Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Christmas
While you're wrapping gifts and preparing to feast with family and friends, ponder these bizarre Christmas facts
A Very Merry Un-Birthday?
Contrary to popular belief, the Bible doesn't actually mention a specific date for Jesus' birth. In fact, most historians believe he was likely born in the spring, hence the Bible's description of shepherds herding animals. But in the fourth century, when the Catholic Church decided to recognize Jesus' birth as an official holiday, Pope Julius I chose December 25th for the "Feast of the Nativity." That the date happened to coincide with the pagan festival known as Saturnalia must have been pure coincidence.
View the full list for "Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Christmas"Latest Lists
Most Popular »
- Facebook's Secret Code
- The Job Market: Is a College Degree Worth Less?
- Has 'Climategate' Been Overblown?
- Mexico's Witness-Protection Program: What Protection?
- India's Friends: Dinner in the U.S., Dessert in Moscow
- The Afghanistan Surge: How Will the Taliban Respond?
- Why Has Taiwan's Birthrate Dropped So Low?
- Time to Give Up the Ghost on bin Laden
- The Growing Backlash Against Overparenting
- The Job Market: Is a College Degree Worth Less?
- Facebook's Secret Code
- Why Has Taiwan's Birthrate Dropped So Low?
- How Do Countries Determine Their Time Zones?
- Has 'Climategate' Been Overblown?
- Study: Eating Soy Is Safe for Breast-Cancer Survivors
- Mexico's Witness-Protection Program: What Protection?
- Humanure: Goodbye, Toilets. Hello, Extreme Composting
- The Afghanistan Surge: How Will the Taliban Respond?
- The Chicago Suspect: Are Pakistani Jihadis Going Global?
RSS