December’s here again, and you know what that means—decked halls, bright lights and another silly season! But why do Kiwis and other Christmas revelers do the things we do? How did all those traditions get their start?

Let’s find out, as we jump into the crazy weird history behind five of them:

1. King Tut might have had the first Christmas tree…

Ancient Egyptians used to put palm fronds in their homes during their winter festivities. They thought this would help Spring arrive a little faster. Romans and pagans in Europe later brought fir tree branches inside for the same reason. 

2. But Prince Albert made Christmas trees popular!

In the 1840s, Christmas trees weren’t common in the U.K. Bertie brought the tradition from Germany (where nearly every family had a decked-out Tannenbaum in December) when he married Queen Victoria. English newspapers printed illustrations of the royals admiring their tree, and bam—everyone from London to Auckland had to have one!

3. Romans loved a good Secret Santa.

Swapping pressies with your nan and siblings is a tradition older than the three Wise Men! Ancient Romans gave each other small gifts during Saturnalia, their December shindig. So what might Cousin Claudius give to Auntie Antonia? Candles, fruit and nuts, or small pottery figurines—not too different to now. 

4. Someone has probably always thought that Christmas is too commercial.

The feeling that Christmas has become “too commercialised” is not a new one! Way back in 1904, magazines were already writing about all the rubbish people were expected to buy for the silly season. But we can go back even further—Puritans cancelled Christmas in the U.K. and America because they thought all that fun wasn’t very godly!

5. The pavlova might not be a Kiwi invention… or even an Aussie one!

It’s one of the greatest food rivalries in the world, but everyone on both sides of the ditch have got it all wrong. At least, that’s according to two food historians (one Kiwi and one Aussie). The pair found an 1890s recipe all the way from America that looks to be the origins to our precious pav. They might have done the research, but we know in our hearts that the pavlova is ours!

Need a little extra dough to make it to January? Try these 19 silly season side gigs.

Sources

ABC News, The Christmas tree: From pagan origins and Christian symbolism to secular status, 19 December 2016

The Week, A brief history of the Christmas present, 20 December 2014

The New York Times, Yuletide’s Outlaws, 14 December 2014

Good Food, Pavlova research reveals dessert's shock origins, 10 October 2015

About the author: Dollar Insurance is all about making insurance as painless as possible, so everyday Kiwis can make life cover and funeral cover a part of their plan.