BajaNomad - Christmas Day Fun Facts

Christmas Day Fun Facts

Pompano - 12-25-2014 at 12:24 PM

Here's a quiz for you. We've just listened to..."The Twelve Days of Christmas".

Do you know how many gifts there are in this song?

BajaBlanca - 12-25-2014 at 12:32 PM

12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
____
78

Pompano - 12-25-2014 at 12:44 PM

78? Not even close, Blanca....but keep trying. It's the Christmas thing to do.

Hint: You don't count the cows that the Two Maids are 'amilking'.

[Edited on 12-25-2014 by Pompano]

bajaguy - 12-25-2014 at 01:27 PM

Actually, I believe it's 8 maids a milking....and two turtle doves

And how about 364 items????

Quote: Originally posted by Pompano

78? Not even close, Blanca....but keep trying. It's the Christmas thing to do.

Hint: You don't count the cows that the Two Maids are 'amilking'.

[Edited on 12-25-2014 by Pompano]

[Edited on 12-25-2014 by bajaguy]

Pompano - 12-25-2014 at 01:48 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

Actually, I believe it's 8 maids a milking....and two turtle doves

And how about 364 items????

[/rquote]

[Edited on 12-25-2014 by bajaguy]

RIGHT you are, bajaguy. I'm afraid somebody's Maid made today's eggnog a bit too strong. It is indeed 8 Maids amilking, not 2.

And 364 is the correct answer. As on each day of Christmas the gifts are re-given.

like this...."on the fourth day of christmas my true love gave to me... four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partrage in a pear tree"

As in Chief Dan George's words..We shall endeavor to persevere.

The gift count

bajaguy - 12-25-2014 at 01:56 PM

If I did this correctly..........

She gets 1 partridge in a pear tree on each of the 12 days. 1x12 = 12

She gets 2 turtle doves on the last 11 days. 2x11 = 22

She gets 3 french hens on the last 10 days. 3x10 = 30

She gets 4 calling birds on the last 9 days. 4x9 = 36

She gets 5 gold rings on the last 8 days. 5x8 = 40

She gets 6 geese a-laying on the last 7 days. 6x7 = 42

She gets 7 swans a-swimming on the last 6 days. 7x6 = 42

She gets 8 maids a-milking on the last 5 days. 8x5 = 40

She gets 9 ladies dancing on the last 4 days. 9x4 = 36

She gets 10 lords a-leaping on the last 3 days. 10x3 = 30

She gets 11 pipers piping on the last 2 days. 11x2 = 22

She gets 12 drummers drumming on the last day. 12x1 = 12

Total 364

Lucky girl gets a total of 364 gifts.

Pompano - 12-25-2014 at 02:27 PM

More fun facts .....Because Christmas is a very important Christian holiday, here is some religious symbolic theories of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Marc - 12-25-2014 at 03:33 PM

Kinda complicated...but anyway MERRY CHRISTMAS :yes:

BajaBlanca - 12-25-2014 at 10:09 PM

I was always awful at math, bit it was fun to try!

Marc - 12-25-2014 at 10:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

If I did this correctly..........

She gets 1 partridge in a pear tree on each of the 12 days. 1x12 = 12

She gets 2 turtle doves on the last 11 days. 2x11 = 22

She gets 3 french hens on the last 10 days. 3x10 = 30

She gets 4 calling birds on the last 9 days. 4x9 = 36

She gets 5 gold rings on the last 8 days. 5x8 = 40

She gets 6 geese a-laying on the last 7 days. 6x7 = 42

She gets 7 swans a-swimming on the last 6 days. 7x6 = 42

She gets 8 maids a-milking on the last 5 days. 8x5 = 40

She gets 9 ladies dancing on the last 4 days. 9x4 = 36

She gets 10 lords a-leaping on the last 3 days. 10x3 = 30

She gets 11 pipers piping on the last 2 days. 11x2 = 22

She gets 12 drummers drumming on the last day. 12x1 = 12

Total 364

Lucky girl gets a total of 364 gifts.

Could be that they are re-gifts and don't count??

Pompano - 12-26-2014 at 08:45 AM

No fishing today and it's home-fire time, so here's a ton of Christmas fun facts.

Did you know that....?

Christmas is a contraction of “Christ’s Mass,” which is derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse (first recorded in 1038). The letter “X” in Greek is the first letter of Christ, and “Xmas” has been used as an abbreviation for Christmas since the mid 1500s.

The modern Christmas tree (typically evergreen conifers-usually pine, balsam or fir species) originated in Germany in the 16th century and became popular in England by the mid-19th century thanks to Queen Victoria's German husband, Prince Albert.

The first person to decorate a Christmas tree was reportedly the Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546). According to legend, he was so moved by the beauty of the stars shining between the branches of a fir tree, he brought home an evergreen tree and decorated it with candles to share the image with his children

But the most popular early Christmas tree decorations were apples. At Christmastime, medieval actors would use apples to decorate paradise trees (usually fir trees) during “Paradise Plays,” which were plays depicting Adam and Eve’s creation and fall

Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nikolas of Myra (also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker, Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna, and Nikolaos of Bari), who lived during the fourth century. Born in Patara (in modern-day Turkey), he is the world’s most popular non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed him more often than any other saint except Mary. He is the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, pirating, butchery, sailing, thievery, orphans, royalty, and New York City

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.

Cartoonist Thomas Nast is credited with creating the current image of Santa Claus based on his illustrations that began appearing in Harpers Weekly in 1863.

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

Most of Santa’s reindeer have male-sounding names, such as Blitzen, Comet, and Cupid. However, male reindeer shed their antlers around Christmas, so....?

The Viking god Odin is one precursor to the modern Santa Claus. According to myth, Odin rode his flying horse, Sleipnir (a precursor to Santa’s reindeer), who had eight legs. In the winter, Odin gave out both gifts and punishments, and children would fill their boots or stockings with treats for Sleipnir.

According to the Guinness world records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was a 221-foot Douglas fir that was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.

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

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.

Christmas trees have been sold in the U.S. since 1850 and usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

Evergreens (from the Old English word aefie meaning “always” and gowan meaning “to grow”) have been symbols of eternal life and rebirth since ancient times. The pagan use and worship of evergreen boughs and trees has evolved into the Christianized Christmas tree.

Puritan Oliver Cromwell outlawed Christmas celebrations and carols in England from 1649-1660. The only celebrations allowed were sermons and prayers.

Because they viewed Christmas as a decadent Catholic holiday, the Puritans in America banned all Christmas celebrations from 1659-1681 with a penalty of five shillings for each offense. Some Puritan leaders condemned those who favored Christmas as enemies of the Christian religion.

President Teddy Roosevelt, an environmentalist, banned Christmas trees from the White House in 1901.

The poinsettia is native to Mexico and was cultivated by the Aztecs, who called the plant Cuetlaxochitl (“flower which wilts”). For the Aztecs, the plant’s brilliant red color symbolized purity, and they often used it medicinally to reduce fever. Contrary to popular belief, the poinsettia is not poisonous, but holly berries are deadly.

Whew...there now, more info than you thought a birthday's anniversary ever had, hmm? And...New Year's is just around the corner.

Fun Facts add on

bajaguy - 12-26-2014 at 09:04 AM

"..........The poinsettia is native to Mexico and was cultivated by the Aztecs, who called the plant Cuetlaxochitl (“flower which wilts”). For the Aztecs, the plant’s brilliant red color symbolized purity, and they often used it medicinally to reduce fever. Contrary to popular belief, the poinsettia is not poisonous, but holly berries are deadly........"

(The poinsettia) derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett,[3] the first United States Minister to Mexico,[4] who introduced the plant into the United States in 1825.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia

Pompano - 12-26-2014 at 09:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

....

(The poinsettia) derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett,[3] the first United States Minister to Mexico,[4] who introduced the plant into the United States in 1825.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poinsettia

Good bit of trivia...and I'm hesitant to mention that I KNEW that fact. :wow:

I need to get out more....

bajaguy - 12-26-2014 at 09:22 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Pompano

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

Good bit of trivia...and I'm hesitant to mention that I KNEW that fact. :wow:

I need to get out more....

HAhaha.......you get out plenty. I always need a couple days of rest after reading your travel posts!!!