‘Tis not only the season to be jolly. ‘Tis also the season to be over-indulgent and surprised by a few more facts and (unsubstantiated) statistics about this festive time of year…

Over-eating

People will gain an average of 6 pounds in weight over the festive period.

According to the Daily Mail’s calculation, people will consume an average of 7000 calories on Christmas Day alone. Is it us, or are their calculations a little excessive in assuming that we will have munched and supped our way through bucks fizz, four G&Ts, two mince pies, three slices of shortbread, chocolates, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and nuts before we sit down for the big feast at 3 o’clock?

Bearing in mind that the recommended daily calorie intakes are 2000kcal for women and 2500kcal for men, the traditional roast turkey dinner is likely to average around 1500 calories.

Want to count some calories at Christmas? Here is something to chew on (calculations based on 10-stone person, steady front crawl, 12mph cycling speed, data for guidance only, always consult your doctor before embarking on a weight loss or exercise programme, lock your doors at night, don’t forget to put the cat out, feed the fish, walk the dog…):

christmas calories

White Christmas

Despite the odds being stacked heavily against the chances of snow at Christmas in the UK, many still hold onto the hope that it will.

The romantic notion of a white Christmas is believed to stem not from Bing Crosby and friends, but from the prevalence of snow Charles Dickens’s novels. Born in 1812, the first decade of Dickens’s life was the coldest for over 100 years and it snowed on six of the first nine Christmas days in his life.

On the subject of Dickens, did you know that:

  • Tiny Tim, from A Christmas Carol, was originally intended to be named Little Fred, after one of Dickens’s brothers? The name was changed because Dickens felt that the alliteration made it more catchy.
  • There is a species of snail called Ba humbugai.
  • Dickens’s vision of the festive season is believed to have been influenced by American author, Washington Irving.

Santa

Apart from having a turbo-charged sleigh, other interesting ‘Santa facts’ include:

  • He originates form a Dutch folk tale based on Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas.
  • He has different names around the world – Kriss Kringle in Germany, Le Befana in Italy, Pere Noel in France and Deushka Moroz (Grandfather Frost) in Russia.
  • Iceland has 13 Santas, with names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat Hook.
  • Our modern ideas of Santa Claus come from an 1823 poem, A visit from St Nicholas, also known as Twas the night before Christmas, which portrays St. Nick as a jolly fat man wearing fur-trimmed red robes.
  • Coca-cola’s version was created in the 1930’s by Swedish artist Haddon Sundblom.
  • Father Christmas first appeared (as ‘old man Christmas’) in a 1616 play by Ben Jonson; Christmas, His Masque.
  • Between 1920 and 1942 JRR Tolkien wrote a series of letters to his children from Father Christmas.

Last, but not least: The religious connection

The real meaning of Christmas appears to many to have been forgotten in these modern times of commercialism, but it has great religious significance for much of the world’s population (32% of the World’s population is Christian):-

  • As we all know, Christmas marks the date of Christ’s birth. The name comes from the old English Cristes Maesse, or the Mass of Christ
  • Theologians estimate that Christ was probably born in September, sometime between 6BC and 30AD. In the forth century, Pope Julius I set 25th December as the date for Christmas.
  • The holly in the traditional Christmas wreath represents Christ’s crown of thorns and its berries his blood.
  • There is no reference to angels singing anywhere in the Bible.
  • The Bible does not specifically state a number of wise men.
  • The star followed by the wise men was probably a comet or the planet Uranus, according to astronomers.
  • The Christmas celebration has its roots in the Jewish festival of Hannukah, festivals of the ancient Greeks, Druids and other customs throughout Europe.