There are several core holidays in the United States dating back decades, or even centuries in our history. It’s no secret that many of them lay the foundations for who we are as a country, and we all think we know all there is about them. However, that might not be true. There’s plenty that the average person doesn’t know about these iconic celebrations, and some of these seemingly minor details might change how you see the holiday entirely. Here are some interesting facts about popular American holidays.
Christmas and Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are the largest celebrated holidays in the country and many of their traditions even transcend culture in modern times. The process of cutting down and decorating a Christmas tree is particularly popular and seen as a great way to express creativity during the colder months. Tree farms spend all year growing their crops for harvest come December, as somewhere between 25 and 30 million real pines find themselves in a residential home each season. But it’s not only smaller trees that can get the festive treatment. In fact, Seattle, Washington, holds the record for the largest displayed Christmas tree, measuring in at a little over 220 feet tall!
The Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is another highly anticipated holiday in the United States. As the day we gained our independence as a country, it’s an iconic time for celebration and fireworks. But what if you learned that there was more to the founding of the country than one day’s worth of work and a subsequent signing? Believe it or not, the signing of this key document happened peace-meal over the several months before July 1776. It was just finalized and published in papers on the fourth, making it the day we officially think about when proudly proclaiming our independence as a nation. Still, it actually wasn’t established as a federal holiday until 1870.
Halloween Night
For those who love all things horror and spooky, Halloween is an escape from reality and a night of ghoulish delight. But there’s more to this evening than tricks, candy, and costumes. The history of Halloween’s traditions is a rich one filled with many things that struck fear into the hearts of our ancestors. In fact, many classic Halloween festivities were once things that were thought to keep away harmful spirits. Even the tradition of handing out candy and snacks was a way to help keep the characteristic mischief at bay. In modern years, approximately four percent of all yearly candy sales happen in preparation for Halloween.
It just goes to show that there’s always more to our history that meets the eye, especially when it comes to some of our more iconic days of the year. These interesting facts about popular American holidays barely scratches the surface of what you can learn. So, don’t stop here. Try seeing what other information there is out there about your favorite celebration!
