That time of year is here again. This is the time to spend with your family around a Christmas tree and open all your gifts. This holiday seems very straight forward. So we think. Sometimes we think we know everything about this holiday. Turns out that maybe we do not know that much about it. We get the concept, but the details get lost in translation sometimes between fact and fiction. So let’s see how much we genuinely do know. Here are some of the top myths and facts.

1. Christmas trees were actually not supposed to be a part of the holiday festivities. This is actually true. Back in the time of Theodore Roosevelt he thought Christmas trees were a ridiculous idea. He thought that having a Christmas tree was a big waste of lumber that they could be using for something else. Well, that did not seem to stop the tradition that continues to this day.
2. St. Nick, Father Christmas, and Santa are the same people. This is a myth. These are all different people with three different personalities. St. Nick is seen as the most generous of the three because he is known to leave money in people’s stockings for Christmas. Father Christmas is seen as a drunk. He is known for having one too many during the holidays. Then, Santa is the most joyous of the three and he is seen as the most well rounded person of the holidays.
3. If a child is born on Christmas they will have a very bright future. This is a fact. If a child is born on Christmas day, they are seen to have a very successful career. For example, Sir Issac Newton who made a incredible discoveries in math and science was born on Christmas.
4. In Greece, people burn their shoes to prevent misfortune in the upcoming year. This is a fact. People in Greece feel that if they burn their old shoes, it gets rid of any sin they may have committed, and it helps them feel better about the upcoming year.
5. Singing Christmas carols at anytime other than at Christmas is considered unlucky. This is a myth. This is just one of those superstitions that everybody does, but nothing ever happens to them. So this one is not true, but people still seem to believe it anyway. 

So there you have it. These are some Christmas myths and facts for the upcoming holiday season. It goes to show that you should not believe everything you hear, because it may not be 100% true. Some of these are really surprising and out of the ordinary but it also shows us what goes on in other countries bedsides our own and shows us some different cultures that we may not be exposed to. The holiday season opens your eyes to new ideas.