Season’s Meanings
By now the stockings have been unstuffed in most homes, the presents unwrapped and the family fruitcake passed on to another generation. After a bustling Christmas season, it’s finally time to relax. A look at the holiday’s trappings and traditions:
Holiday History
* An early Roman calendar in the year 336 made the first mention of Dec. 25 as the birth date of Jesus Christ
* The Greek X, or chi, the first letter of the Greek word for Christ,was frequently used as a holy symbol in the early church, giving rise to the shorthand word Xmas
* English illustrator John Calcott Horsley created the first Christmas card in 1843 with the legend “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You”
O Tannenbaum
* The average Christmas tree takes seven years to grow to six feet
* About 33 million trees were sold in North America this year, an 11% drop from 1995’s all-time high
* Nationwide, three of five trees will be recycled into mulch
Waste Not
* The average household generates three to 10 bags beyond its ordinary amount of trash during Christmas, an extra million tons of waste for the week nationwide
* Trash haulers in California typically handle 40,000 tons of Christmas trees after the holidays
* Gift boxes, tissue paper and bows can be reused next holiday season, while greeting cards can be cut into gift tags
Football Bowl Bonanza
* Blue-Gray All-Star Classic, 9 a.m., KABC/7
* Aloha Bowl, Arizona State vs. Wake Forest, 12:30 p.m., KABC/7
* Oahu Bowl, Oregon State vs. Hawaii, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Also on the Tube
* Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m., KCBS/2
* New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 4 p.m., KNBC/4
* San Antonio at Los Angeles Lakers, 6:30 p.m., KNBC/4
* “Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade,” 8 p.m., KABC/7
At the Movies
Debuting in theaters this holiday weekend:
* Oliver Stone-Al Pacino football flick “Any Given Sunday”
* Andy Kaufman bio-pic “Man on the Moon,” starring Jim Carrey
* Suspenseful “Talented Mr. Ripley” with Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow
* Winona Ryder in psychiatric ward drama “Girl, Interrupted”
* Sci-fi farce “Galaxy Quest,” starring Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver
Bah, Humbug
A few non-holiday things to do on Christmas Day:
* Disney on Ice presents “The Little Mermaid” at Arrowhead Pond, 4:30 p.m.
* Disneyland (8 a.m.-midnight), Legoland (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), Queen Mary (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), Sea World (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), San Diego Wild Animal Park (9 a.m.-5 p.m.), San Diego Zoo (9 a.m.-5 p.m.)
* All county parks; they are open with limited staffing
Ready, Set, Return
* While malls are closed today, shoppers return en masse Sunday.
Sources: National Christmas Tree Assn., International Council of Shopping Centers, California Integrated Waste Management Board, World Book Encyclopedia
Graphics reporting by BRADY MacDONALD / Los Angeles Times