The Christmas questions you've been searching for
- Published
Your Christmas questions cracked
In the weeks before Christmas, all through the 'net, lots of things are Googled about things we forget. And so here we've gathered, from so many suggestions, the answers to all of your holiday questions.
Why do we eat turkey at Christmas?
Turkeys grow to full size by Autumn and are at their best for eating in winter - and are much bigger than most birds, so look impressive on the table. But roast beef was usually the Christmas choice in Britain until pop culture pushed the bird. Charles Dickens loved turkey, and immortalised it as part of British Christmas in his book A Christmas Carol in 1843 - while American TV later made it look delicious in every Thanksgiving episode.
Why is Christmas on 25 December?
It's a celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, but we don't know when that was. One church historian thought Jesus was born nine months after the anniversary of the creation of the world (which he reckoned was on 25 March), and the Romans already had a winter sun festival that week that might have been repurposed by early Christians. What matters is that the Church decided on 25 December as the official day more than 1,600 years ago and it stuck.
When are the 12 days of Christmas?
You might know the song, but have no idea when the "first day of Christmas" is. The carol is based on an ancient Christian tradition known as Twelvetide or Christmastide - where Christmas Day is the first day of Christmas and 5 January is the last. But some churches count from Boxing Day until 6 January.
When is the King's Speech?
The king or queen of the UK has delivered a Christmas message to their subjects nearly every Christmas Day since 1932, when radio made it possible. This year will be the first for King Charles after the death of his mother - and the first "King's speech" in seven decades. It usually happens at 15:00 UK time on Christmas Day, and is carried on TV, online, and on radio.
When should I take down the tree and decorations?
Some traditions think you should take down decorations by 6 January at the latest. There might be a practical deadline too: real Christmas trees last about four weeks after being cut down. So if you brought yours home in early December, it'll be ready to become kindling by the second week of January.
Do mince pies have meat in them?
Lots of people search for this one online, and we're happy to tell vegetarians - "no, but". The filling is called "mincemeat" even though it's made out of fruits and nuts like raisins and almonds. Long ago meat would have been added, like in this recipe from 1774. And some recipes today use suet - an animal fat - so be careful to read the labels if you're vegetarian or vegan.
Why do the Japanese eat KFC for Christmas?
Christians are a tiny minority in Japan, so Christmas isn't widely celebrated. The story goes that back in 1970, the first KFC manager in the country realised foreigners missed Christmas turkey - and thought fried chicken might be a good substitute. The "Kentucky for Christmas" campaign was such a wild success that today, millions of Japanese families take part - and it's become a multi-generation tradition.
How does Santa get around the world in one night?
Santa's got about 30 hours (thanks to timezones), but a few hundred million children to deliver to. So scientists have come up with all sorts of theories - like quantum mechanics that let him be everywhere at once. "There is little doubt now to quantum physicists that Santa is exploiting what we know as 'macroscopic quantum coherence'" says Professor Gool of Trinity College Dublin. All of which sounds silly if you just accept the simple explanation: he's magic.
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- Published19 December 2022
