Things people “know” about Christmas
Some are half true. Some are just wrong.
Myth Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas.
Fact Oliver Cromwell did not start the ban on Christmas himself. A 1644 Parliament ordinance confirmed the abolition of the feasts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, before his time as Lord Protector (1653–58). Historic England: Did Oliver Cromwell really ban Christmas? English Heritage says it is a myth that Cromwell banned Christmas and mince pies. English Heritage: Meat to sweet, a history of the mince pie
Myth Christmas was banned in England for ever and ever.
Fact From then until the Restoration in 1660, Christmas was officially illegal, and the ban was very unpopular. Historic England: Did Oliver Cromwell really ban Christmas?
Myth Prince Albert brought the very first Christmas tree to Britain.
Fact Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, brought a Christmas tree to Britain in the late 18th century, but it was a yew rather than a fir. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas Victoria and Albert did not bring the first tree, but they made the Christmas tree popular in Britain. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas
Myth Coca-Cola invented the red-suited Santa.
Fact Adverts painted by Haddon Sundblom for the Coca-Cola Company from 1931 helped fix the image of a white-bearded Santa in a red suit, but that image has roots in Nast’s 19th-century drawings. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Santa Claus
Myth The reindeer were always called Donner and Blitzen.
Fact The reindeer in the 1823 poem are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem. Modern versions say Donner and Blitzen instead. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Visit from St. Nicholas
Myth Christmas cards are as old as Christmas.
Fact Henry Cole, later the first director of the V&A, sent the first Christmas card in 1843. V&A: The first Christmas card
Myth A white Christmas means snow on the ground.
Fact For the Met Office, a “white Christmas” needs just one snowflake to be seen falling in the 24 hours of 25 December, by an official observer or automatic weather station. Met Office: White Christmas and UK Christmas weather records Snow lying widely on the ground on Christmas Day is much rarer. Since 1960 it has happened only four times: in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010. Met Office: White Christmas and UK Christmas weather records
Myth Mince pies have always been sweet.
Fact Early mince pies had real meat in them. Mrs Beeton’s Household Management (1861) gave two mincemeat recipes, one with meat and one without. English Heritage: Meat to sweet, a history of the mince pie
Myth Advent wreaths have always had four candles.
Fact The Advent wreath began in the 19th century. It first had 24 candles, one for each day from 1 December, but that was awkward, so it shrank to four. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas
Myth Everyone has Christmas on 25 December.
Fact Eastern Orthodox churches that still use the old Julian calendar keep Christmas on the day that is 7 January in our calendar. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas The Armenian Apostolic Church keeps Christmas on 6 January, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church on 7 January. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas
Myth Hunt the Wren is only found in the Isle of Man.
Fact Hunt the Wren was once found across the British Isles and parts of northern Europe, but long ago died out everywhere except the Isle of Man and Ireland. It has recently been revived in parts of England. Culture Vannin: Hunt the Wren, a short history of a Manx custom