Danny Gallagher
Christmas is full of familiar traditions: carving the ham, leaving cookies out for Santa, listening to Uncle Morty talk about his gall bladder removal surgery while you’re trying to enjoy some egg nog. These staples had to come from somewhere, and since Christmas offers a mix of religious and secular traditions, their origins are just as mixed and varied.
Everything from the Christmas tree to the marshmallows on Grandma’s yams got their start somewhere, and many have surprising stories. Take a look at a few things you might not know about Christmas below.
Since it first aired in 1965, the beloved special has practically become required viewing for families celebrating the holiday season. It’s message of anti-commercialism and good will towards man mixed with Schulz’s trademark humor of caustic kids in a cynical world is a perfect remedy for the holidays that can get sappier than your aunt’s homemade egg nog.
Doesn’t it seem like most celebrity marriages don’t stand a chance? The Centers for Disease Control reported a staggeringly low rate of divorce rates in 2010 in at least 44 states, but that doesn’t really matter if you’re a celebrity. The CDC might slacked on the statistics involving this sect of relationships, but these 10 high-profile splits don’t bode well for celebs’ odds.