Fascinating Facts and Trivia

US scientists have calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes per second to deliver the whole world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles per second.

Last bit of Christmas trivia for now:
We all know about Good King Wenceslas-BUT most of it is wrong. For instance, he wasn't a king at all. Nor is that the correct spelling of his name. Wencelaus was Duke of Bohemia in the 10th century(potentially making the carol the original Bohemian Rhapsody) where after leading the Government form the age of 18 he became known as Vaclav the Good. Unfortunately he had a brother known as Boleslaus the Cruel who invited him to a feast and then, living up to his name, ran him through with a lance. Almost immediately after his death Wenceslaus was recognised as a martyr and canonised, as well as posthumously crowned a King. Tales of his virtuousness and piety circulated throughout Europe. An early biography describes him "rising every night from his noble bed with bare feet and only chamberlain, he went around to God's churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered not a prince, but the father of all the wretched." Yes he walked barefoot in all conditions. The snow may well have been deep and crisp and even but that just sounds more painful for walking through. The carol concludes with a call to bless the poor "Therefore Christian men be sure, wealth or rank possessing/ Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing"

Today Wenceslaus' remains are interred at St Vitus cathedral in Prague. Wenceslas Square in the city is an important meeting place and the site of mass demonstrations against the Communist regime in the 1980's. A legend attached to the statue of the saint in the square says that if the country is ever threatened, it will come to life, raise a sleeping army and bring peace to the land. The legend in the carol was written by John Mason Neale in 1853, an Anglican priest but it was pointed out by Elizabeth Poston in the Penguin Book of Christmas Carols that Neale's "ponderous moral doggerel" does not fit with the jaunty tune, calling it the "product of an unnatural marriage between Victorian whimsy and the 13th century dance carol" So now you know the truth.
(Source: The Big Issue Christmas issue fact/fiction. Old news, truthfully retold)
Merry Christmas.

The image of Santa Claus flying his sleigh began in 1819 and was created by Washington Irving, the same author who dreamt up the Headless Horseman.

Tinsel was invented in 1610 in Germany, and was once made of real silver.

‘Jingle Bells’ was actually written for Thanksgiving, not for Christmas.

27% of families sit down to watch the Queen’s Speech

Many parts of a Christmas Tree can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C.

The video of ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham was the last time that George Michael was filmed without a beard.

Irving Berlin hated Elvis Presley’s version of ‘White Christmas’ so much he tried to prevent radio stations from playing Presley’s cover.

Christmas pudding was originally a soup made with raisins and wine.