8 Dead Kids Rub-a-dub-dub, Three Dead Kids In A Tub! Jolly old Saint Nicholas is not only the patron saint of children, but, according to legend, he brought backto life three children after they were murdered and pickled in brine. Supposedly the three children spent the night at the house of an innkeeper or a butcher, who then killed, gutted, dismembered and pickled the youngsters, and was planning to pass off their remains as pork. Saint Nicholas happened along and miraculously resuscitated, reassembled, and reanimated the youths. In art of Saint Nicholas one will sometimes see children standingin vats or tubs; that would be why! This legend is also referred to in the French song “La Légende de Saint Nicolas”. No word is available on whether the kids were dill or garlic flavored. 7 Ban It! Let’s Celebrate Christmas Like Our Forefathers – By Banning It! Here in the United States, every year we have our traditional argument over whether or not left-wing liberals, theACLU, commie agitators, Jews, the government, big business, or any combination thereof are involved in a nefarious plot to “destroy” Christmas. Most proponents of this theory endorse a return to Christmases such as in the olden days, apparently unaware that, from 1659 to 1681, Christmas was actuallybanned in Massachusetts. There were several reasons for this; the Puritans did not consider December 25 to be a religious day (if God wouldhave wanted us to celebrate it, then He would have specified that date in the Bible), Christmas was celebrated by Catholics and hence was anathema to the Puritans, and, perhaps most importantly, Christmas was not being celebrated by quietly spending the day at home with family or at church, but rather celebrants spent the day “consumed in Compotations, in Interludes, in playing at Cards, in Revellings, in excess of Wine, in mad Mirth …” according to the Rev. Increase Mather (whose joyless visage is pictured above). I suspect that if most Americans were offered the choice of spending Christmas shopping or, as in the days of our forefathers, getting drunk, we’d return to a “traditional” Christmas in less time than it takes Santa to get back up the chimney.

6 Meow Readers of the site are familiar with Krampus, aka Schmutzli aka Knecht Ruprecht, who is the companion of Saint Nicholas and who punishes the bad children by stuffing them into hissack and taking them to the Black Forest to eat them, to hell, or to the river to drown them. This charming fellow was discussed in the list and comments of 15 Quite Bizarre Factlets. While obviously this prospect would be a bit intimidating,at least children can save themselvesfrom an unpleasant fate by good behavior – unlike the unlucky Icelander children. According to an old Icelandic tradition, everyone has to get one new piece of clothing for Christmas. Anyone who did not was in danger of being eaten by the Christmas Cat, a large vicious black feline who belonged to a family whowere descended from trolls. (Children who did not behave were eaten by the ogress troll-mother herself.) Rumor has it that Wal-Mart is considering suggesting that the Christmas Cat had kitties who emigrated around the world, in an attempt to increase next year’s Christmas clothing sales. 5 Uncle Poop One of the more unusual bearers of Christmas presents, with a unique delivery method, is the Caga tió (pooping uncle or, in this case, pooping tree trunk). Found in the Catalonia region, it consists of a hollow log. Beginning at the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the family “feeds” the tio and covers himwith a warm blanket each night. Then, at Christmas, the family gathers together, sings songs, puts the tio partly into the fire and beats it with sticks, until it excretes presents of candy, nuts or figs. When the tio is finished pooping it signals this by dropping salted herring, a head of garlic, an onion, or by “urinating”, whereupon the entire log is burned. This is where the expression “If you don’t give me a present I’ll beat the crap out of you” originated. 4 Wassailing Wassailing sounds like such an innocuous, wholesome tradition, knocking on doors, singing a few songs, and perhaps being offered a warm drink or cookies. The original wassailers, however, were more aggressive, and would invade a home, demanding food, drink or money from the homeowners, and refusing to leave until they received their “recompense”. If forcibly ejected they would curse, threaten and sometimes vandalize the property of their “hosts”. Think of some of the later verses from We Wish You a Merry Christmas: “Now bring us some figgy pudding…. we won’t go until we get some.” If you are ever the victim of a home invasion you could probably lighten the mood by pointing out the similarity between your attackers and people who sing “Don we now our gay apparel, fa-la-la-la-la”.

3 Mari Lwyd The Old Gray Mare, She Ain’t What She Used To Be. The Mari Lwyd is a horse’s skull, decorated with bells and ribbons, which is set on a stick and carried by an operator hidden under a white sheet. The eye socketsare often filled with green glass and the jaw may be spring-loaded so that the Mari can “snap” at passers-by. She is to be found in Southeast Wales around the Christmas season, particularly at New Year’s. The Mari and her male companions attempt toenter households or pubs via a contest where they would trade insults with the householders via song (apparently an early precursor to rap contests). If the Mari and her male friends won, they would enter and obtain food and drink. The Mari particularly enjoys this because, as the men get drunker and drunker, the Mari begins to appear prettier, younger, thinner, and less dead to them. 2 Castrations and a Cross Leo V became Byzantine Emperor in 813 after forcing the abdication of Michael I, whereupon Leo had Michael’s sons castrated. On Christmas Day in 820, Leo was praying alone in front of the altar of Hagia Sophia. A group of conspirators, disguised as priests andmonks, and led by Michael the Amorian (no relation to Michael I), entered and drew their daggers to assassinate Leo. Unarmed and alone,Leo tried to defend himself with an incense burner in one hand and a large wooden cross in the other. After an hour he succumbed to his injuries, Michael was immediately declared Emperor, and Leo’s four sons were castrated. This was not the origin of Christmas tree balls, fortunately. 1 Christmas Question Q. What Do You Get A Dead Baby For Christmas? A. A Dead Puppy. The Coventry Carol (the one which begins Lullay, thou little tiny child, Bye, bye, lully, lullay) is an old song, dating back to the 15th century. It was performed in Coventry, England, as part of a Christmas play known as The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, and that particular song refers to the Slaughter of the Innocents. This, according to the Gospel of Matthew, is when King Herod, fearing the competition from the newborn King of the Jews, sent his soldiers to slaughter all male children in and around Bethlehem who were age two or younger. In thepageant, the song was sung by the women of Bethlehem to their children to soothe them, right before the soldiers killed them.

Interesting things...found it a bit morbid but interesting.

intresting

Wow.Christmas wonders.

Thanks frnd

Thanks frnd 4 sharing

Bizare indeed

As much as christians and cathoilics celebrate christmas, the tradition of bringing an evergreen tree into the home was a pagan tradition to remind them that winter would not last forever and spring would soon come. The idea of decorating them was begun by the rich who wished to display their wealth. Turkey wasn't a traditional xmas dinner until prince edward brought it across from germany. The image of father christmas came from a turkish toy shop who used it as an advertising campaign. Their equivolent of a viral advert lol

Nice...