There is plenty of festive themed folklore to keep us busy right through to the end of the year. And there are plenty of nonsensical messages that are guaranteed to circulate every year.
Below we outline and link to the respective articles of some of the most common Christmas themed hoaxes that we see each year.
1. Banning the nativity scene?
Claims that Facebook are banning the nativity scene always spread as enter the latter part of the year. We discuss it here.
2. Free Christmas for sharing a Facebook post?
Watch out for posts that claim to offer a “free Christmas” just for liking and sharing a Facebook post. These are looking to lure you into following spammy Facebook pages. Read our full warning here.
3. Banning Christmas decorations because they offend Muslims?
Claims that Christmas decorations are being banned spread every year, because they offend Muslims. It’s nonsense, every single year. We discuss one such claim here.
4. Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas
You can say Merry Christmas any time you want, though preferably not in March. The recipient of your greeting is also welcome to say anything they want in return. That’s what it’s like living in a free country. No one is banning “Merry Christmas”.
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5. Starbucks Paper Cups…
Starbucks aren’t removing Christmas from their branding, and if you’re getting upset that their cups aren’t “Christmassy” enough for you, go put Michael Buble on repeat until you calm down. We discuss this nonsense here.
6. Attacking Christmas trees?
That video of Muslims “attacking” a Christmas tree actually shows a holiday tradition called tree plundering. They’re not attacking the tree.
7. Christmas decorations being torn down because they offended minorities?
If Christmas decorations are being taken down, it’s nothing to do with offending minorities. Such claims spread every year.
8. Coca Cola and Santa being red
No, Santa is not red because Coca Cola “invented” him. Yes, the soft drinks brand were instrumental in the evolution of St. Nick, but he was already very much red before they got a hold of him.
9. Sending Christmas card to recovering soldiers at Walter Reed?
Even Walter Reed has urged people not to do this. The base closed in 2011 and the postal service won’t accept envelopes addressed to anonymous soldiers. See here.
10. The Christmas Tee App “Trojan virus”
Claims that a dangerous “Trojan app” called the Christmas Tree App is infecting computers worldwide always spreading during the run up to Christmas.
11. White House Holiday Trees
No, the White House isn’t referring to Christmas trees as Holiday Trees and they never have. Nor have the banned the Nativity Scene. See here.
12. Get your festive news from Facebook
The biggest mistruth of them all. It’s an advent calendar full of lies instead of chocolate.
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