1. The “true love” mentioned in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” does not refer to a romantic couple, but the Catholic Church’s code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents someone who has accepted that code. For example, the “partridge in a pear tree” represents Christ. The “two turtledoves” represent the Old and New Testaments.

2. In the early-to-mid 4th century, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.

3. The three traditional colors of Christmas are green, red, and gold. Green has always been a symbol of life and rebirth; red symbolizes the blood of Christ, and gold represents light as well as royalty and wealth.

4. Many Christians believe the name "Santa Claus" is an anagram for "Satan Lucas", Lucas being short for Lucifer. However the word "Santa" is Spanish and Latin for Saint and according to MSNBC's "Santa Claus: The Real Man Behind The Myth" Saint Nicholas (a real man) was a 4th century Christian bishop, i.e. saint, who was popular for giving gifts to the poor in Europe. Claus is believed to be short for Nicholas, a popular name in Europe.

5. According to data analyzed from Facebook posts, two weeks before Christmas is one of the two most popular times for couples to break up. However, Christmas Day is the least favorite day for breakups. 

6. The world’s largest Christmas stocking measured 106 feet and 9 inches (32.56 m) long and 49 feet and 1 inch (14.97 m) wide. It weighed as much as five reindeer and held almost 1,000 presents. It was made by the Children’s Society in London on December 14, 2007.

7. Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

8. Each year there are approximately 20,000 “rent-a-Santas” across the United States. “Rent-a-Santas” usually undergo seasonal training on how to maintain a jolly attitude under pressure from the public. They also receive practical advice, such as not accepting money from parents.

9. In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" assuming the gifts are repeated in full in each round of the song, then a total of 364 items are delivered by the twelfth day.

10. Early illustrations of St. Nicholas depict him as stern, commanding, and holding a birch rod. He was more a symbol of discipline and punishment than the jolly, overweight elf children know today.

11. Christmas stockings allegedly evolved from three sisters, in the 4th century, who were too poor to afford a marriage dowry and were, therefore, doomed to a life of prostitution. They were saved, however, when the wealthy Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna (the precursor to Santa Claus) crept down their chimney and generously filled their stockings with gold coins.

12. If a fruit cake contains alcohol, it could remain edible for many years. For example, a fruit cake baked in 1878 is kept as an heirloom by a family (Morgan L. Ford) in Tecumseh, Michigan. In 2003 (125 years later) it was sampled by Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. Wrapping the cake in alcohol-soaked linen before storing is one method of lengthening its shelf life.

13. In Germany, Christmas under Nazi dictatorship made an attempt to remove the association of the coming of Jesus and replace it with the coming of Adolf Hitler, referred to as the "Saviour Führer".

14. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), there are 2.1 Billion children, under age 18, in the world. If there are on average 2.5 children per household, Santa would have to make 842 Million stops on Christmas Eve, traveling 221 Million miles. To reach all 842 million stops, Santa would need to travel between houses in 0.0002 seconds, which means he would need to accelerate 12.19 Million miles per second on each stop. It's a mystery why he's so chubby.

15. Norwegian scientists have hypothesized that Rudolph’s red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system.

16. "Christmas" is a compound word originating in the term "Christ's Mass". It is derived from the Middle English Cristemasse, which is from Old English Crīstesmæsse, a phrase first recorded in A.D. 1038 followed by the word Cristes-messe in 1131. Crīst (genitive Crīstes) is from Greek Khrīstos (Χριστό) which is why Christmas is also called Xmas.

17. Christmas is not recognized as a formal public holiday in 34 countries. All which include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (excepting Hong Kong and Macao), Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.

18. In the U.S. the "Christmas shopping season" begins as early as October. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal that expenditure in department stores nationwide rose from $20.8 Billion in November 2004 to $31.9 Billion in December 2004, an increase of 54%. In other sectors, the pre-Christmas increase in spending was even greater, there being a November–December buying surge of 100% in bookstores and 170% in jewelry stores. 

19. In the year 2004, employment in American retail stores rose from 1.6 Million to 1.8 Million in the two months leading up to Christmas.

20. In most Western nations, Christmas Day is the least active day of the year for business and commerce; almost all retail, commercial and institutional businesses are closed, and almost all industries cease activity (more than any other day of the year), 

21. German pagans were taught that the Christmas tree's triangular shape reminds humanity of the Trinity and how it points to heaven.

22. Each year, 33 to 36 Million Christmas trees are produced in America, and 50 to 60 Million are produced in Europe. In 1998, there were about 15,000 growers in America (a third of them "choose and cut" farms). In that same year, it was estimated that Americans spent $1.5 Billion on Christmas trees.

23. Over 3 Billion Christmas cards are sent in the U.S. alone.

24. Misa de Gallo or “Mass of the Rooster” is an Hispanic Christmas dinner celebrated towards midnight of Christmas Eve. Some people bring roosters to the midnight mass, a gesture that symbolizes the belief that a rooster was the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus.

25. The spherical decoration commonly used to adorn Christmas trees is called a bauble.

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