Mental Floss

CHRISTMAS

A still from A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).

Charles Schulz thought 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' was a "disaster." CBS hated it. But it's the most beloved Christmas special of all time. Nice work, Charlie Brown.

Jake Rossen


Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Over the centuries, yuletide revelers have enjoyed far different culinary fare than we do today. These historical Christmas dishes are sure to confuse—or tantalize—your taste buds.

Kirstin Fawcett






Santa with a NORAD escort.

On December 24, 1955, the red telephone at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center started to ring. When they picked up the phone, a little girl asked an unexpected question: “Are you really Santa Claus?”

Matt Soniak
















iStock

Certain Christmas traditions never seem to go out of style. Along with wreaths, gingerbread cookies, and reruns of 'A Christmas Story' sits the poinsettia, a red-tinged leafy arrangement that’s become synonymous with the holiday.

Jake Rossen
Discogs

Because no holiday music playlist would be complete without William Hung’s rendition of ... “We Are the Champions.”

Garin Pirnia