Move over, Black Friday! It seems counterintuitive to think there’s a day that is busier than the one day devoted to buying and taking advantage of super sales, but as it turns out, the two days right before Christmas actually take the ranking as the busiest shopping days of the year.

As the holiday countdown hits single digits, shoppers everywhere rush for those last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers.

Do you know what we mean? Those few days, you can almost feel the energy buzzing at every checkout line. If you have ever been in a store on December 23rd, you know the frenzy firsthand. Now, want some pro-tip? Make a list and check it twice to avoid panic shopping! Who knew that Christmas Eve could rival Black Friday for chaotic crowds?

Image: Nathan Lemon

While holiday decorating is one of the joys of the season, it’s also a little risky business. November and December see an uptick in home accidents, with 34% of decorating injuries caused by falls. Climbing ladders to string up lights or reaching for that high branch on the tree can get tricky!

It’s a good reminder to decorate with care and maybe enlist some help for those high-up decorations. After all, the holidays are about spending time with family, not in the ER. So, keep it safe and merry as you turn your home into a winter wonderland.

Image: freestocks

Who doesn’t love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? He is a true Christmas icon, but he wasn’t always the holiday figure we know today. In fact, he got his shiny start as an advertising gimmick for Montgomery Ward back in 1939.

The department store created the character to attract holiday shoppers and boost sales, and boy did it work! Rudolph quickly became a beloved part of Christmas lore, it captured hearts with his glowing red nose and underdog story.

It’s funny to think that one of the most famous Christmas figures was born from a marketing strategy, but if you come to think about all these traditional figures, they were all born the same way. Regardless, Rudolph lights the way for Santa every year and we simply adore it!

Image: Tim Gouw

Talk about Christmas traditions! Charles Dickens’ timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, feels like it’s been around forever, and we’ve all probably read it more than once.

Did you know it only took him six weeks to write? That’s right, in just a month and a half, he crafted one of the most long-lasting holiday stories of all time. Published in 1843, Dickens’ story of redemption and the Christmas spirit has been adapted into countless films, plays, and musicals.

He wrote it in a hurry because he needed money. Little did he know his rush would produce a masterpiece read in every classroom and household during the holiday time and any other time of the year!

Image: Elin Melaas

Talk about decking the halls! The tallest Christmas tree ever displayed in our country stood tall and proud in Seattle, Washington, and it reached a jaw-dropping 221 feet! If you can’t figure out how tall that is, that’s about the height of a 20-story building!

It was displayed in 1950 and, tall as it was, imagine all the lights and ornaments it took to decorate that beautiful tree. It quickly became a symbol of holiday glory. While it’s not every day you see a Christmas tree as tall as a skyscraper, it’s fun to imagine what that lighting ceremony must have been like. Don’t worry, most of us are happy with our 6-footers! But this defies the belief that less is more, right? When it comes to Christmas spirit, more is more!

Image: Annie Spratt

We’ve already established that the Christmas season is the busiest in sales. But if you think holiday shopping is busy, imagine how busy Visa credit cards are! Here’s the fact: During the Christmas season, Visa cards are used around 6,000 times per minute. That’s a whole lot of swiping (or tapping,) don’t you think?

And it’s not only to buy gifts, consider this is also a touristic time of the year so, from buying presents to booking travel, credit cards get quite the workout in December. It’s not surprising, considering how much we all spend on making the holidays special! Even if our credit cards don’t really like it.

Image: CardMapr.nl

The White House Christmas tree is a wonderful tradition, (one of our personal favorites, at least) but do you know who was in charge of setting this precedent?

In this case, we’ve got Franklin Pierce to thank, because in 1856 he became the first US president to put up an official Christmas tree in the White House.

Of course, back then, it wasn’t the massive display we see today, but it was the beginning of a tradition that continues to this day. Every year, a whole spectacle is set around putting up the Christmas tree and is televised for everyone to enjoy. There was a first, but we haven’t seen the last of this tradition yet!

Image: Annie Spratt

Not a year goes by without millions of people getting a text from a loved one saying "Mery X-mas! Lots of love" This is also a common thing in sales. Now, if you’ve ever seen "X-mas" and thought it was just a shortcut for "Christmas," think again!

The "X" in X-mas actually comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ. So, it’s not a lazy abbreviation of a long word, it is a historical nod to the religious roots of the holiday. It’s been used for centuries, though some people still debate its use today and it is more popular among the younger generations. Do you use it?

Image: Cris DiNoto

It is hard to imagine a time when Christmas was not a thing, but there was actually a moment in history, not long ago, when this fun holiday was not legal in Oklahoma!

This state might be known for its wide-open plains, but it was the last state in the country to declare Christmas a legal holiday. That didn’t happen until 1907, long after most other states had already embraced the holiday spirit.

When we say it was not legal, we don’t mean it was forbidden to celebrate it. It means that, before then, Christmas was just another workday for many Oklahomans! But once it was official, the state caught up with the rest of the country and began celebrating the season in style. Better late than never, right?

Image: Hayden Scott

Chicken, primer ribs, cranberry sauce. It’s not Christmas without a delicious feast. Yes, Christmas dinner is delicious, but you have to be careful with those leftovers!

Did you know that over 400,000 illnesses are caused by spoiled Christmas leftovers each year? It makes sense, we cook a lot, we eat only so much, and then, between the turkey, stuffing, and pies, it’s easy to forget how long food has been sitting out. Make sure to store leftovers properly and eat them within a safe timeframe. Nobody wants their holiday cheer spoiled by an upset stomach! So, while leftovers are a gift that keeps on giving, a little caution goes a long way in keeping the festive fun intact.

Image: Jed Owen