Christmas facts you didn't know you wanted to know

My favorite time of the year is Christmas: snow falling, bells ringing and carolers caroling. Not only does Christmas hold fond memories, but also deep rooted traditions and a rich history. So as we enter finals week and get ready to depart campus for a much-needed break to celebrate, here are some festive and strange facts about the upcoming holiday.

Don’t tell my little cousins, but a man in a red suit doesn’t fly a sleigh with eight reindeer worldwide to land on our roof and deliver presents. However, the legend of Santa Claus can be dated back to a monk named St. Nicholas from Myra, Turkey. It is believed that Nicholas was born around 280 AD and was very much admired in his community for his good heart and kindness. Because of his good doings, he became the protagonist in many legends. One of the most famous legends is the time he saved three impoverished sisters from being sold into slavery by their father by supplying them with a dowry so that they could be married.

Have you ever wondered why a parasitic, scraggly green plant with some exposed white seeds sets a romantic scene for couples worldwide? According to the Smithsonian, the tradition of kissing or embracing under the plant mistletoe dates back to a time before Christmas existed. There are over a thousand species of mistletoe growing naturally around the world. Because of this, the Eastern Europeans were intrigued and began weaving the plant into many of their Norse legends and myths. The plants were thought to have magical powers of healing and bestowing fertility. This is based on the myth of the Norse goddess Frigg losing her son from an arrow made of mistletoe. After the terrible loss of her son, Frigg convinced the gods to resurrect Baldur from the dead. Exuberated, Frigg then proclaimed mistletoe a symbol of love and vowed to plant a kiss on all those below it. According to tradition, any young lady caught under the mistletoe could not refuse a kiss or risk losing the chances of a marriage proposal. So do with that as you see fit.

Even scarier than a fat man in a red suit breaking into your house in the middle of the night or being stranded under a plant until someone comes by and kisses you is the German Christmas tradition of the Krampus. Krampus does not have any Christmas carols written about it, because it’s more the stuff of nightmares than dreams. According to National Geographic, The Krampus is the anti-Santa Claus with horns, dark hair, fangs and a long tongue. Krampus carries a bundle of birch sticks meant to swat naughty children. He then totes the bad kids down to the underworld or eats them.

So here is to hoping you are on the nice list this year, or you might just get a visit from the Krampus. Happy holidays!