It seems to come pretty quick every year and children around the world get excited when Christmas Day arrives. But what are some of the meanings of the terms that surround it?

Here are five terms that are used at Christmas time, that we may not have fully known the true meaning of. Feel free to add more in the comments section below.

  1. Yule Log - What in the world is this anyway? According to Celtic Traditions, they believed that the sun stood still for the last 12 days of December. Therefore, they would light a "yule log" and if they were able to keep it lit for those 12 days, they would then have persuaded the sun to move and make the days longer. Yule is an old Viking word meaning 'winter festival.'
  2. Father Christmas - Americans refer to him as Santa Claus, wearing a red and white suit, thanks to the Coca Cola Company. In the 1800s, he was known as Father Christmas and would be seen wearing a green outfit.
  3. Mistletoe - We know what it is, but why the kissing tradition around Christmas time? This may go all the way back to the Greeks, who used the sprig for menstrual cramps, leprosy and infertility. In Greek mythology, it was used to kill a Greek god by the name of Baldur. After that happened, they vowed to never use mistletoe to kill someone, so they said they would kiss under it from now on.
  4. The Christmas Tree - The Romans would celebrate the winter solstice as they feasted in honor of Saturnus, who was the god of agriculture. The Romans were known to decorate their homes with lights and greenery and gave money so others would prosper and would share in tasty pastries under lights. Our christmas tree traditions came from German origin, when they would decorate trees in their homes to welcome spring.
  5. Eggnog - Why do people drink eggnog around Christmas time? The origin of the word comes from the Colonists, who would refer rum to grog. The rum was served in small wooden mugs called noggins. The drink back then was referred to as egg-n-grog and later shortened to 'eggnog.'

More From KGAB