mrs.”). 43. Spanish children widely prefer the Three Kings (a.k.a. Three Wise Men) over Santa Claus when it comes to Christmastime gift-givers. In Spain, kids write letters to Los Reyes Magos– Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar– who bring the children gifts either the night before, or on the morning of, the Epiphany (January 6). The children usually leave a drink for each of the Three Kings, as well as some food and drink for their camels. 44. During Joseph Stalin’s reign in Russia (1924-1953), he attempted to eradicate Santa Claus and Christmas altogether in favor of a more secular “Winter Festival.” Russians commonly believe that an elderly woman named Babouschka purposely gave the wise men bad directions to Bethlehem so that they couldn’t find Jesus. Now, Babouschka visits Russian children on January 5, leaving gifts at their bedsides in the hope that one of them is the baby Jesus and she will be forgiven. 45. Introduced in 1823 in The Night Before Christmas, Santa’s reindeer were originally named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem. Dunder and Blixem were later changed to Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer didn’t come along until 1939, when Robert L. May created the character in a book for the Montgomery Ward department store. 46. In the Czech Republic, Santa comes on December 5, which is known as St. Nicholas Eve and considered a separate holiday from Christmas. That night, he normally arrives accompanied by one or more angels and devils. After asking the children if they’ve been naughty or nice, he asks them to sing a song or recite a poem. If they’ve been good, he gives them a basket of presents, often containing chocolate and fruit. If they’ve been bad, the devil might give them a lump of coal. READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Christmas Traditions in Mexico 47. Naturally the Hawaiian Christmas holiday has a tropical theme. Hawaiian Santa Claus and his elves wear aloha shirts instead of fur-trimmed suits. Some households import real Christmas trees from the mainland, while other decorate palm trees with lights and ornaments and use outrigger canoes and dolphins to resemble Santa’s sleigh and reindeer. The most popular Christmas dinner is a community or family luau, complete with roast pig and colorful Christmas leis. 48. The popular department store Santa tradition dates back nearly 130 years. The first one was Massachusetts entrepreneur James Edgar, who took on the role back in 1890. Edgar, who owned a small dry goods store in Brockton, Massachusetts, came up with the idea of dressing up in a Santa Claus costume as a marketing tool. Children from all over the state came to see him. The tradition of kids getting their picture taken with Santa dates back to at least 1918. 49. Countless kids around the world send letters to Santa Claus each Christmas season. The three countries that send the most letters are France (1.7 million), Canada (1.35 million), and the United States (just over a million). So where do all these letters to Santa ultimately go? In the United States, they’re sent to Santa Claus, Indiana! 50. In Norway and Denmark, children usually leave rice pudding for Santa. Swedish children do the same, along with a hot cup of coffee to help him have the energy he needs to keep delivering presents all night long. READ MORE: The Best Food Gifts From Around the World (The Ultimate Gourmet Guide) 51. When traveling through Iceland, Santa can look forward to a traditional Icelandic bread known as laufabrauð. In Australia, Ireland, and Britain, he is often left a glass of beer or sherry for extra Christmas cheer! 52. While most people recognize Santa’s home as being the North Pole, there’s actually a town in southwestern Indiana that could give the North Pole a run for its money. Fittingly named Santa Claus, the town is proclaimed as “America’s Christmas Hometown.” And it’s suitably filled with Christmas-themed attractions. There are a ton of famous locations in Santa Claus, IN, such as the 1880 Santa Claus Church, the Santa Claus Post Office (where all letters to Santa in the U.S. are sent), and a 22-foot-tall statue of jolly ol’ St. Nick. You can also find Santa himself visiting the cheerful town during the holiday season. 53. In 1927, Santa received his airplane pilot’s license from then-Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics, William P. MacCracken. Also in the photo (which can be found in the U.S. Library of Congress) is Clarence M. Young, the Director of Aeronautics for the Department of Commerce. While visiting to get his license, Santa was also given official airway maps to help him navigate the skies on Christmas Eve, along with the assurance that there would be lights illuminating the sky to help him see at night. 54. On the night before Christmas, many eager kids look to NORAD to track Santa’s whereabouts in the hopes that he will soon be at their house. Interestingly enough, this modern-day Christmas tradition began with an accident. A young child accidentally called the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in 1955, believing she was calling Santa after seeing a listing in a local newspaper. The commander on duty realized the mistake, but promised the young child that CONAD would help guide Santa on his travels. From there, the tradition went on to NORAD when it was formed in 1958. Every year since, millions of families have tuned in to the NORAD Santa Tracker to keep tabs on the jolly old elf as he sets out on his Christmas gift-giving journey. 55. Santa Claus is an incredibly popular character that has been featured in hundreds of songs, movies, and TV shows. He even made his way into the Marvel Universe in the 1991 holiday special, The X-Men Meet Santa Claus. There we learned that Santa has more magical powers than we originally thought, and is actually one of the most powerful mutants in the world (according to Cerebro, Professor X’s m utant-detecting device). The comic book explains that Santa has special abilities including immortality, weather manipulation, telepathy, immunity to the cold and heat, and gravity manipulation, among other powers. 56. With over 2.1 billion children and an average of 2.5 children per household, Santa must make 842 million stops in 32 hours on Christmas Eve. His round-the-world trip takes him some 218 million miles, with toys estimated to weigh in at over 400,000 tons. Assuming all of the households he visits leave out two cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, he consumes around 374 billion calories, 33,000 tons of sugar, and 151,000 tons of fat in one night! Hope Santa has a good personal trainer in the off-season… –Bret Love READ MORE: Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT SANTAWho is Santa Claus?Where is Santa Claus from?How old is Santa Claus?What is Santa Claus’ real name?What is the origin of Father Christmas?What is the German Santa Claus’ name?What is the French name for Santa Claus?What is the origin of the American Santa?Did Santa used to be Green?Why does Santa wear red and white?Did Coca Cola make Santa red?
The post The History & Names for Santa Claus Around The World (with 55 fun facts!) appeared first on Green Global Travel. The History & Names for Santa Claus Around The World (with 55 fun facts!) published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr The History & Names for Santa Claus Around The World (with 55 fun facts!) Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel. [Updated 10/26/21] Making recycled Christmas decorations at home is a fantastic opportunity to slow down and savor the holiday season.It gives us a chance to spend some quality time with our family and friends, not to mention avoiding the ever-increasing consumerist trappings of the holiday season. Using waste materials for our homemade holiday crafts is even better. It means that we aren’t producing more garbage in the course of our celebration, nor are we spending money to buy Christmas decorations we could easily make ourselves. But still, we’re fully embracing the festive spirit of the season. When we give our DIY Christmas crafts as gifts, it means that much more, because– to paraphrase Dr. Seuss– it comes from our hearts and minds rather than some big box store. From an environmental perspective, the following homemade Christmas décor ideas help us demonstrate our respect for the planet. Rather than treating its resources as if they’re disposable, we’re upcycling them to create something perfectly in the spirit of the season. And if we’re being honest, isn’t it just as important that the process of making these Christmas crafts is just plain fun, and fills our holidays with joy? READ MORE: 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts Ideas TOC
Recycled Christmas DecorationsNo other holiday decoration is as common and beloved around the world as the Christmas tree. And no Christmas tree is complete without ornaments. The most treasured ornaments are usually those that come with personal memories attached. Whether it’s a photo of baby’s first Christmas, a casting mold someone made in kindergarten, or a project from high school art class, these snapshots in time often become family heirlooms. These time-honored traditions don’t have to stop just because the kids have grown up. Making DIY Christmas ornaments together as a family is fun, free, and full of home grown holiday cheer. There are a host of things that most of us already have around the house that you can use to make recycled Christmas ornaments. Scraps of yarn or thread come in handy. Old lids from jars or bottles can be painted and transformed into ornaments. Cookie cutters, puzzle pieces, and board game parts that probably haven’t seen the light of day in years can all make cool Christmas ornaments. Even old light bulbs can be quickly converted into glass baubles. READ MORE: 25 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decorations 1. How To Make Sheet Music AngelsThere are many different ways to make Sheet Music Angels, which you can hang on your tree or give as homemade Christmas gifts to your friends and family. There are tons of instructional how-to videos available to watch for free on YouTube, but this is one of the easiest methods we’ve found.
READ MORE: Eco-Friendly Ways to Decorate For Christmas 2. Christmas Paper ChainsSome craft projects are easy to do. The materials are easy to come by. And when they’re done to a silly extent, somehow they come off looking amazing. Paper chains are among the simplest recycled Christmas décor you can make at home. One paper chain looks a bit sad and anemic. But when a dozen long, colorful chains are strung around a room, it somehow magically transforms the space into a holiday wonderland. Paper chains can be made from all sorts of recycled stuff. Materials we’ve used in the past include newspapers, old coloring books, comics, magazines, junk mail, paper bags, spent wrapping paper, old maps and so on. Looking to entertain children? Have them color pictures on the paper before the chains are linked together. This is a great family activity, and it’s a Christmas craft project that’s hard to mess up. READ MORE: 15 Recycled Christmas Cards Crafts for Kids 3. Holiday SignsFor those who don’t mind doing a little carpentry (or who have become hip to the DIY pallet projects scene), scrap wood can fuel creative ideas for perfect DIY Christmas decorations. Pallet planks are the perfect size for your source materials. But old scraps of plywood, one-by-fours, poster board, or even cardboard can also work well. Using actual wood makes the decoration look a bit classier, but kids could work on cardboard to decorate their own rooms. The process is simple. You take a scrap of wood (varying the sizes has a nice effect), sand it, and paint it with holiday sayings or lyrics from your favorite Christmas carols. If lettering isn’t your specialty, try simple pictures, such as a tree, a gift, or a candy cane. Otherwise, the wood can simply be Christmas colors: red and green stripes, solid red or green or white, or an abstract blend. Dot them around the house or stake them in the yard for a splash of holiday cheer. READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Christmas Traditions in Mexico 4. Suspended Paper SnowflakesThe traditional vision of a snowy white Christmas still feels as heartwarming as ever. But with the world gradually getting increasingly warmer due to climate change, these days those snowy winter wonderland days are in increasingly short supply. Making paper Christmas decorations is a wonderful pastime many of us may remember from grade school (or the modern holiday classic about Buddy the Elf). As with paper chains, when a dozen or more snowflakes are hanging down from the ceiling, they look amazing! Even in an increasingly paperless world, many of us find ourselves knee deep in old paper. There are flyers, bills, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and any number of other ways paper can worm its way into our trash heap. So instead, why not recycle your unwanted paper and use it to make snowflakes? Check out this link for instructions on how to make awesome 3-D snowflakes, but try using homemade glue instead of tape. READ MORE: NYC Christmas Window Displays 5. Memory WreathIn the world of upcycling, any DIY craft project that can take lots of small things and turn them into one striking item is a project worth doing. When it comes to recycled Christmas decorations, making holiday wreaths made from repurposed materials is easy, and the results can be amazing. These wreaths can transform a lifetime of memories into joyous holiday décor you can hang on the door. These are the best kinds of homemade Christmas decorations, because the only limit is your imagination. Old toys, knickknacks, ornaments, puzzle pieces, board game pieces, cookie cutters, and all manner of Christmas-themed keepsakes can be nestled together in the form of a wreath. By attaching all of your upcycled trinkets to a themed memory wreath, you’ll be creating something new that can be proudly displayed and appreciated in an entirely different way. READ MORE: Real Christmas Trees vs. Fake: Which is Better? 6. DIY Nativity SceneWhen most people think about making Christmas decorations, nativity scenes probably aren’t the first craft project that comes to mind. But making a nativity scene, from the stable and the animals to little baby Jesus, can lead to a series of fun DIY Christmas decoration projects. Nativity scenes start with the stable, which is as easy as finding a box you can decorate. With Christmas coming up, boxes will likely be arriving in the mail regularly, so the source material should be an easy find. With some craft materials, twigs, and dried grass clippings, this part is easy to make. Next, it’s a matter of creating Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the Wise Men, and whoever/whatever else you’d like the scene to include. These figurines can be made from toilet rolls, match boxes, simple cardboard cutouts or even wine corks. Some people like to use army men, plastic weird animals, wind-up toys, or even LEGO figures. It’s your holiday, so have fun with it! Making a nativity scene as a recycled Christmas decoration has the added benefit of being a fun way for kids to be reminder that the holiday season isn’t only about wish lists and candy canes. READ MORE: Countries That Do Not Celebrate Christmas 7. Wine Bottle Crafts for ChristmasBefore we go off to our holiday parties and other events, before we sit down for our dinners and deserts, why not make a recycled Christmas decoration to serve as a centerpiece for the feast? With friends and/or family coming to visit, most of us will undoubtedly serve (and/or drink) a few glasses of wine to add extra holiday cheer. This will likely leave at least one empty wine bottle lying around. Wine bottles are a versatile recycling material for making Christmas decorations. They stand tall and proud, already have an attractive shape, and can hold things inside like a vase. Here are some cool options for what to do with the wine bottle itself:
Once the bottle is decorated, it can also be adorned with things:
This kind of holiday centerpiece definitely ties the room together, and it’s the sort of detail that moves the table from feeling humdrum to full-on festive, even without the feast and roast beast. READ MORE: The 25 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe 8. Natural DIY Christmas DécorAs the chill of winter fills the air, a lot of natural debris tends to accumulate in the yard. There are a host of twigs, pine cones, and fallen branches and logs to contend with. Don’t send this detritus to the dump! That’s crazy, because they’re good for both the garden and for making recycled Christmas décor. So are pine needles, and clippings from the rosemary bush. Going natural with homemade Christmas decorations adds a simple rustic touch around the holidays. Fasten twigs together in the shape of a tree, or bind them at the ends to make stars. Fill a wooden bowl with pine cones and tufts of pine needles. Take a cool looking piece of wood and make it into a yule log. To create a wonderful smelling wreath, snip lengths of rosemary and fold them into a circle. These miniature wreaths can be hung around the house, or use them around candle votives for an extra touch of greenery. No waste, all natural! READ MORE: The 20 Best Environmental Charities & Animal Charities for Holiday Donations 9. DIY Christmas Crafts: Mason JarsThose of us who have learned to avoid plastic packaging, and instead buy stuff in glass jars, inevitably build up a collection beyond anything we’ll ever need. But instead of sending them off to be recycled, why not consider turning them into homemade Christmas gifts everyone will love? It may take a little more time than buying tiny junk gifts for acquaintances and co-workers. But old jars can easily be upcycled to make nice DIY Christmas crafts they’ll actually appreciate. With a little decorative creativity, glass jars can be turned into awesome gift containers. They can be stuffed with food, such as Christmas cookies or hot drink mixes. They can be filled with holiday snacks—nuts and dried cranberries, chocolates, or other sweets—and put out on the coffee table for holiday guests to enjoy. They can also be used as containers for sewing or shaving kits. They can be made into candle jars. Add a bit of ribbon and a homemade name tag, and an old jar quickly becomes a memorable Christmas gift with a personal touch. Check out this great cookie mix recipe and other great mason jar Christmas gift ideas from The Frugal Girls… READ MORE: The 20 Best Places to Spend Christmas in the USA Peppermint Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookie Mix in a JarINGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS: Attach a label or add these instructions to the top of the jar’s lid.
READ MORE: The History of Chocolate (& How Chocolate is Made) 10. DIY Christmas CollageThe images of Christmas time are a many-splendored thing, and seemingly no one decoration could contain them all. Or, so one would think. A homemade Christmas collage is a magnificent way to combine many of the special symbols of the holiday season into one thematic work of art. And when it comes to making DIY collages, most of us have a whole host of waste materials on hand we can use. Check out the YouTube video above of a homemade Christmas Collage that recycles wrapping paper, gift tags, and magazine clippings to create artful Christmas memories your family will treasure forever. Christmas cards are a fantastic sentiment to send to friends and family each year, but they usually just end up in the garbage. The same can be said for wrapping paper. There are also lots of Christmas ads in the newspaper and magazines. All of these items can be upcycled for making festive DIY Christmas collages. And these collages can be more than just something to hang. Consider covering the table with one, or even decorating an entire wall or door. READ MORE: 15 Ways To Reduce Waste & Move Towards Waste-Free Living 11. CHRISTMAS BOTTLE CAP PINSWhen it comes to Christmas, sometimes even the smallest gifts can make the biggest splash. Pins (a.k.a. buttons) are a perfect case in point. Wearing a simple festive pin on your lapel or sweater has the power to bring about a smile, spread the holiday spirit, and maybe even garner a compliment or two. Homemade holiday pins are perfect to wear yourself or give as small gifts. They’re easy to create and can be made from all sorts of stuff. With bottle cap pins, the possibilities for DIY Christmas decorations are endless. Making them only requires a safety pin and glue, and you can put the image on the outside or inside of the cap. It can be as easy a gluing a photo of Santa (or a snowman, or a reindeer) from wrapping paper or a magazine ad. Old ornaments and Christmas decorations are another good source for inspiration, and Pinterest is littered with free-to-download images that you can use. Artistic folks might like to paint their own seasonally appropriate images on the inside of a bottle cap. Since bottle caps can’t be recycled, you’re giving both your friends and the earth a great gift! READ MORE: The History & Names of Santa Claus Around The World How To Make A Bottle Cap PinITEMS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
READ MORE: 20 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World 12. DIY ADVENT CALENDAR IDEASAdvent calendars are a beloved holiday tradition in many homes, counting down to Christmas Day. But they’re typically a one-use item that just creates more waste. Instead, why not make them at home, from garbage you already have on hand? That way, the advent calendar can be themed however you like—whether it’s Santa Claus or Frozen or the Nativity—and filled with homemade treats and prizes. For some fun DIY Advent Calendar ideas check out these suggestions below:
Decorate them with some holiday cheer using recycled wrapping paper, ribbon, etc. Then number the containers from one to 25. Finally, fill your upcycled advent calendar with fun stuff like hand-written jokes, holiday treats, Bible scriptures, or whatever suits your fancy. It makes the whole project more personal. READ MORE: The Best Christmas Light Displays in Georgia 13. SNOWMAN CRAFTS FROM TIN CANSThe holiday season is filled with big-time food for big crowds of people. And that means there will probably be an abundance of tin cans around, of varying sizes. With a little paint and some imagination, these cans can make cool Christmas decorations. One of our favorites is the tin can snowman. It starts with three tin cans of different sizes and some white paint. Minimalists might stop there, but a lot more can be done to make your Frosty feel fancy. Make a quick sojourn into the sewing kit and you might find be a few colorful buttons to make a face and coat. A spare piece of ribbon from the present-wrapping stash could be turned into a scarf. A bit of felt or construction paper could make a carrot nose and a top hat. These homemade Christmas decorations are a great project for the kids to do. Then they can set their recycled holiday décor out on display for grandma and grandpa to admire. READ MORE: Atlanta Christmas Events: 50+ Things To Do for Christmas in Georgia 14. CHRISTMAS CRAFTS WITH TOILET PAPER ROLLSSantas made from the insides of toilet paper rolls are one of the easiest Christmas decorations to make, possible for toddlers and entertaining enough for adults. Plus, all the trimmings the kids will need in order to make a nice toilet roll Santa are already lying around the house. The toilet roll is the perfect rotund, jolly shape necessary for making St. Nick’s body. It’s just a matter of painting or drawing the red suit onto the toilet roll and creating a simple hat out of construction paper or some ribbon. Then you add a bit of fluffy cotton in the appropriate spots to form the beard, the hat, and the fur-lined coat. But if you’re someone who always recycles your old toilet paper rolls, then don’t let the fun stop there. Toilet paper rolls are the ultimate medium for making Christmas decorations. They can be used to construct dainty wreaths, festive utensil holders, and all sorts of fun Christmas characters. If this article inspires your Christmas craft-making spirit, check out these 20 ideas for more Christmas crafts made out of toilet rolls. READ MORE: 10 Natural Travel Toiletries You Can Make at Home 15. DIY CHRISTMAS GIFT TAGSThe crux of making our Christmas memories more special is often in the little details that seem to go unnoticed at the time. One of those tidbits is the gift tag. Sure, there are plenty of options to buy them cheaply at the store, but they’re also quite easy to make out of old cereal boxes. This simple DIY Christmas craft is definitely not one that requires a lot of concentration or talent. Anyone who can work scissors, even rudimentarily, can cut a box into a handful of rectangles. This is also a great way for reusing last year’s Christmas cards. For parents who are really looking to keep their little elves busy around the holidays, the picture side of these homemade gift tags could be painted with solid colors, stripes, snowmen or whatever else comes to mind. Adding a splash of artistic flair would only make the tags even more special for the recipient. Rather than going out to buy bits of paper or cardboard to make gift tags, just use what’s already around. Then, afterwards, what’s left can go into the recycling bin. READ MORE: 125+ Best Gifts for Travelers (& Every Travel Style) 16. HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS POSTCARDSMy wife, Emma, is British. One thing I’ve learned over the last 15 years is that Brits just love exchanging cards, and especially at Christmas. Across the pond, it seems like everyone is displaying this year’s Christmas card collection. The sentiment is fantastic. It’s a lovely thing to let someone know you’re thinking of them, and a card is but a simple holiday gesture for doing so. The problem is that, at the end of it all, everyone is left with dozens of Christmas cards. That’s a lot of rubbish! One interesting way to avoid tossing all those cards into the recycling bin is to turn them into next year’s Christmas postcards. Most of the time these cards have a front cover with a seasonal picture on it, but the back part of it is left blank. To make it into a homemade card, simply cut off the picture portion and reuse the blank part to create your own Christmas postcard the following year. This reduces waste and saves money, yet still gets the sentiment of good holiday cheer across. READ MORE: NYC Christmas Window Displays (Free Walking Tour) 17. CHRISTMAS CRAFTS MADE FROM SOCKSGetting new socks for Christmas is a tradition that dates back to a time when people actually had to make their own socks. It may not be the flashiest of gifts, but sometimes gifts are practical and perfect. If this happens in your home, it’s likely that a lot of old socks are ready to be tossed right around Christmas time. But rather than throwing them away, old socks can be easily transformed into recycled Christmas décor. The obvious and simplest example would be a sock snowman. That’s just a white sock stuffed with rice at the bottom (a little weight in the bottom helps to keep it upright), and then filled at the top with whatever is light, fluffy, and handy. Use white string to form it all into a couple of snowballs. Of course, your snowmen can be much more creative than that. They can have little crocheted hats and scarves, buttons for eyes, and a tiny piece of carrot for the nose. You can also use old socks of different colors to make craftier creatures such as penguins, reindeer, or even Santa himself. Just a head’s up: Whatever you do, don’t throw old socks away. Spread the word that used clothing (even dirty old socks) can be recycled, just as we would bottles and cans. It’s important! READ MORE: The Best Travel Clothing 18. HOMEMADE SNOW GLOBESThose with a backlog of jars and lids on hand have the basic materials for my favorite recycled Christmas decoration, the snow globe. Snow globes are a surprisingly easy Christmas gift to make at home, and they can entertain some recipients for hours. It starts with finding an empty jar with a lid, then some old Christmas tree ornaments to create your mini winter wonderland. Use a hot glue gun to affix the ornament(s) artfully to the lid, and then fill the jar with water, glitter, and just a bit of glycerin. Once your homemade snow globe looks just the way you want it to, simply screw the lid back on and glue it to keep it shut permanently. Then turn it over and watch the snow swirl! This is a perfect way to use up old ornaments or recycle Christmas decorations from the past. It breathes some new life into them, and makes a perfect homemade gift for the folks you love. READ MORE: Going Green: 60 Simple Tips For Earth Day & Every Day 19. FAMILY CHRISTMAS GAMESWith each passing Christmas, it seems like we find more and more reasons to tune into our tiny screens and out of the family scene. A surefire fix for that is to make a fun DIY Christmas game to play together. Family Christmas games don’t have to be anything new. They just have to be themed appropriately. A few crayons and some paper are all you need to make Christmas bingo cards. Rather than printing something off from the internet, have everyone draw their own bingo cards on cardboard boxes. Use chestnuts or chocolate kisses to cover what’s been called. Christmas bowling is another great game that’s easy to make at home. Old tin cans can be painted to depict Christmas characters such as Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, elves, and so on. Then they can be set up like bowling pins. Or, using those same painted cans, we make a pyramid. Then we ball up a sock to make a “snowball” and see who can knock them all down in one toss. These DIY family Christmas games are simple, but sweet. And they provide the sort of homespun fun that people will remember for years to come. READ MORE: 40 Fun Facts about Thanksgiving Around the World 20. HOMEMADE WRAPPING PAPERWrapping paper is something that, for the most part, only moms really care about. Everyone else is usually just itching to rip that paper off and get to the present. Unfortunately, that used wrapping paper cannot be recycled. However, we could swaddle our homemade Christmas gifts in homemade wrapping paper. Rather than buying fancy stuff, why not use out-of-date newspapers, recycled paper bags, or the plain brown paper that comes with Amazon shipments to wrap the presents? You (and/or your children) can paint, stamp, or draw seasonally appropriate pictures all over the paper before the gift is wrapped. Who isn’t going to love that? In fact, the paper might just get more attention than the present you wrapped it with! For the just-so people who are worried about appearances, a well-placed bow or ribbon can go a long way towards making a Christmas present wrapped in newspaper look classy. READ MORE: Green Global Travel’s Amazon Shop 21. Christmas Wine Cork CraftsAs the holiday season progresses, many of us will have gone through several bottles of wine. With each cork popped, we get a crafty little morsel we can work with. Wine corks are great craft material for recycled Christmas decorations. Corks are easy to transform into all sorts of things. They’ve been used to make cutting boards, pot rests, bulletin boards, bathmats, stamps and, of course, holiday decorations. The easiest way to create wine cork Reindeer is to use two corks– one for the head and another for the body. Then use two multi-pronged twigs to work as antlers, four single-pronged twigs to work as legs, one to be the neck, and another short one for the tail. Some folks also like to add a tuft of red at the nose or a jingle bell collar. Other wine cork Christmas crafts include painting the cork like Santa, then adding colorful accoutrements— cotton buds, buttons, etc.— to complete the festive look. Also, try gluing a big collection of corks together into three circles to make a snowman. READ MORE: Winter Adventures (& Reindeer!) in Finnish Lapland 22. Recycled CD Craft Ideas for ChristmasMany of us Gen X and Gen Y folks have steadfastly held on to our CDs and DVDs. We worked so hard to amass a collection, only to see technology breeze by us with on-demand movies, tv, and music. It’s a difficult step to bid those discs goodbye once and for all. However, when the time is right, they can be used for recycled Christmas décor. One easy way is to simply cut them up into festive shapes (oh, the agony!) and hang them as shimmery Christmas tree ornaments. For those more inclined to get into a craft project, CD letter chains are easy-to-make Christmas decorations. Either paint the CDs or cover them with glued-on bits of leftover wrapping paper, and either paint or craft some letters to go on them. Spell out seasonal words and phrases to hang on the wall, along banisters, beneath door jambs, or wherever else might need some sprucing up. For those with massive collections, recycling CDS (and cases) is a thing, so please go that route if and when you do choose to throw them out. READ MORE: Top 5 Irish Folk Music Artists for St Patrick’s Day 23. Recycled Paper Beads for ChristmasPhysical magazines seem to still be hanging around, despite the fact that most publications these days are available via internet. For some of us, the feel of an actual magazine or newspaper is just too alluring to give up in favor of comparatively tiny digital screens. Luckily, we know how to make Christmas decorations out of paper, so those periodicals can get extra play. Newspapers have a multitude of uses, such as starting that open fire for roasting chestnuts. But magazines, with their glossy pages, are a bit more troublesome. That being said, magazines can be snipped to use the images or text to create collages, cards, and so on. Magazine pages also make really nice recycled paper beads. Here’s how:
These beads can be strung together to wind around a Christmas tree or hung over a figurine. A string of beads– particularly beads painted in appropriate colors– can become a first-rate recycled Christmas decoration. READ MORE: How I Became a Professional Freelance Writer 24. DIY Christmas Stockings From SweatersEveryone loves a good Christmas sweater competition. But let’s be honest, most of the time these sweaters are one-hit wonders, which means they’re getting tossed (whether in the trash or the Goodwill bin) with a lot of life left in them. Instead of throwing them out, they could be repurposed into awesome rustic Christmas stockings. For those not particularly skilled at sewing, fear not. This only requires rudimentary stitching, and very little of it at that. Simply take an old sweater and press it flat on the table. With some paper or cardboard, create a template for the size and shape of stocking you’d like. Cut around the template, making sure to get both sides of the sweater. Stitch around the edges with some ribbon or thread, but be sure to leave the top open. Once the basic stocking shape is there, add some jingles, sparkles, lettering, or whatever extras make it feel right before hanging it on the mantle. This is a cool Christmas decoration to make for loved ones, especially if the sweater has special memories! READ MORE: How to Save Money for Travel by Buying Secondhand Gear 25. DIY Tomato Cage Christmas TreeFor those who love gardening, Christmas can be a trying time. After all, the weather isn’t really right at this time of year for getting out and growing tomatoes. So why not learn how to make Christmas decorations from garden implements? The silver (bell) lining is that those tomato cages can still come in handy during the wintertime. Nothing works quite so well as those conical tomato cages for holding our tomato plants proud and tall all summer. Then, in the winter, they can be turned the other way around—pointy end on top—to make outdoor Christmas tree displays! With the large circle as a base on the ground, pin together the three spikes that normally go in the ground with a star or angel made from tie wire. Then, assorted homemade ornaments can be hung from the wire cage. They look pretty cool, and they can turn the garden festive while times a-wasting. READ MORE: An Intro to Permaculture Gardening 26. DIY Christmas Garland IdeasGarland is perhaps one of the most overlooked but effective DIY Christmas decorations at our disposal. It’s literally strewn with festivity and, for those of us doing it ourselves with recycled or natural materials, options abound. Some of the materials for making homemade garland– paper chains, painted CDs, handmade paper beads, paper snowflakes– have already been discussed. But there are other options, too. Natural items like sprigs of holly, pine cones, and evergreen boughs provide a lovely Christmas feel. Most Christmas tree vendors will even give you their extra clippings for free! Of course, stringing popcorn is a classic Christmas craft idea. We like to alternate ours with popcorn and cranberries, which look lovely even as they dry out during the holiday season. And if properly stored, they can last several years. For recycled garlands using thin cardboard boxes (such as from cereal or pasta), crafty people might like to cut out various Christmas symbols—bells, trees, angels, snowflakes, candy canes, gifts, etc.—and fasten them together. Old clothes pins can also be painted to look like Santas, snowmen, and various other Christmas characters, then clipped onto lines as normal. READ MORE: 25 Awesome Plastic Free Products 27. Homemade Gingerbread Playdough MenWhile not exactly recycled, it’s easy to make natural, compostable playdough from ingredients that most of us already have in the kitchen. All it takes is a cup of flour, a cup of water, ¼ cup of salt, a tablespoon of cooking oil, and two teaspoons of cream of tartar. Adding a bit of cocoa powder or food coloring to this can make it a light brown hue. Making playdough at home is a cinch. First, stir up all the ingredients in a pot and heat the mixture on medium until it forms a playdough-like solid. Then spread it out to cool and knead it a little when it’s mild enough to touch. Now it’s playdough, and ready for all sorts of Christmas crafts. The playdough can be rolled out and cut into gingerbread men (assuming there’s a gingerbread man cookie cutter around). For that matter, why not utilize whatever Christmas cookie cutters you have? Obviously, this is a really fun project to do with kids. Once the shapes are made, perhaps decorated with gum drops or what-have-you, just leave them out to harden. READ MORE: Lebkuchen Recipe (German Christmas Cookies aka German Gingerbread) 28. Christmas Crafts Made From Old GamesIf your family home is like mine was, you undoubtedly have a trunk, closet, or attic full of forgotten board games and puzzles boxes with missing pieces. The beauty of these things when you start Christmas crafting is that they provide an essence of play, which is the perfect feeling to harness for holiday décor and gifts. Puzzle pieces can be painted red and white, then glued together in the shape of a candy cane. Old Scrabble letters can be linked together to spell out holiday-related words. Lots of board games have little tidbits that can make cool ornaments for the tree, or fodder for garlands or wreaths, or figures for quirky Nativity scenes. The key is to tap into your inner child and let the creativity flow. Better yet, for those with literal children in the house, let them have some fun! Heck, it might even result in a family night of board games, with no smartphones or iPads necessary. After the games are over, the bits and pieces can later be transformed into homemade Xmas decorations. READ MORE: 45 Pieces of Advice I Would Include in a Letter To My Younger Self 29. DIY Christmas CrackerMy wife Emma is from the United Kingdom, and Christmas is not Christmas in the UK if there isn’t a Christmas cracker. For those unfamiliar, this is not some sort of appetizer though it is usually part of Christmas dinner and enjoyed before the actual feasting. Christmas crackers look a bit like an enormous piece of candy, tubular and wrapped in paper like a Tootsie Roll. However, when pulled apart, they pop, and they’re filled with a few select items (none of which are actually edible). They usually have a cheesy Christmas joke, a paper hat (more like a crown), and a trinket. It’s easy to make your own DIY Christmas cracker at home with recycled toilet paper rolls and repurposed wrapping paper. The internet can supply a plethora of cheesy Christmas jokes. Paper hats can be made out of newspapers. The trinkets can be something as simple as a small Christmas ornament or an old board game piece. The prizes generally seem like something you’d get from a Cracker Jack box. Though it is possible to buy little inserts to make the bang when homemade Christmas crackers are pulled apart, Emma and I prefer to make funny noises with our mouths instead. It provides some laughs, without creating unnecessary trash. READ MORE: Top 10 Things to Do on the Isle of Skye, Scotland 30. DIY Gingerbread HouseThough it’s easy to go to the store and buy a kit to make gingerbread houses at home, skipping the steps seems to take a lot of the fun out of the tradition. Making a DIY Gingerbread house from scratch is much more fun. Not only are they the ultimate homemade Christmas decoration, but they provide delicious aromas (and sneaky treats) in the process. Many of the ingredients are things most people have around anyway, and it doesn’t create a bunch of extra packaging when made at home. The house itself could be composted if it isn’t eaten. And let us not forget that the whole process is fun, and fairly easy. Here’s how:
READ MORE: The 25 Most Unusual & Unique Hotels in the World 31. Tin Can Christmas LanternsDuring the holiday season, when it feels like the cooking never really stops, you’ll probably find yourself with a bunch of leftover tin cans lying around. If you clean them up, there are a ton of different crafts you can upcycle them into, including tin can Christmas lanterns. First, tear off any outside paper until the cans are bare, then paint them. Just make sure to use paint that’s safe for use with fire if you plan on putting a candle inside. Next, decide what design you want the light to shine through and use a sharpie or pen to mark out the pattern. Then carefully poke holes through the dots, using either a hammer and nail or drill. If you want to hang your lanterns, make two holes on opposing sides of the top, then poke some sort of wire through them. Lastly, add either a votive candle or fairy lights and enjoy your festive lanterns! READ MORE: The Best Food Gifts From Around the World (The Ultimate Gourmet Guide) 32. Snowman Lightbulb OrnamentIf one of your lightbulbs burns out, don’t throw it away! It can easily be transformed into a cute snowman ornament for your Christmas tree. Even after Santa has come and gone, you can keep these adorable little snowmen on display around the house until Spring rolls around. The first step is to paint the entire bulb white. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even paint a layer of glue over the white and cover it in iridescent glitter. Now it’s time to bring your snowman to life. Grab a black sharpie or paint pen and draw on two eyes, a smile, and buttons. If you have orange paint, you can even add a classic carrot-shaped nose! After the paint has dried, cut out a strip of felt or scraps of fabric to glue on to for his scarf. You can also add mittens if you’d like. Once your snowman looks just right, glue a piece of string or wire to the top and you’ve got yourself a homemade ornament! READ MORE: The Best Gifts for Campers, Hikers & Nature Lovers 33. Christmas Clothespin CraftsIf you have old clothespins lying around, there are endless crafts you can transform them into with just some paint, glue, and a little creativity. Dreaming of a white Christmas? Paint a few clothespins white and glue them together in the shape of a snowflake. Then you can hang them around your home or on a Christmas tree for some winter wonderland décor. Got some green paint? Paint three clothespins green and glue them together in a triangular shape to make a Christmas tree. From there you can cut out yellow paper to make a star tree topper, and add colorful ornaments as well. Or you could paint a couple more clothespins green and glue them onto a circular piece of cardboard to make a wreath. You can also bring them to life by turning individual clothespins into reindeer, snowmen, nutcrackers, and Santas by painting them their respective colors and adding the individual features of each one. READ MORE: The Best Fair Trade Clothing & Ethical Clothing Brands 34. 3D Cardboard Christmas TreesSince online shopping has dominated the Christmas gift-buying game in recent years, most of us are sure to have a cardboard box or two in the house when the holidays roll around. Instead of trashing them, you might want to keep some around for a fun craft that’s easy for the whole family. Start by drawing a simple Christmas tree shape on your cardboard panel, however large you’d like your tree to be. For each 3D Christmas Tree, you’ll need to draw one full tree and two half trees. Next, cut out the shapes and glue the pieces together, attaching the half trees to the each side of the full cardboard tree. Now it’s time to decorate! You can paint the tree green or white (for a snow-covered look), then glue on craft materials for ornaments. If you need some ideas, try buttons, pipe cleaners, glitter, pom poms, tinsel, sequins, craft gems, or stickers. READ MORE: 25 Biggest Forests inthe World (For Your World Travel Bucket List) 35. DIY Christmas Card WreathChristmas cards are such a special part of the holiday season, they can be hard to throw away. But there are better ways to savor the memories, rather than stuffing them into a drawer to never be seen again. When you use old cards to make this DIY Christmas wreath, you get a fun memory of making the DIY Christmas craft itself! Start by gathering all the Christmas cards you want to use, and then get creative with it. You can cut out all different shapes for a more homemade look, or use a stencil to make each card look like holly leaves or any other holiday shape. Then find some old cardboard and cut it into a circle, with the center cut out. Glue all of the cards on, add a ribbon for hanging, and you’ve got yourself a sweet and sentimental wreath to display during the holiday season. READ MORE: The 20 Best Cultural Festivals Around the World In the end, using recycled things to make DIY Christmas crafts and homemade Christmas gifts might be the perfect thing to help us regain our youthful enthusiasm for the holidays. It doesn’t cost as much as buying new (Charlie Brown would be so proud!). It isn’t damaging the planet (Mother Earth will be so relieved!). And it pushes us into the thoughtful, rather than capitalist, spirit of the season (Dr. Seuss will be delighted!). Most of us in the western world are fortunate to be able to celebrate the Christmas holidays however we like. And these easy Christmas craft projects offer a fun, yet meaningful way to show our appreciation for that blessing. –Jonathon Engels, with additional reporting by Christina Maggitas, Lead Image by Andrew Storms courtesy Flickr via CC 2.0 The post 35 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make appeared first on Green Global Travel. 35 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr 35 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel. [Updated 10/25/21] Christmas has been celebrated as a Christian holiday dating back to A.D. 336.But it has also become an international phenomenon whose widespread popularity supersedes both its religious and pagan origins. Did you know that, while 70% of the planet’s population is not Christian, nearly 80% of the world’s countries observe Christmas traditions in one form or another? Many of the traditional symbols of Christmas transcend cultures and continents, including Christmas trees, gifts, ornaments, Santa (who’s known by many names), and, strangely, pickles. Yet Christmas legends and Christmas traditions around the world vary drastically, with each culture adopting their own customs, their own holiday folklore, and their own Christmas dishes. This in no way diminishes the religious implications for those who observe the holiday for those reasons. It’s more a testament to the power of these ancient Christmas customs– evidence that we all want to commune, commemorate, and care for one another. Each of those traditional Christmas symbols—evergreens, candy canes, wreaths, stockings— has a fascinating history that explains how it worked its way into the hearts of millions of people. So read on for a deep dive into the symbols of Christmas and learn the meaning of traditional Christmas Decorations- such as mistletoe, twinkling Christmas lights, and more! READ MORE: 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World Symbols of Christmas Guide
1. Advent CalendarAdvent calendars are special calendars used to count down the days until Christmas. Each day (starting on December 1st and running until the 25th) coincides with a small door that can be opened to reveal a Christmas picture, and sometimes even a piece of chocolate or small candy. The Advent calendar tradition is of German origin. It dates back to the mid-19th century, when German Protestants made chalk marks on doors or lit candles to count the days leading up to Christmas. Gerhard Lang is credited as the creator of the first printed Advent calendar, after being inspired by a homemade calendar his mother had made for him. He modified the original to include little doors, which have now become a staple of Advent calendars. Lang later co-founded the Reichhold & Lang printing company, which printed cardboard Advent Calendars. While this type is still around today, versions made out of different materials and designs are widely used in homes all across the world. READ MORE: The 20 Best Places to Spend Christmas in the USA 2. Advent CandlesAdvent candles were originally part of the holiday wreath tradition, and the two combined as part of a long-standing Catholic tradition. That being said, there is historic evidence that Germanic people used wreaths and candles in the time before Christianity to provide hope during the dark days of winter. In fact, the Catholic Church didn’t actually adopt the tradition until some time in the Middle Ages! The four candles symbolize the number of weeks for Advent. Traditionally, three of these candles are purple, standing for prayer, penance, and preparation. The other candle, which is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, is rose-colored. It signals a time of rejoicing. New religious practices sometimes change the color of the candles to uniformly white. Regardless, the light of the Advent candles symbolize Jesus Christ as “the light of the world.” READ MORE: The 25 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe 3. Angel Tree ToppersWith Christmas being primarily known as a Christian holiday, it’s no wonder that one of the most recognized Christmas tree decorations is the Christmas angel tree topper. The angel represents the role of angels in the birth of Jesus. As recounted in the most famous Bible story of all, angels appeared in the sky over Bethlehem to announce the savior’s birth. For many faithful Christians today, the Christmas tree angel is the culmination and highlight of their most meaningful holiday décor. READ MORE: 30 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make 4. Boughs of HollyBoughs of holly were made famous by the opening line of the Christmas carol, “Deck the Halls.” The song was written by Scottish composer Thomas Oliphant in 1862, using a Welsh melody that dates back to the 16th century. But the red-berried greenery was an important wintertime accoutrement long before it earned a place of honor amongst our quintessential Christmas decorations. Ancient druids admired holly’s resilience, and regarded the plant as an emblem of eternal life. So while it was bad luck to chop down a holly tree, hanging boughs of holly in the home brought good luck. Romans connected holly with Saturn (their god of agriculture and harvest) and hung boughs of it for Saturnalia, the Pagan festival that many historians say ultimately became Christmas. Christians adopted the symbol many years later, assigning it a new meaning. For them, the red berries represented the blood of Christ, and the pointy leaves the crown of thorns placed upon his head as he was crucified. READ MORE: The Best Gifts for Campers, Hikers & Nature Lovers 5. Christmas BellsBells were a part of significant events and celebrations long before Christianity, and the noise they made was originally used to ward off evil spirits. Later, the bells were used to announce any big moment, good or bad, which is why they were used for the birth of Christ. As Christian churches expanded across Eurasia, bells became a standard feature of them because they announced the start of church services to the community. So Christmas bells were rooted in the ringing to announce church services on the holiday. Christmas bells later branched out into being used as musical instruments for children and carolers. As a result, they became one of the most common of all Christmas ornaments. READ MORE: Atlanta Christmas Events: 50+ Things To Do for Christmas in Georgia 6. Christmas Candy CanesWhen the Christmas tree was adopted in Germany in the 1600s, along with it came the tradition of hanging sweets on the tree. Included in the original sweets was a popular candy called a sugar stick. This traditional Christmas candy was straight and completely white. According to folklore, the curved crook was introduced to the sugar stick back in 1670, when a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral altered the shape to resemble a shepherd’s staff. Stripes weren’t added to the candy cane until the 20th century, some 200-plus years later. But no one is really certain how or why the stripes came to be. During the early 1900s, the peppermint and wintergreen flavors were added. The Christian legend of the candy cane has a different take. Some claim that the shape of the candy is actually a “J” for Jesus, and that the red and white stripes represent blood and purity. However, there is no historical evidence for this particular candy cane story. READ MORE: NYC Christmas Window Displays: A Free Walking Tour in New York 7. Christmas DoveYou can often find a white dove ornament perched between the branches of Christmas trees. But why? White doves have been a popular Christmas tree decoration and Christmastime symbol in general for centuries. The idea of associating doves with Christmas originated in the Bible. Following the Three Wise Men (who brought gold, myrrh, and frankincense as gifts to the baby Jesus), shepherds bore more modest gifts such as fruits, honey, and doves. The dove, which is referenced a number of other times in the Bible, represented peace on Earth, and has become a traditional symbol of peace during the holiday season. READ MORE: Countries That Do Not Celebrate Christmas 8. Christmas ElvesOriginating in Scandinavian, Germanic, and British folklore, elves were described as tiny, immortal creatures that possessed magical powers. They were believed to protect homes against evil and would reward good behavior, but play tricks on people if they misbehaved. These mischievous creatures made their way into Christmas folklore in the 19th century, when Christmas celebrations were gaining in popularity. Scandinavian writers created the elves’ role as Santa’s helpers, who would keep Santa’s naughty and nice list in order and help design and make toys for children. From there, elves became synonymous with Santa and the North Pole. They’ve made their way into many modern households through the “Elf on the Shelf” tradition. This involves a special elf being sent to a family’s home from the North Pole to keep an eye on the kids and see if they’re going to make the naughty or nice list. READ MORE: 15 Simple Recycled Christmas Cards Crafts for Kids 9. Christmas GarlandEvergreen boughs have been a part of winter celebrations for countless centuries, and the Winter Solstice has long had evergreen holiday garland among its many traditions. The evergreen originally provided inspirational persistence to help people get through the cold, dark days of winter. When Christianity came along, the Christmas celebration simply adapted this custom. But as the years have passed, most Xmas garland has morphed into something completely different. Artificial Christmas decorations now rule the day, and so we have garland made of everything from strings of lights and paper snowflakes to shiny tinsel. READ MORE: 5 Eco-Friendly Ways to Decorate for Christmas 10. Christmas LightsChristmas lights were the brainchild of Edward Hibberd Johnson, who was Thomas Edison’s boss and a promoter of his inventions. Before Christmas lights were hung on real Christmas trees, people used candles, which obviously brought huge risks. With Edison’s light bulb invention and the holiday-related fire hazard, Johnson saw an opportunity. Johnson, who was part owner of the Edison Lamp Company, set up a window display that wowed the newspaper reporters of his day. People would visit just to admire the bulbs, just as we do with outdoor Christmas lights displays today. Astoundingly, the entrepreneur created an appetite for Xmas lights before electricity was even commonly available! Nowadays, some 150 million lights a year are sold in the US alone. READ MORE: 20+ Best Christmas Lights Displays in Georgia 11. Christmas OrnamentsAs mentioned above, the use of evergreen trees to observe winter holidays dates back long before Christmas was created. But the Christmas ornaments we use to decorate them are a mere 500 years old! In the 16th century, Germans began decorating their trees with real apples, candles, nuts, and berries. At that time, these trees were known as “paradise trees” (perhaps a reference to the Garden of Eden?). The puritanical early Americans were initially less inclined to adopt the Christmas tradition. That is until a depiction of Queen Victoria (who was married to German Prince Albert) included a decorated Xmas tree. Wealthy Americans soon followed suit, and businesses caught on to a profitable marketing scheme. By the late 1800s, the Woolworth department store was selling millions of dollars’ worth of German-imported Christmas ornaments every year. READ MORE: Eco Lessons We Can Learn in Quotes From The Lorax 12. Christmas PickleWhile many of us did not grow up with the Christmas pickle as a symbol of Christmas in our homes, these unique ornaments have become increasingly commonplace. And yet the origins of the pickle as a Christmas tree ornament remain up for debate. The Christmas pickle tradition holds that, once the children are asleep, parents will hang a glass pickle on the tree. The first child to spot the pickle on Christmas morning gets to open a special present. Some people think this odd tradition was passed down from Germany. Some believe a story about a Civil War soldier who was saved from starvation by a pickle. Others believe St. Nicholas once saved two boys from drowning in a pickle barrel. But Martha Stewart suggests that the Christmas pickle was most likely just a gimmick to sell more ornaments. Ultimately, who knows how this weird Christmas decoration came to be a common thing? READ MORE: The Best Food Gifts From Around the World (The Ultimate Gourmet Guide) 13. Red and Green Christmas ColorsWhen you think of Christmas colors, red and green immediately come to mind. And while nobody knows for certain how they became the unofficial colors of Christmas, there are a few theories… Many Christians see the colors as being inspired by the life of Jesus, with green representing the everlasting life of Christ (much like evergreen trees, which stay green all winter long) and red representing the blood shed during his crucifixion. Historians argue that the colors originated during the ancient celebration of Saturnalia, where Romans would hang boughs of Holly in their homes. The tradition of hanging red and green holly evolved into hanging other red and green decorations. But what really solidified red and green as Christmas colors was actually Coca-Cola! In 1931, they created magazine ads that featured Santa dressed in red (the brand’s trademark color) surrounded by a green border and writing. The ads became so popular that they defined the American image of Santa, and red and green were solidified as the colors of Christmas in most people’s minds. READ MORE: Homemade Christmas Gifts 14. Christmas Tree TinselOnce more, we return to German Christmas traditions to find the origins of tinsel. The original Christmas tinsel strands were not just colored silver: They actually were silver! Silver tinsel was actually made of silver that had been hammered out super thin and cut into strips. Unfortunately the smoke from candles on the Christmas tree turned the silver tinsel black, so tree tinsel evolved. Nowadays, it is found in many shapes and colors. There’s gold tinsel, multicolored tinsel, tinsel garlands, and Christmas trees made entirely of tinsel. Fortunately for our holiday budgets, there are no precious metals involved. READ MORE: 20 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World 15. Christmas WreathAnother nod to the pagan (a.k.a. polytheistic) influence on Christmas, holiday wreaths are another variation on boughs of evergreen historically brought in to brighten homes during the bleak wintertime. However, the wreath actually made its first big stir in ancient Greece, where wreaths of laurel were worn somewhat like crowns. These laurel wreaths were donned by athletes who had won competitions, as well as by priests, brides, and guests of honor. Christmas wreaths, on the other hand, started off as ornaments rather stand-alone décor. Since then, lots of symbolic meaning has been given to the wreath. The wreath’s circular shape and evergreen material are said to represent eternal life. A German pastor converted it into a symbol of Advent by adding candles, with one for each week leading up to the holiday. READ MORE: The 20 Best Festivals in the World 16. Evergreen Christmas TreesAs we know by this point in our story, the history of Christmas trees started long before Christmas became the most important Christian holiday. Evergreen plants have long held symbolic significance during the wintertime. Among the ancient Egyptians, Celts, Druids, Romans, and Vikings, they were believed to keep evil and illness away. Germany is credited with the first legit Christmas tree, with a tradition that kicked off in the 16th century. This was when the triangular shape became a common thing, which added more Christmas tree meaning. Now, the three corners of the triangle represented the Holy Trinity of Christianity- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Americans were slow to adapt to this as one of the Symbols of Christmas, waiting until the mid-1800s. But now Christmas tree farms are in all 50 states, and tens of millions of artificial Christmas trees are sold here every year. READ MORE: Real Christmas Trees vs Fake Christmas Trees: Which is Better? 17. Giving Christmas GiftsChristmas gift giving is yet another continuation of pagan traditions, in particular the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia began on December 17 and culminated a week later on December 24. During this celebration (which included a feast, drinking, gambling, and other makings of merry), presents such as pottery, fruit, nuts, and candles were exchanged. Though early Christians wanted to completely do away with the pagan traditions, church leaders feared a significant backlash in the case of Saturnalia. So instead we got Christmas gifts– an homage to the three wise men bringing the baby Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Since then, Christmas presents have transformed into the fulcrum of the festivity. Of course these days the custom centers around children, with long lists of Christmas gift ideas sent to Santa so his elves will have time to make the toys. READ MORE: Best Gifts for Travelers (125+Travel Gift Ideas) 18. Hanging Christmas StockingsStockings hanging along the fireplace mantle is arguably one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas. Historians believe this tradition got its start before Christmas was widely celebrated, and that the real St. Nicholas (a.k.a. Santa Claus, Father Christmas, etc) was the catalyst. After his parents died in an epidemic, the Greek Christian bishop spent his life sharing the family fortune to help the poor and needy. He was known to drop gold coins into the socks of girls who couldn’t afford dowries. He would drop the riches down the chimney or through the window, and it would land in stockings that were hung to dry. The Christmas sock tradition in the US and Europe dates back to at least the 1700s. It even appears in the famous 1822 poem, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas”, also known as “Twas the Night before Christmas.” READ MORE: Best Environmental Charities & Animal Charities for Holiday Donations 19. Hanging MistletoeMistletoe was often part of ancient Druid and Celtic wintertime rituals. Back then the mistletoe plant was considered a cure-all with preternatural powers. However, the kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas tradition began with Norse mythology. Baldur, who was born to the Norse goddess Frigga, was supposed to be protected from every plant. But unfortunately Frigga forgot to have mistletoe agree to this edict. Consequently, the trickster god Loki fooled another god into killing Baldur with a mistletoe spear. After a failed attempt to revive Baldur, it became tradition that any two people passing under mistletoe would kiss in his memory. One last interesting mistletoe fact: The word is of Anglo-Saxon origin, with “mistle” meaning dung and “toe” meaning twig. So, linguistically, mistletoe translates to “dung on a twig.” Happy kissing! READ MORE: The Norse Gods: An Into to Viking Mythology & Key Sites in Norway 20. Lebkuchen (German Gingerbread)Gingerbread is among the most common go-to Christmas treats, providing the makings of both (gingerbread) men and (gingerbread) houses. But this holiday tradition actually began with German Christmas cookies, aka Lebkuchen cookies. Amazingly, 13th century monks are credited with creating these German gingerbread cookies. Well-baked German gingerbread is quite different from the dry, rigid gingerbread many of us have grown accustomed to. Instead, an authentic Lebkuchen recipe produces a much more cake-like (and very sweet) cookie. Lebkuchenherzen are heart-shaped and typically as big as dinner plates, and they are still a favorite Christmastime staple in Germany today. READ MORE: German Christmas Cookies- Lebkuchen Recipe (aka German Gingerbread) 21. Poinsettia PlantHow did the tropical poinsettia flower, which is native to Central America, become a part of one of the Symbols of Christmas? Legend has it that a young girl named Pepita was upset because she had no gift for the baby Jesus. When she was told that Jesus would love any present she had to offer, she picked weeds that she put near a nativity scene. The weeds transformed into the lovely red flowers we now know as red poinsettia. Pink and white poinsettia plants are a thing, too. In reality, the “flower” of the poinsettia is actually the plant’s leaves. The poinsettia plant was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first-ever U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who brought them home in the early 1800s. But displaying poinsettias for Christmas didn’t become a U.S. tradition until over 100 years later. Entrepreneur Paul Ecke Jr. sent them to TV studios across the country to promote the idea, and they are now one of the most popular plants sold in the United States. READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Christmas Traditions in Mexico 22. Santa ClausSanta Claus as we now know him is an amalgamation of international influences. His original persona dates back to the 3rd century in Turkey, where a monk named Nicholas was beloved for sharing his inherited family wealth to help the poor, sick children (and, oddly enough, sailors). He eventually became the most popular saint in all of Europe. After the Protestant Reformation, St. Nicholas remained especially revered in Holland, where he was nickname Sinter Klaas (a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas). Sinter Klaas made it to the US in the late 1700s, brought over by Dutch immigrants. Holding a feast on the anniversary of his death, December 6, was and remains a Dutch tradition. Santa’s popularity in the States escalated in the early 1800s, when he became a figure in New York history, This was partly due to John Pintard (of the New York Historical Society) and Washington Irving, who included him in a book, The History of New York. But jolly old St. Nick really made it big with the publication of Clement Clarke Moore’s 1822 poem, “An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas”. By 1820, American retail stores were using Sinter Klaas’s likeness to advertise at Christmas. And by 1840, Santa Claus himself was popping up in shops for children to visit. READ MORE: The History & Names for Santa Claus Around the World 23. Santa’s ReindeerOddly, the actual Saint Nicholas has no ties to reindeer whatsoever. He was from what is now Turkey, not anywhere near the animal’s natural domain. In fact, early versions of Saint Nick attached him to a ground-bound white horse. The first recorded account of Santa’s reindeer came in 1821, from a 16-page booklet with a poem titled, “A New Year’s Present: To the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. Part III”. The writer remained anonymous, but publisher William Gilley relayed that the author knew of a such animals from his mother’s account of the Arctic. In terms of his legend, Santa did not yet live in the North Pole at this time! A couple of years later, A Visit from Saint Nicholas upped the ante by not only having Xmas reindeer, but giving them a headcount (eight) and individual names. “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer” didn’t appear until 1939. That’s when the most famous reindeer of all was introduced in a story by Robert L. May, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward. READ MORE: Alaskan Animals: 40 Species You Can See During an Alaskan Vacation 25. Yule LogBurning a Yule log is an incredibly old tradition that predates Christianity. It was originally used as part of Ancient Norse winter solstice celebrations, which eventually merged with Christmas holiday traditions in the early Middle Ages. Christians adopted many secular traditions from winter solstice festivals, which is why the word “Yule” and “Yuletide” (which are related to the Old Norse word jól, the name of the Pagan winter feast) are now associated with Christmastime. The Yule log tradition originally involved bringing an entire Yule log into a home, placing the larger end in the fireplace, and lighting a fire that would burn throughout the 12 days of Christmas. Today the tradition is less common, but the symbol of Christmas remains. Many families will burn a smaller Yule log during the holidays, or enjoy an edible Yule log (La Bûche de Noël) as dessert after their Christmas dinner. READ MORE: Traditional Food Around the World: 30 Famous Dishes You Can Make at Home 25. Star Tree TopperThe Christmas tree star topper comes from similar origins as the Christmas tree angel. According to the Bible, a star rose with the birth of Christ. It helped to guide people to his birthplace in Bethlehem so that they could worship him. So we put a star atop the Christmas tree to pay homage to the guiding light on that night. With the Christmas holiday gradually becoming more and more secular, star tree toppers might be a bit more commonly appreciated now simply for their shape. These days, trendy Christmas tree decoration designers are increasingly offering an array of unique Christmas tree toppers, including snowflakes, gingerbread houses, bows, and poinsettias. -–Jonathon Engels; with additional reporting by Christina Maggitas, lead photo by Jill Wellington via Pixabay The post 25 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decorations appeared first on Green Global Travel. 25 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decorations published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr 25 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decorations Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel. [Updated 10/25/21] It’s no secret among friends and family that we’re nuts for Christmas traditions, decorating our house from wall to wall and immersing ourselves in local holiday celebrations.In fact, it’s the one time of year that we simply refuse to travel. But even we didn’t know much about how Christmas traditions around the world is celebrated until we began researching this story. Hope you’ll find these 80 fun Christmas facts as fascinating as we did! Christmas Traditions Around the World TOC
READ MORE: 40 Fun Facts About Thanksgiving Around The World ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS1. The origins of Christmas can be traced back to ancient pagan celebrations such as Deus Sol Invictus (observed Dec 25), the Kalends (Jan 1-5), and Saturnalia (Dec 17-23). The Christian Church disapproved of these festivals and co-opted the holidays by declaring Dec 25 as Jesus’ birthday. 2. Mistletoe was held sacred by the Norse, the Celtic Druids, and Native American Indians, because it remains green and bears fruit during the winter when other plants seem to die. Druids thought the plant had the power to cure infertility and nervous diseases, and to ward off evil. 3. Long before there were traditional Christmas trees, the pagans revered evergreens as symbols of eternal life and rebirth. Because of their pagan associations, holly, ivy, and other evergreen boughs conventionally used for holiday home decoration were banned by the sixth-century Christian Council of Braga. READ MORE: 20 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decorations 4. Pope Julius I, the bishop of Rome, originally proclaimed December 25 the official celebration day for Jesus’ birthday back in 350 AD. 5. The city of Riga, Latvia holds the claim as home to history’s first decorated Christmas tree, back in 1510. 6. The midwinter festival of Yule has been celebrated by the Germanic peoples since at least the 4th century. Yule, which is also called Winter Solstice, is the longest night of the year and the time of greatest darkness. Some scholars believe the word yule means “revolution” or “wheel,” symbolizing the cyclical return of the sun. King Haakon I of Norway rescheduled the date of Yule to coincide with Christian celebrations held at the time. 7. According to old English folk tales, the Devil died when Jesus was born. So some towns developed a Christmas Eve tradition of ringing the church bells near midnight to announce the Devil’s demise. In England this custom was called tolling or ringing “the Devil’s knell.” 8. Scotland has historically made a much bigger deal of celebrating Hogmanay (the last day of the year, a.k.a. New Year’s Eve) than Christmas. In fact, the latter holiday was banned by the country’s Parliament for more than 300 years, and was only made legal again in 1958. The Grinch who Scrooged Scotland out of Christmas was 16th century minister John Knox, leader of the Reformation and founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. He believed Christians should only celebrate holidays mentioned in the Bible. So Christmas was strongly discouraged starting in 1583, and officially prohibited by law in 1640. READ MORE: The 25 Best Places to Spend Christmas in Europe FUN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS9. “Find the pickle”– a pickle-shaped ornament hidden somewhere on the Xmas tree, with the person who finds it getting an extra present– is a common American Christmas tradition. But, though it’s mistakenly believed to be an old German tradition, nobody seems to know how the Christmas Pickle tradition started. One myth involves a Civil War soldier of Bavarian origin who’d been imprisoned by the enemy: He begged the guard for one last pickle before he died, and it gave him the will to carry on. Another myth involves St. Nicholas rescuing two boys from a pickle barrel. But the truth is that the legend was most likely started by retailers selling glass ornaments imported from Germany. The town of Berrien Springs, Michigan holds a pickle festival every year in December. 10. As you might imagine, Christmas traditions in Hawaii is a decidedly tropical affair. Many locals import their traditional firs and pines from the U.S. mainland, arriving long before the holiday starts on the Xmas Tree Ship. Others get creative, decorating palm trees with lights and ornaments and using outrigger canoes and dolphins to resemble Santa’s sleigh and reindeer. Jolly old St. Nick and his eyes wear aloha shirts instead of fur-trimmed suits. And of course the most popular traditional Christmas dinner is a community or family luau, complete with roast pig and colorful Christmas leis. 11. In the Marshall Islands, people prepare for Christmas months in advance, stockpiling gifts and dividing into jeptas, or teams, that hold song-and-dance competitions on Christmas Day. They also build a piñata-like wojke containing little presents (matches, money, soap) for God. 12. In Argentina, Christmas customs are a blend of American, European, and Hispanic traditions. Their celebrations typically include the boots of Father Christmas, red and white flowers, and putting cotton on Xmas trees to simulate snow. But most family gatherings in Argentina take place on Christmas Eve, with huge feasts, gifts exchanged at midnight, and children going to sleep to the sound of fireworks. 13. In Peru, December 24th, which is known as La Noche Buena (“the Good Night”), is the main day for celebrations. After mass, families go home to feast, open gifts, and toast each other at midnight. The most important decorations are pesebre– Nativity scenes intricately carved from wood or stone. Gifts are spread around the manger rather than a tree, and it’s considered lucky to be the one chosen to put the figurine of baby Jesus into the manger on Christmas Eve. 14. In spite of Ethiopia’s Christian heritage, Christmas is not an important holiday there. Most people actually call the holiday Ganna or Genna after a hockey-like ball game played only once a year, on Christmas afternoon. 15. People in Iceland will often exchange books on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the night reading them and eating chocolate. The tradition is part of a season called Jolabokaflod, or “The Christmas Book Flood.” As a result, Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country selling most of them between September and November. READ MORE: 15 Simple Recycled Christmas Cards Crafts for Kids 16. Early illustrations of Santa Claus pictured him as a stern, commanding disciplinarian holding a birch rod. The jolly old elf we know and love today was created by artist Haddon Sundblom for a Coca-Cola ad. 17. Tom Smith invented Christmas Crackers around 1846. He was inspired by the French habit of wrapping sugared almonds in twists of paper as food gifts. 18. On Christmas Day, tradition allows Lebanese children to go up to any adult and say, “Editi ‘aleik!” (“You have a gift for me!”). If the adult has a present to spare, the kids add this to their traditional Christmas morning haul. 19. Syrian children receive gifts from one of the wise men’s camels, purported to be the youngest and smallest in the caravan, who fell down exhausted at the end of the long journey to Bethlehem. 20. New clothes might not rank high on many kids’ Christmas wish lists, but Icelandic tradition suggests it should be their top priority! This is because anyone who has not received new clothes by Christmas will be eaten by the gigantic Jólakötturinn, or Yule Cat. The tale (which likely dates back to the Dark Ages) goes along with the Icelandic tradition of parents rewarding kids who finish their chores before Christmas with new clothes. On the other hand, if kids were lazy and didn’t get their work done, they would be visited by the terrifying Jólakötturinn. The monstrous feline is said to be bigger than the tallest house! READ MORE: 30 Recycled Christmas Decorations & DIY Christmas Crafts to Make TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DINNERS21. Have you ever heard of King Cake, the popular dessert served in New Orleans during Mardi Gras season? The Spanish have a similar tradition of serving a sweet bread ring known as Roscón de Reyes on January 6, during celebrations of Día de reyes (Kings’ Day), to commemorate the arrival of the 3 Wise Men. This traditional Christmas cake is usually topped with crushed almonds, candied fruits, and powdered sugar, and sometimes stuffed with whipped or almond cream. There’s usually a baby Jesus figurine (or a dry fava bean to represent him) stuffed inside the cake, and the lucky person who finds it gets to buy the following year’s roscón. 22. Fruitcake originated in ancient Egypt, where it was considered essential for the afterlife. 23. Roast turkey didn’t appear consistently on Christmas Day menus until 1851, when it replaced roast swan as the favorite dish of Royal courts. 24. Winning the award for longest preparation time, Greenland’s traditional Christmas dish, kiviak, takes a full seven months to prepare. It begins with hollowing out a seal skin and stuffing it with 500 auks– a sea bird (feathers and all)– to ferment. When the holiday rolls around, it’s served straight from the seal. 25. Christmas pudding was originally more than just a tasty treat. Small items such as coins (wealth) and buttons (bachelorhood) were put inside, and supposedly foretold what the New Year would bring. 26. On Christmas Eve in Poland, dinner cannot begin until the first star appears in the night sky, symbolizing the sight of the star of Bethlehem. But tradition dictates that the breaking of the oplatek– a Polish Christmas wafer– also has to happen before everyone can eat. An oplatek is a thin, tasteless wafer that is typically rectangular in shape and is often embossed with a traditonal Christmas symbol, such as the Nativity or the Star of Bethlehem. Once everyone is gathered around the table, each person will break off a piece of the wafer as they wish each other Merry Christmas, along with wishes for peace and prosperity. READ MORE: The 20 Best Places to Spend Christmas in the USA 27. The candy cane’s origins can be traced back to Europe circa 1670, but it didn’t appear in the U.S. until the 1800s. They were generally all white until the 1900s, when they took on a shape representing Jesus’ hook for shepherding his lambs and colors representing purity (white) and Christ’s sacrifice (red). 28. There are 12 courses in the traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, each of them dedicated to one of Christ’s apostles. 29. In Ghana many people observe a traditional folk libation ritual at Christmastime. In it, people drink from a cup and then pour some of its contents on the ground as a symbolic offering to their ancestors. READ MORE: 20 Ways to Celebrate New Year Traditions Around the World 30. Christmas rituals in East African countries such as Kenya and Uganda are much more religious and less commercial than our western holiday. The most common gift is a new outfit to wear to church, and many people collect stones, leaves, and other natural items as a birthday present for Jesus. Roasted goats are often the center of the Christmas feast. 31. How’s this for a weird Christmas food? South Africa is home to some of the world’s most unusual holiday food fare. Every December locals feast on a seasonal delicacy– the deep-fried caterpillars of Emperor Moths! 32. Most people think of Japanese cuisine, which largely centers around seafood and rice, as being relatively healthy. So it may come as a surprise to know that family Christmas traditions in Japan include eating their big holiday meal at fast food giant KFC! 33. One of the more weird Christmas traditions occurs in Norway, where people hide all brooms in the house on Christmas Eve. This holiday tradition is dates back centuries, to a time when people believed mischievous witches and evil spirits would come out on Christmas Eve searching for brooms to ride on. Once Norwegian families had finished their Christmas Eve feast, they would hide their brooms to keep them from being stolen. While the belief in spirits roaming about isn’t as widespread today, the tradition of broom hiding continues in many households across Norway. READ MORE: Lebkuchen Recipe (German Christmas Cookies aka German Gingerbread) TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS SONGS34. “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” is one of the world’s oldest traditional Christmas songs, with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages. Originally known as “In dulci jubilo” (“In sweet rejoicing”), the Medieval German and Latin text is believed to have been written by Dominican friar Heinrich Seuse around 1328. The music dates back to at least 1400, but historians believe it may have existed in Europe even earlier. J.S. Bach’s choral prelude and Robert Pearsall’s 1837 translation helped to popularize the tune. 35. The English version of “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,” arranged by Anglican priest John Mason Neale, is by far the most popular version of the song today. Interestingly enough, though Neale founded the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association, he’s most famous for composing lyrics for classic Christmas songs. His other famous works include “Good King Wenceslas” (which was set to the melody of a 13th century spring carol) and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (which was translated from an ancient advent hymn). 36. Some of the most beloved traditional Christmas carols came from countries where English was not the primary language. “Fum, Fum, Fum” originated in the Spanish region of Catalonia sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. 37. “Il est né, le divin enfant,” which has been recorded by everyone from Plácido Domingo and The Chieftains to Annie Lennox, is a classic French carol. 38. “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” originally written in Latin in the 17th century, has been attributed to King John IV of Portugal. 39. “O Christmas Tree,” also known as “O Tannenbaum,” is based on a traditional German folk song. READ MORE: The 20 Best Environmental Charities & Animal Charities for Holiday Donations 40. These aren’t the only Christmas classics that originated in other cultures. “Deck the Halls” was originally a pagan Yuletide drinking song. The melody was taken from a 16th century Welsh song (“Nos Galan”) and the “fa la la” repetition possibly dating back to medieval ballads. The English lyrics (by Scottish composer Thomas Oliphant) didn’t come along until 1862. 41. Our favorite Christmas song, “Carol of the Bells,” was based on a Ukrainian folk chant, “Shchedryk” (known in English as “Little Swallow”). Composed by Mykola Leontovych, it was originally sung on New Year’s Eve and tells the story of a swallow flying into a house to sing of prosperity to come in the Spring. The song was performed at Carnegie Hall by the Ukrainian National Chorus in 1921, ultimately inspiring American composer Peter J. Wilhousky to rewrite it as an English Christmas carol in 1936. 42. One of the most popular American songs in the world, “Jingle Bells” wasn’t intended to be a traditional Christmas carol at all. Composed in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, the tune was actually written for Thanksgiving, and was originally called “One Horse Open Sleigh.” Although Pierpont was the organist and music director at a Unitarian Church in Savannah (where his brother was the minister), the song is decidedly secular. It was often used as a drinking song, with revelers jingling the ice in their glasses as they sang. READ MORE: Best Gifts for Travelers (125+ Travel Gift Ideas) THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS TREES43. According to legend, the first person to decorate a Christmas tree was Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546). He was so moved by the beauty of stars shining between branches of a fir tree, he brought one home and decorated it with candles for his children. 44. Germans made the very first artificial Christmas trees, using dyed goose feathers to look like needles of a pine or fir tree. 45. Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the U.S., became the first President to put a Christmas tree in the White House. Teddy Roosevelt banned the practice during his presidency, for environmental reasons. 46. The General Grant Tree in California’s King’s Canyon National Park was proclaimed “the Nation’s Christmas Tree” by U.S President Calvin Coolidge in 1926. The giant sequoia, which stands over 300 feet tall and estimated to be over 1,600 years old, is the third largest tree in the world. 47. Native to Mexico, the poinsettia was originally cultivated by the Aztecs, who called it Cuetlaxochitl (“flower which wilts”). The plant’s brilliant red color symbolizes purity for the Aztecs, and they often used the plant to reduce fever. READ MORE: Real Xmas Trees Vs. Artificial: Which Is Better? TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS48. The Christmas tradition of hanging stockings allegedly began with three poor sisters who couldn’t afford a marriage dowry. The wealthy Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna (modern-day Turkey) saved them from a life of prostitution by sneaking down their chimney and filling their stockings with gold coins. 49. The tradition of tinsel, which was invented in Germany in 1610, is based on a legend about spiders whose web turned into silver when they were spun in a Christmas tree. 50. Spider webs are common Christmas tree decorations in Poland because, according to legend, a spider wove a blanket for Baby Jesus. Many Polish people consider spiders to be symbols of goodness and prosperity. 51. The Advent wreath began in Germany as a Lutheran tradition, but eventually spread to other Christian denominations, including the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches. The evergreen wreath traditionally has four candles around its perimeter (designed to mark the four weeks before Christmas) and a white candle in the center (to be lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day). It may also be adorned with berries or pinecones. The weekly lighting of each candle may be accompanied by prayer, Christmas carols, and/or snacks such as stollen or mulled wine. READ MORE: Countries that Don’t Celebrate Christmas 52. Round glass Christmas ornaments were inspired by the shape of apples. Apples were the original Christmas ornaments, put on the tree to symbolize the Garden of Eden. 53. In Greek culture, kissing under the mistletoe was considered an unspoken promise to marry your mate. 54. Though only 2% of the nation’s population is Christian, Christmas is a national holiday in India. Even non-Christians observe Christmas traditions such as lighting oil lamps along the perimeter of the home’s courtyard or roof. 55. The idea for electric Christmas light displays was first introduced by Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, in 1882. But it was American Ralph Morris who invented the type of lights we use today, adapting the from lights used in telephone switchboards in 1895. 56. One of Sweden’s more unique Christmas traditions is a Yule goat made of straw, who is believed to help guard the Xmas tree. Straw is commonly used for holiday decorations in Scandinavian homes, because it reminds them that Jesus was born in a manger. But the Yule goat’s origins likely date back to Germanic pagan traditions. In the Swedish city of Gävle, the community has come together to build a 43-foot tall straw goat at the start of advent every year since 1966. Unfortunately, pranksters burning the goat down has also become a tradition: In 50+ years, the Gävle goat has only lasted through the New Year a dozen times. 57. In the Philippines, one of the most iconic decorations for the holiday season is a Christmas lantern (or, as it is locally known, a paról). These lanterns are shaped like a star in remembrance of the star of Bethlehem, and symbolize hope and goodwill during the Christmas season. They’re traditionally made from bamboo and paper, and range from simple to incredibly intricate designs. During the holidays, they can be found hanging outside of people’s houses, across towns and villages, and even down the busy streets of bustling cities. 58. Día de las Velitas (Little Candles Day) is a holiday tradition that signifies the unofficial start of the Christmas season all across the country of Colombia. On the eve of the Immaculate Conception public holiday (December 7), the Colombian people place candles and paper lanterns in their windows, balconies, porches, and front yards in honor of the Virgin Mary. Lit candles can even be found in parks and along sidewalks and roads in celebration of the holiday. In addition to the candles, it is customary for houses in Colombia to fly a white flag emblazoned with the image of the Virgin Mary on the following day. READ MORE: NYC Christmas Window Displays WEIRD CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS59. The undisputed award for creepiest Christmas custom goes to Krampus, which was popularized in the US by a 2015 horror-comedy film. In the folklore of Central Europe, Krampus is a half-goat, half-demon creature with a hideous face, horns, fangs, and a long, pointed tongue. Where St. Nick rewards good little girls and boys with gifts, legend in the Alpine countries holds that Krampus comes to punish the naughty. Some versions suggest he’ll swat them with birch branches, while others involve a sack for taking them to Hell. He traditionally appears during festivals on Krampusnacht (December 5), the night before the feast of St. Nicholas. 60. Bolivians celebrate Misa del Gallo (“Mass of the Rooster”) on Christmas Eve, with people bringing roosters to midnight mass to symbolize the belief that a rooster was the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus Christ. 61. In Guatemala’s villages, local men in devil costumes appear on the streets and chase children during the first week of Advent. The Devil’s reign ends on December 7 with a folk ritual known as La Quema del Diablo (“The Burning of the Devil”), where people pile objects they no longer want or need in front of their houses, scatter firecrackers on top of the heap, and set fire to it. 62. In Catalonia, Spain, they have a uniquely bizarre holiday tradition known as the Caga Tió, or pooping log. Kids will decorate a small log by adding wooden legs, a face, clothing, and a Catalan hat. They’ll keep the log in their home or school, feeding it small pieces of bread or fruit every day. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, they hit the Caga Tió with a stick while singing a special song encouraging him to poop out plenty of sweets, such as turrón (a popular nougat), for them. 63. In Estonia, people believed that the first visitor on Christmas, called the “first-footer,” would determine the household’s luck. Dark-haired men were seen as desirable first-footers, but women and fair-haired or red-headed men were often deemed unlucky READ MORE: 70 Cool & Weird Animals Around the World 64. “The Night of the Radishes” is one of the most fascinating Christmas Traditions in Mexico. On December 23rd, in Oaxaca, Mexico, competitors carve nativity scenes into large radishes, which are proudly displayed at the Christmas market. Oaxaca unique Christmas customs require land to be set aside for cultivating special vegetables just for this event. 65. The Norwegian tradition of Julbukk, or “Christmas goat,” finds groups of costumed people walking through their neighborhood on Christmas Day, entertaining people with songs in exchange for treats. These groups will bring a goat along or have someone impersonate a goat’s typically unruly behavior. If two costumed goats meet, they’ll often engage in a play fight to entertain the crowd. 66. According to Italian legend, a kind witch called “La Befana” flies around on her broomstick on the night of January 5th, bringing gifts to worthy children and lumps of coal to the naughty ones. 67. According to Greek legend, malicious goblins called “Kallikantzari” would come up from their underground homes on December 25th, and would play tricks on humans until the 6th of January. You could get rid of them by burning logs or old shoes, or hanging sausages or sweetmeats in the chimney. READ MORE: Atlanta Christmas Events: 50+ Things To Do for Christmas in Georgia FUN CHRISTMAS FACTS68. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was invented by Montgomery Ward copywriter Robert L. May in 1939, as a way to lure customers into the store. 69. Children in Brazil often receive gifts from the Magi on Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, as well as from Papai Noel on Christmas Eve. With no use for chimneys in the tropical climate, they believe Papai Noel enters via the front door, and travels via helicopter rather than a reindeer-drawn sleigh. 70. Puritan Oliver Cromwell made Christmas illegal in England from 1647-1660, claiming it was immoral to hold a celebration on one of the year’s holiest days. 71. In the Czech Republic, Santa doesn’t come on Christmas but on St. Nicholas Eve, which is December 5. That night, Czech children are excited to watch for Svatý Mikuláš (as he’s known in the local language) to show up. He normally arrives accompanied by one or more angels and one or more devils. He asks the kids if they’ve been good all year and also asks them to sing a song or recite a poem, then gives them a basket of presents, often containing chocolate and fruit. If they’ve been naughty, the devil might give them a lump of coal. As in the Netherlands and other European countries, St Nicholas’ Day is a separate holiday from Christmas. READ MORE: The 20 Best Christmas Light Displays in Georgia 72. Christmas cards, which originated in England, were first sent in the 1840s. 73. It takes Christmas trees around 15 years to grow to 6-8 feet. There are approximately 30-35 million Christmas trees grown annually. 74. In Costa Rica, the Christmas flower is the orchid. 75. Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas an official holiday, in 1836. It wasn’t declare a national holiday in the United States until 1870. 76. In Austria, farmers traditionally chalk the initials of the Three Wise Men on the archway above stable doors. 77. George Frederick Handel’s timeless Christmas classic, “The Messiah”, was first performed in Dublin, Ireland in 1742. 78. The Canadian province of Nova Scotia leads the world in exporting three things: lobster, wild blueberries, and Christmas trees. READ MORE: The History & Names for Santa Claus Around the World (with 50 Fun Facts) 79. In January of 2003, after a decree of authorization by President Hosni Mubarak, Christmas was observed as a national holiday in Egypt. This marked the first time in the nation’s modern history that a Christian holy day was formally recognized by the Egyptian government. 80. Russia was never really big on Christmas customs during the Soviet era. Nowadays, their version of Santa Claus is known as Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost). He delivers presents to children a midnight on New Year’s Eve with the help of his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden.–Bret Love READ MORE: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Photo Gallery) Traveling for Christmas?Check out the following services we use! DollarFlightClub or Airfarewatchdog to find a cheap plane tickets. Omio for affordable European Train Tickets. Booking.com or Agoda to find a hotel deals. Viator for a stellar day tour. Lonely Planet for Travel Guides. World Nomads for Travel Insurance. AutoEurope for European Car Rentals or Rental Cars.com. TrustedHousesitters we’ve found great pet sitters to watch our house and love on our two dogs! Looking for essential Travel Gear?Check out these great options! The Best Travel Clothes for Women & Men The Best Vegan Boots for Women & Men The Best Backpacks for Travelers Plastic Free Products for Travelers Best Camping Tents for Families Best Gifts for Travelers (125+ Travel Gift Ideas) The post 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World (with Fun Christmas Facts) appeared first on Green Global Travel. 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World (with Fun Christmas Facts) published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr 80 Christmas Traditions Around the World (with Fun Christmas Facts) Bangkok, 25 October, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today welcomed the start of Finnair’s latest direct non-stop service from Stockholm to Phuket during the 2021-2022 winter season. The welcoming ceremony was presided over by Mr. Piyapong Choowong, Phuket Vice Governor, and Mrs. Titiporn Manenate, TAT Executive Director for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East Region, as well as representatives from the tourism-related public and private sectors. Mr. Piyapong Choowong, Phuket Vice Governor, said, “Finnair’s Stockholm-Phuket flight marks a milestone for the reopening of Phuket to international tourism, following the successful Phuket Sandbox programme, which was launched in July under well-planned health and safety precautions, and has now become a model for the reopening of other Thai destinations.” Finnair will operate on the Stockholm-Phuket route from 24 October 2021-24 April 2022, starting with 2 flights per week. It will increase to 3 flights per week from 29 November 2021-17 April 2022. Also, during this winter season, the airline will operate on the Stockholm-Bangkok route with 2 two flights per week from 22 October 2021 to 21 April 2022. In addition, Finair will be operating from Helsinki, Finland, to Phuket and Bangkok, with 2-4 flights per week during November this year and March next year. Mrs. Titiporn Manenate, TAT Executive Director for Europe, Africa and Middle East Region, said, “This latest Stockholm-Phuket flight also marks Finnair’s first non-stop service from Sweden to Thailand, allowing visitors from Sweden to escape winter and enjoy Thailand at its finest during the annual cool season. The flight also reiterates the airline’s confidence in Thailand as a destination.” Sweden is Thailand’s largest source of visitors from the Nordic region. Also, Phuket is one of the most popular holiday destinations among the Swedish, whose spending per trip is averaged at 85,000 Baht per person and length of stay is 19 days. Sweden and other Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway – are among the 46 approved countries and territories from where travellers may enter Thailand under the ‘Test & GO’ quarantine-free entry requirements from 1 November, 2021. The post Thailand welcomes first Finnair flight from Stockholm to Phuket appeared first on TAT Newsroom. Thailand welcomes first Finnair flight from Stockholm to Phuket published first on https://thaitour365.tumblr.com/ via Tumblr Thailand welcomes first Finnair flight from Stockholm to Phuket |
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