Christmas in the United States is an explosion of twinkling lights holiday feasts and endless Traditions but did you know the way Americans celebrate Christmas might surprise you so grab some hot cocoa get cozy and let's dive into 101 fascinating facts about Christmas in the USA one the Christmas season in the US isn't just a day oh no for many it begins right after Thanksgiving with Black Friday marking The Unofficial start of holiday shopping Mania two speaking of shopping Americans spend over $700 billion during the holiday season that's more than the GDP of some countries what's
the most you've ever spent on Christmas gifts comment below fact three us families use an average of 15,000 Christmas lights on their houses and some neighborhoods take this to a whole new level by coordinating entire light shows set to music four in fact the Guinness world record for the most lights on a home goes to a family in New York with over 600,000 lights imagine that electric bill five here's an interesting one Santa Claus was actually reimagined by Coca-Cola in the 1930s giving him his Jolly red suited look that we know today thanks Coke six
and Santa isn't just limited to the North Pole in some Southern US states Santa arrives by surfboard Yes you heard that right ever picture Santa in board shorts seven some towns even host Christmas in July Events especially in warmer places where Winter feels more like summer anyway who says you need snow for a festive Vibe eight Americans don't just bake cookies for Santa they go all out in some regions Christmas baking competitions are a serious tradition with entire communities getting involved nine ever heard of The Elf on the Shelf it's a relatively new tradition where
a little elf doll watches children's behavior for Santa and every morning the elf is moved to a different spot creating endless Mischief 10 fun fact an estimated 80 million American households have an elf on the shelf and yes parents are the real elves behind the scenes 11 here's something unique in Arizona people celebrate Christmas by lighting Lumin areas small paper lanterns filled with sand and candles it's a beautiful site 12 and in New Mexico another Southwestern tradition called Las posadas reenacts Mary and Joseph's search for shelter this custom dates back centuries and is celebrated in
many Hispanic communities 13 Christmas cards are a huge deal here Americans send over 1.3 billion holiday cards each year talk about spreading cheer through the mail 14 believe it or not there's a town called Santa Claus in Indiana where the entire town Embraces the Christmas spirit all year round Santa themed street names buildings and even a post office dedicated to answering kids letters to Santa 15 Christmas Tree farms are big business in the US especially in States like Oregon and North Carolina which produce the majority of real trees sold Nationwide 16 on average Americans will
spend over $80 on a Christmas tree and while many go for a real tree about 80% actually choose an artificial one 17 speaking of trees Rockefeller Center in New York has one of the most famous Christmas trees in the world each year it attracts over 125 million visitors 18 another unique twist some cities host ugly sweater parties where guests try to outdo each other with the funniest quirk I EST holiday sweaters they can find 19 ever wonder why we hang stockings it's believed to stem from an old tale where St Nicholas saved three sisters from
poverty by dropping coins down their chimney which landed in stockings left to dry 20 American stockings are often filled with candy canes and small gifts in some homes you might even find a pickle ornament tucked inside yes the Christmas pickle it's a quirky American tradition fact 21 Christmas Eve traditions vary widely across the us some people open one gift early While others save all presents for Christmas morning which Camp are you in 22 and speaking of gifts the concept of secret santa originated in the US it's now spread worldwide helping friends family and co-workers give
presents without breaking the bank 23rd Americans take Christmas movies very seriously films like if It's a Wonderful Life home alone and A Christmas Story are practically required viewing 24 fun fact A Christmas Story was so popular that the house from the movie in Cleveland Ohio was turned into a museum 25 the Home Alone house it's still a fan favorite and every year tourists flock to winetka Illinois just to see it and maybe make sure the doors are locked 26 here's one you might not expect Kentucky Fried Chicken has become a Christmas dinner Staple in Japan
thanks to an American KFC marketing campaign the idea caught on and now it's a yearly tradition 27 back in the US holiday ham is more traditional although in the South deep fried turkey is increasingly popular 28th Christmas parades are held in many cities but one of the most famous is the Hollywood Christmas parade held in Los Angeles it draws thousands of Spectators and celebrities each year 29th radio stations across the US begin playing Christmas music as early as November 1st have you ever heard Jingle Bells on repeat for two whole months 30 White Christmas by
Bing Crosby holds the record as the bestselling Christmas song of all time in the US it's even been credited with popularizing the whole White Christmas dream 31st Americans don't just limit Christmas celebrations to the streets and living rooms in Honolulu Hawaii you can even attend a Christmas Boat Parade Where boats are decked out in lights and decorations 32 some Americans are so dedicated to Christmas decorating that they set up not just one but multiple Christmas trees one for each room now that's some serious holiday spirit 33rd ever heard of Christmas carolling with a Twist in
some towns groups go door to-door singing offkey or parody versions of classic carols it's called anti caroling and it's all for Laughs 34 some families don't wait for Christmas morning to unwrap their presents instead they'll wake up at midnight just as the clock strikes 12 and dive in right away 35 you've probably heard of ugly Christmas sweater parties but in San Francisco they've taken it up a notch with an entire Santa Con it's basically thousands of people dressed as Santa roaming the city total chaos and holiday fun 36 Americans love to bake cookies for Santa
but do you know why we leave out milk too it's a tradition that started in the Great Depression as a gesture of gratitude for what families still had even during hard times 37 the United States has some unique seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice peppermint and eggnog some coffee shops even introduce Christmas themed drinks as early as September 38 a bit random but there are actual Christmas museums in the US like the national Christmas Center in Pennsylvania visitors can explore the history of Christmas traditions from around the world 39 the iconic red and green color scheme
we associate with Christmas it became widely popular thanks to Christmas cards and marketing in the Victorian era although initially early holiday colors included blue and white 40 many American Kids write letters to Santa and the US Postal Service has a letters to Santa program that lets people adopt and respond to these letters 41st not everyone celebrates Christmas in snowy weather in Florida it's common to celebrate Christmas on the beach with sand castles instead of snowmen 42 did you know you can actually rent a live Christmas tree in some US cities you keep it indoors during
the holiday season and after Christmas it's replanted eco-friendly and festive 43 the idea of hanging mistleto traces back to Norse mythology where it symbolized love and peace but in the US it's just a reason to sneak a holiday kiss 44 malls Across America often bring in a real Santa for kids to visit but there are over 100 different Santa schools in the US to help Santa perfect their craft ho ho ho 45 in Louisiana there's a tradition of building massive bonfires along the Mississippi River to light the way for Pap no their version of Santa
Claus 46 Advent calendars have become so popular in the US that now they're not just for kids there are versions for adults filled with things like chocolates wine and even mini beauty products 47 While most kids leave out cookies for Santa children in the American South might also leave him peacon pie hey Santa deserves a little variety too right 48 in some parts of Texas a cowboy Christmas is a thing folks will swap out traditional Santa outfits for cowboy hats and Boots 49 in the midwest there is something called a 12 Days of Christmas scavenger
hunt where people find small gifts or Clues related to the famous song who wouldn't love a good hunt with prizes 50 Americans consume about 1.76 billion candy canes each Christmas season that's enough candy canes to wrap around the world twice 51 poinsettias are a classic Christmas decoration and they actually come from Mexico an American ambassador brought them back in the 1800s and they've been part of us Christmas ever since 52nd gingerbread houses became popular in the US after German immigrants brought the tradition today we even have gingerbread house competitions with some pretty wild designs 53
in some American households the Christmas tree isn't taken down until the first week of January anuary as many follow the 12 Days of Christmas tradition fact 54 American holiday tv specials are a tradition in themselves shows like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas have been airing for decades 55 in the early 1900s Christmas was almost banned in the US as it was considered too rowdy thankfully it transformed into the familyfriendly celebration we know today 56 many Americans set up a Christmas Village display with miniature houses trees and people some of these Villages
can be incredibly elaborate with hundreds of tiny pieces 57 Americans send more text messages and emails wishing Merry Christmas than any other holiday greeting who else loves that little extra digital holiday cheer 58 secret santa isn't the only giftgiving game Americans play there's also white elephant where people exchange funny or impractical gifts often leading to lots of laughs 59 in Washington DC you can see the National Christmas tree lit up in front of the White House each year presidents have participated in this tradition since 1923 60 in Utah there's a tradition known as the sub
for Santa program where families adopt those in need and provide gifts and meals for their Christmas celebration 61 Americans make gingerbread men cookies but in some places you'll also see gingerbread snowflakes trees and even Christmas Stars 62 some US cities have Christmas markets inspired by German traditions where you can shop for handmade gifts drink hot cider and eat traditional treats 63 peppermint is one of the most iconic flavors of Christmas in the US did you know that Americans buy enough peppermint flavored candy each season to cover the Lincoln Memorial seven times over 64 in California
there is a city named Christmas during December all the street signs buildings and even the mayor get into the holiday spirit 65 ice skating is a popular American Christmas activity with outdoor rinks popping up in cities and even shopping malls 66 some Americans start their Christmas shopping as early as August to avoid the Holiday Rush are you an early Shopper or a last minute marathoner 67 for many in the southern us decorating a palm tree is just as traditional as putting up a pine tree it's all about adding some tropical Vibes to Christmas 68th Americans
love holiday themed pajamas and will often buy matching sets for the entire family Christmas morning is a cozy scene of coordinated flannel 69 the concept of the Christmas bonus for employees gained popularity in the 20th century in the US some employers now even hold Christmas parties with Raffles games and Gifts 70 in some areas Americans leave Christmas lights up all winter long why not keep the festive cheer a bit longer 71 if you visit the US capital in Washington DC during Christmas you'll find a giant Christmas tree on display called The People's tree this tree
is decor ated by volunteers from all over the country 72 Americans have a long-standing tradition of volunteering during Christmas soup kitchens shelters and community centers are packed with people lending a hand and spreading holiday cheer 73 not all American states see snow during Christmas but that doesn't stop snow parties from happening in warmer places artificial snow is brought in so people in places like Arizona and Florida can enjoy a white Christmas Even if it's a little less chilly 74 each year the town of North Pole Alaska fully transforms into a Christmas village where people from
all over the world send their holiday cards to get the iconic North Pole postmark 75 Christmas wreaths are hugely popular in the US and each has a symbolic meaning for many the circular shape represents eternal life while the Evergreens symbolize resilience through winter 76 did you know Americans will often decorate their cars too it's not unusual to see a minivan with reindeer antlers and a red nose 77 a relatively new tradition in some US cities is the Christmas crawl where friends dress up in Holiday outfits and visit various pubs or bars spreading holiday cheer one
stop at a time 78 some Americans take holiday baking to the extreme with cookie swaps friends and family members each bake a different type of cookie and then trade leaving everyone with a huge variety of treats 79 in Portland Oregon you can attend a Portland Christmas ships parade boats decorated with Christmas lights cruise down the river each December putting on a show for thousands of Spectators 80 here's a fun one ever heard of snowman kits in states with snow families buy kits with carrot noses top hats scarves and everything you'd need to to build a
perfect snowman 81st Americans have some unique holiday fragrances too aside from Pine and cinnamon there are scents like fresh snowfall and sugar cookie that fill the shelves 82 in the US there's a tradition of adopting a family in need during Christmas organizations match generous donors with families to help provide gifts food and sometimes even rent assistance fact 83 Christmas karaoke party are a thing many people love belting out holiday Classics like all I want for Christmas is you and jingle bell rock whether or not they can sing on key 84 candy canes aren't just for
snacking Americans often hang them on their trees as ornaments and once Christmas is over they double as an easy snack 85 did you know the first electrically lit Christmas tree was in New York City in 1882 Thomas Edison's assistant Edward Johnson came up with the idea and decorated his tree with colored bulbs 86 some American families add a Santa key to their decorations especially if they don't have a chimney it's a special key that only Santa can use to get inside 87 in Michigan there's a town called Frankenmuth known as Michigan's Little Bavaria it's home
to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland the largest Christmas store in the world 88 in the US there's a tradition called The Christmas Light Fight where neighbors compete to see who has the best decorated house it can get pretty competitive and electric bills can get pretty high 89 you've heard of The 12 Days of Christmas but in parts of New England there's a version called the 12 pubs of Christmas each Pub represents a day and Friends aim to visit all 12 in one night 90 in some US cities you'll find life-sized gingerbread houses especially in big hotels and
shopping malls some are made with real gingerbread icing and Candy 91 letters to Santa have become a big deal in American classrooms kids write letters as a class project and teachers sometimes surprise them with replies from Santa's helpers 92 here's an unusual tradition in some American towns people will chalk the door after Christmas by writing a special blessing on their front door to bring good luck in the New Year 93 some American cities like Seattle are famous for their Christmas trolley rides where you can see Christmas lights while coing up in an old-fashioned trolley 94
Americans love unique tree toppers besides the classic star or Angel you'll see everything from owls to snowmen perched on top of trees 95 in Philadelphia There's a long-standing Christmas tradition of MERS parades people wear elaborate costumes and perform in public dating back over a century 96 Christmas gift wrapping has turned into an art form Americans will often hold wrapping parties where friends gather to wrap gifts complete with ribbons bows and maybe even a little bit of glitter 97 one of the oldest Christmas traditions in the US is the Moravian star a multi-pointed star that originally
came from Germany and symbolizes hope 98 in some parts of the US there's a quirk tradition of giving out joke gifts in addition to regular presents these gifts are meant for laughs and often include goofy items or gag gifts 99 Americans sometimes send holiday e-cards instead of traditional cards especially if friends and family live far away some of these e-cards are animated and even play music 100 some American households have a Christmas countdown clock that counts down the days hours minutes and even seconds until Christmas as if we weren't already excited enough 101 and here's
an amazing fact to finish up each year American families track Santa's Journey around the world using norad's Santa Tracker this tradition started by accident in 1955 when a child called norad's number by mistake and now over 1,500 volunteers help kids everywhere follow Santa's magical flight and that wraps up our list of 101 incredible facts about Christmas in the USA which one was your favorite let us know in the comments hit the like button and don't forget to subscribe for more fun holiday content
