Our advent calendar giveaway is complete for this year! Thank you to all those who participated!
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Fun facts
Anecdote 1 : A 2-meter-tall Christmas tree has about 400,000 needles. As a rule, half of these needles end up on the ground before December 31st.
Anecdote 2 : In France, it is possible to send a letter directly to Father Christmas. This service is free and there is no need for postage to send the letter. It is even possible for Santa Claus to answer you if you indicate your address on the back of the envelope.
Anecdote 3 : One of the Christmas traditions in Portugal is the "Christmas Fire" made with tree trunks. The slower the fire burns, the better your luck for the year!
Anecdote 4 : The balls that decorate the Christmas tree were once apples.
Anecdote 5 : The Advent calendar in its current form was created in 1904 by Gerhard Lang, a German bookseller. The idea came to him when he remembered the way his mother kept him waiting until Christmas: she would hang 24 small cookies on a numbered cardboard́.
Anecdote 6 : Hungarians don't put up a Christmas tree in their homes until December 24. Adults sometimes take it upon themselves to decorate it and tell the children that angels came to bring it to them.
Anecdote 7 : In Finland, on Christmas Eve, the "Christmas Sauna" is practiced, an obligatory ritual before attacking the Christmas Eve meal and 3 days of festivities. A good way to sweat to eat better!
Anecdote 8 : It would be in the United Kingdom that the tradition of "Secret Santa" would have started. By drawing lots, each member of a family, a workplace, ... becomes the secret Santa of another person and offers him a small gift.
Anecdote 9 : Christmas tales were created by an American named Clement Moore. He wrote a book about a bearded man who distributed gifts to children around the world, pulled by reindeer.
Anecdote 10 : In Ireland, people don't leave a glass of milk and a few cakes for Santa Claus, but rather a beer, a glass of whiskey, or some meatloaf.
Anecdote 11 : The Christmas crib was invented in Italy in the city of Naples.
Anecdote 12 : Many Japanese families go to a KFC restaurant on Christmas Day to eat fried chicken. The reason? A major advertising campaign was launched by the American fast-food chain in Japan for Christmas. It has become a tradition since then.
Anecdote 13 : The term "garland" is said to be derived from the Old French "garlande" meaning a crown of precious metal. After the heads of young girls, garlands have found their place on our Christmas trees. Anecdote December 14: In Australia, Christmas is not synonymous with cold and snow, but rather with sunshine, barbecues, and long days at the beach.
Anecdote 14 : In Australia, Christmas is not about the cold and snow, but about sunshine, barbecues and long days at the beach.
Anecdote 15 : In Germany, the Advent wreath is made of four candles. Every Sunday of Advent, a new candle is lit until Christmas Day.
Anecdote 16 : One of the first traditional colours associated with Christmas was green. Indeed, it was intended to symbolize life but also rebirth. Red was incorporated by Coca-Cola in 1931 thanks to an advertisement of the brand.
Anecdote 17 : Between 1651 and 1681, celebrating Christmas was illegal in the English colonies of North America. Later, the holiday remained meaningless in the country for a long time. It was not until the 1950s that the United States transformed it into a major commercial celebration.
Anecdote 18 : It is possible to celebrate Christmas at Hogwarts! Warner Studios in London is opening its doors for Muggle-style Christmas celebrations!
Anecdote 19 : Millions of Spaniards participate each year in the "Loteria De Navidad". The numbers are drawn on the evening of December 22. There is a 1 in 7 chance of winning.
Anecdote 20 : In Japan, Christmas is considered more of a romantic holiday than a family one.
Anecdote 21 : In Provence, there are 13 Christmas desserts. Not one more, not one less! They are usually nuts, dried fruit, bread with olive oil, nougat... It can vary and each family has its own preferences, but there must be 13!
Anecdote 22 : In Rovaniemi, Lapland, you can visit the "Santa Claus Village" and its snowy landscape half of the year!
Anecdote 23 : In Mexico, for Christmas, the "Posada" is organized. In small groups, the villagers walk from house to house to ask for hospitality. This is a way to recreate the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. During the festivities, people pray, sing and children are invited to break piñatas.
Anecdote 24 : The origin of the yule log is said to come from France. But for several centuries, it was not eaten. Instead, a real log of wood was put in the fireplace after midnight mass with the remains of the one that had been burned the previous year.
Anecdote 2 : In France, it is possible to send a letter directly to Father Christmas. This service is free and there is no need for postage to send the letter. It is even possible for Santa Claus to answer you if you indicate your address on the back of the envelope.
Anecdote 3 : One of the Christmas traditions in Portugal is the "Christmas Fire" made with tree trunks. The slower the fire burns, the better your luck for the year!
Anecdote 4 : The balls that decorate the Christmas tree were once apples.
Anecdote 5 : The Advent calendar in its current form was created in 1904 by Gerhard Lang, a German bookseller. The idea came to him when he remembered the way his mother kept him waiting until Christmas: she would hang 24 small cookies on a numbered cardboard́.
Anecdote 6 : Hungarians don't put up a Christmas tree in their homes until December 24. Adults sometimes take it upon themselves to decorate it and tell the children that angels came to bring it to them.
Anecdote 7 : In Finland, on Christmas Eve, the "Christmas Sauna" is practiced, an obligatory ritual before attacking the Christmas Eve meal and 3 days of festivities. A good way to sweat to eat better!
Anecdote 8 : It would be in the United Kingdom that the tradition of "Secret Santa" would have started. By drawing lots, each member of a family, a workplace, ... becomes the secret Santa of another person and offers him a small gift.
Anecdote 9 : Christmas tales were created by an American named Clement Moore. He wrote a book about a bearded man who distributed gifts to children around the world, pulled by reindeer.
Anecdote 10 : In Ireland, people don't leave a glass of milk and a few cakes for Santa Claus, but rather a beer, a glass of whiskey, or some meatloaf.
Anecdote 11 : The Christmas crib was invented in Italy in the city of Naples.
Anecdote 12 : Many Japanese families go to a KFC restaurant on Christmas Day to eat fried chicken. The reason? A major advertising campaign was launched by the American fast-food chain in Japan for Christmas. It has become a tradition since then.
Anecdote 13 : The term "garland" is said to be derived from the Old French "garlande" meaning a crown of precious metal. After the heads of young girls, garlands have found their place on our Christmas trees. Anecdote December 14: In Australia, Christmas is not synonymous with cold and snow, but rather with sunshine, barbecues, and long days at the beach.
Anecdote 14 : In Australia, Christmas is not about the cold and snow, but about sunshine, barbecues and long days at the beach.
Anecdote 15 : In Germany, the Advent wreath is made of four candles. Every Sunday of Advent, a new candle is lit until Christmas Day.
Anecdote 16 : One of the first traditional colours associated with Christmas was green. Indeed, it was intended to symbolize life but also rebirth. Red was incorporated by Coca-Cola in 1931 thanks to an advertisement of the brand.
Anecdote 17 : Between 1651 and 1681, celebrating Christmas was illegal in the English colonies of North America. Later, the holiday remained meaningless in the country for a long time. It was not until the 1950s that the United States transformed it into a major commercial celebration.
Anecdote 18 : It is possible to celebrate Christmas at Hogwarts! Warner Studios in London is opening its doors for Muggle-style Christmas celebrations!
Anecdote 19 : Millions of Spaniards participate each year in the "Loteria De Navidad". The numbers are drawn on the evening of December 22. There is a 1 in 7 chance of winning.
Anecdote 20 : In Japan, Christmas is considered more of a romantic holiday than a family one.
Anecdote 21 : In Provence, there are 13 Christmas desserts. Not one more, not one less! They are usually nuts, dried fruit, bread with olive oil, nougat... It can vary and each family has its own preferences, but there must be 13!
Anecdote 22 : In Rovaniemi, Lapland, you can visit the "Santa Claus Village" and its snowy landscape half of the year!
Anecdote 23 : In Mexico, for Christmas, the "Posada" is organized. In small groups, the villagers walk from house to house to ask for hospitality. This is a way to recreate the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. During the festivities, people pray, sing and children are invited to break piñatas.
Anecdote 24 : The origin of the yule log is said to come from France. But for several centuries, it was not eaten. Instead, a real log of wood was put in the fireplace after midnight mass with the remains of the one that had been burned the previous year.
