One
of the most beloved Christmas traditions, especially in America, is
decorating a Christmas tree.
Most people think it's been around, well, forever. But the Christmas
tree is actually a pretty recent holiday tradition. German immigrants
brought the tradition here in the mid-18th century, yet 100 years later
it still hadn't really caught on. In fact, it was downright
controversial. The New York Times wrote an editorial against the
practice in the 1880s, and when Teddy Roosevelt was president in the
early 1900s, he railed against cutting down trees for Christmas, saying
it was a waste of good timber. The tradition, of course, took hold
regardless.
Despite
Christmas' popularity among Christians and non-Christians alike,
little-known facts like this -- and even outright myths -- abound. From
the holiday's religious origins to Mr. and Mrs. Claus to that great,
evergreen symbol, the Yuletide tree, here are 10 enduring Christmas
myths, exposed at last.
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