Top 10 Interesting Things You Didn't Know About Christmas

I don't think there is probably other annual event that influences our lives as much as the Christmas does. No doubt, Christmas is the most celebrated annual festival. But, tell me how much do you know about it really? You think you know some of the most bizarre sides of Christmas? This list is prepared to describe briefly about top 10 most interesting Christmas facts quite possibly you didn't know about. If not all, we bet you that you will find at least a couple of things you definitely didn't know about the Eve of Christmas. Now, here goes the list of some of the weirdest facts HOTLIST10 brought to you, the most interesting Christmas facts to ponder.

10. About Incest, Baby Jesus, and Embalmed Corpses

According to Bible, the Magi brought myrrh as a gift to the infant Jesus. The magi were brought along with gold and frankincense. But only few people know that fact according to Ovid's Metamorphoses that the reason behind the origin of myrrh trees is because of lust Myrrha had for Cinyras, the father or her own. Myrrha repeatedly had sexual intercourse with her father Cinyras with the involvement of her nursemaid. Later on, as Cinyras realized that he had been bonking his own daughter and he even tried to kill her but Myrrha was able to escape. And it is believed that the God turned her into a myrrh tree to release her from the shame. And this way, myrrh tree became the first unwanted Christmas present ever.

9. Mistletoe

Mistletoe literally means the 'dung twig' and it is so named because it tends to spring out of bird droppings on trees once the seeds have passed through the digestive track of birds. Besides, Mistletoe can be very parasitic that often require a host tree to sustain itself. Therefore, when you kiss someone beneath the mistletoe, make sure if you are standing just beneath a parasitic poop twig. In fact, the kissing power of mistletoe is believed to come from the Greek Mythology.

8. Three Dead Kids

You must be familiar with "Rub-a-hub-dub, Three Dead Kids in a Tub!" yeah! According to the popular mythology, Saint Nicholas is regarded as the patron saint of kids. He brought back life to those three children after they were murdered and pickled in saltwater. As per the popular myth, Saint Nicholas happened along the house of a butcher where three children were killed. When he came to know about those kids, he miraculously reanimated them.

7. About the Date

Actually, the Holy Bible doesn't actually mention a specific date for the birth of Jesus. However, most historians believe that he was probably born in the Spring. But if we trace back to 4^th century, Pope Julius I of Catholic Church chose 25^th of December as the official birthday of Jesus. December 25^th is then decided as the date for Feast of the Nativity. There were controversies about this date and Christmas was banned in many countries for the same reason. 

6. Christmas Cat

Do you know about Christmas Cat? Well, according to the old Icelandic tradition, it is believed that everyone must get one new piece of clothing for the Christmas eve. Those who did not get the new one were in danger of being eaten by the Christmas Cat. According to the mythology, Christmas cat is a large vicious black feline that belongs to the trolls. But it's also been rumored that Wal-Mart is considering suggesting that Christmas Cat has kitties who emigrated around the world. And as per the rumor, it's just an attempt to increase the clothing sales for the next Christmas.

5. Breakup Season

Studies from Facebook show that, about two weeks prior to Christmas is found to be the most popular time of the year for the couples who break up. However, Christmas itself is one of the least likely days for a breakup. Make sure if you are in a problematic relationship and are looking for the right time to break up, maybe the study from Facebook could help you out. However, nobody is completely sure why but we guess, it's a lot easier to open gifts than to purchase them. Having said this, we are definitely not encouraging anyone to breakup during holiday season.

4. Traditional Christmas Colors do not include WHITE

Many people are totally unaware of the fact that, three traditional colors of Christmas are: Red, Green, and Gold. But many people believe that White is the Christmas color. The reason behind this misconception can be the whole snow things. But the reality is, White is not even one among three traditional colors of Christmas.

Notably, all three Christmas colors have special meaning. Red represents the blood of Jesus as well as the apples on the tree that Eve ate in Eden. Green strongly symbolizes the Christmas tree and it represents the life and rebirth. And the Gold represents the bright and spiritual light that Jesus brings upon his birth and resurrection.

3. Nativity

As ubiquitous as it is today, there was no such thing as a nativity scene before 1224. When St. Francis of Assisi returned from Israel, he was inspired to recreate the birth of Jesus with live animals and actors. The manger was also used as an altar for Christmas Mass when he was presenting his first display. Since then, the nativity caught on like wildfire. Now, it can be any person or Santa Claus so long as they are in the act of stooling.

2. Statue of Liberty

Maybe very few people are aware of the fact that the Statue of Liberty is the largest Christmas presents ever presented. In 1886, France presented the Statue of Liberty as the Christmas Gift to United States. Let me remind you that the Statue of Liberty weighs 225 tons with the height of 46.5 meters.   

1. Red Nose of Rudolph

Yes, we all do know Rudolph as the red-nosed Reindeer and is the most famous among all the helpers of Santa Claus. But only few would know the reason behind why Rudolph has red nose? Some have tried to give the scientific answer to this as well. According to The British Medical Journal, as they took the samples of mucus from the noses of five humans to two reindeer living in the cold places like Rudolph, the reason why the Rudolph-nose was red is due to the extremely low temperature and extreme fatigue during Christmas season. Interestingly, other eight reindeers had the black noses. Maybe they just have better immunity systems than Rudolph or chances are they were much lazier than Rudolph.

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Top 10 most toxic plants that can kill you

Many people don't know that there are plants that are highly poisonous, so poisonous that your single bite to these plants is enough to kill you in a matter of minutes. Actually, all plants contain some amount of toxins as their protection against predators. But, we are going to enlist top 10 of the most toxic plants that can take your life. Here goes the list:

10. Doll's Eyes

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White Baneberries are popularly known as Doll's Eyes as its tiny white berry with a small black dot looks very similar to an eye. It's a flowering plant and the poison is mostly concentrated in the Doll's Eye part. Accidental bite to Doll's Eyes shows immediate sedative effects on cardiac muscles that can cause a quick death of anyone.

9. Jimson Weed

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Jimson Weed contains poisonous tropane alkaloids that can cause poisoning in human and other animals as well. If you happen to eat the seeds and nectar of Jimson Weed, it can kill you. As Jimson Weed has large flowers, mostly the children get attracted to this.

8. Rosary Pea

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Rosary Peas are also popularly known as Jombie Beads or Crab's Eyes. Actually, they are the slender perennial climbers. They are so poisonous that even three milligrams of it is enough to kill human.

7. Angel's Trumpets

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Angel's Trumpets can be found all around the globe and are its flowers come with variety of colors and sizes. The whole plant contains the excessive toxin such as atropine and alkaloids scopolamine that can take your life, if ingested in the body.

6. Monkshood

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Many people know Monkshood with the name Wolfsbane. It is believed that people once used Monkshood to kill the werewolves. People also believe that Monkshood was also used by many ancient warriors to kill their enemies by poisoning water. Monkshood plant contains highly poisonous alkaloids that slight overdose is enough to kill human.

5. White Snakeroot

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White Snakeroot is known to be one of the highly toxic plants. This plant is said to kill people indirectly. Actually, they have white flowers and they blow away tiny fluffy seeds in the wind. When the cattle eat this plant, the toxin called tremetol is absorbed into their milk and meat. The people who consume the milk and meat of infected livestock get the sickness called Milk Sickness. Milk Sickness is known as one of the most dangerous diseases. This disease has taken the life of the mother of Abraham Lincoln.

4. Belladonna

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Mostly known as Deadly Nightshade or Death Cherries, Belladonna is also one of the most toxic plants known in the earth. This plant contains tropane alkaloids that cause delirium and hallucinations. About 10 berries of Belladonna can kill you while only one leaf is enough to take the life of any adult human.

3. Water Hemlock

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Water Hemlock is another toxic plant that can kill you. All parts of this plant contain alkaloid coniine which is known to cause stomach pains and progressive paralysis. If you happen to ingest the excessive amount of Water Hemlock, it can take your life. This plant is said to have killed Socrates.

2. Oleander

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According to many people, Oleander is the most poisonous plant in the planet earth. Its plant contains different types of toxins such as Oleandrinn and neriine that can cause dangerous effect on heart. Even a single leaf of Oleander is enough take your life. Not only that but also the smoke from a burning Oleander is reported to cause death.

1. Castor

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Have you ever guessed the Castor Plants can be the most poisonous plant in the world? But, it will astound you to know that the Castor plant holds the Guinness World Record for the most toxic plant known in the world. Single Caster seed possess enough ricin to kill an adult within few minutes.
 

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Top 10 Weird Mythological Monsters

You believe me or not, but it's quite true that Monsters have apprehended our imaginations since immemorial. Wherever we live, our mythologies, fairy tales, books and movies all are filled up with some horrible monstrous creatures representing evil and negativity. We all grow up listening to many horrible stories from our granny or mom. And we still have the deep imprint of such stories, especially the monsters, and heroes. No doubt, mythologies bring the feeling of severe excitement and danger in our lives inspiring our epic tales of heroism and despair at times. I've made this simple attempt to bring together only few out of many monstrous creatures which still exist in myths from around the globe. Here goes the top 10 list of weirdest mythological monsters!

10. Ogre

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Well, Ogres are the large humanoid hideous monsters features not just in mythology but also in many folktales and fictions. Maybe Ogres are the monsters you used to fear the most while you were a kid because Ogres are often referred to in tales as feeding on babies. It's been said that Ogres are the monsters having gigantic strong body, abundant of hairs and beard, and voracious appetite for feeding on human. Ogres hunt by smelling or following the sound.

9. Sphinx

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The Greek Mythology introduced a dangerous monster called Sphinx. The folklores mythicize Sphinx as one of the most treacherous and merciless creatures having the body of ferocious lion and the head of a beautiful lady. It's been said that Sphinx used to ask a riddle to the people on their way. And if they couldn’t solve the riddle exactly, the Sphinx would kill them mercilessly. According to the mythology, Oedipus was the only person to solve the riddle provided by Sphinx. The riddle asked to Oedipus was tentatively like this:

"What creature is that which in the morning walks upon four feet; upon two feet at daytime, and in the evening upon three?"

Many people interpret the riddle in many different ways, but nobody actually knows what the correct answer was.

8. Fenrir

Fenrir is a monstrous wolf introduced by The Norse Mythology. The mythology depicts Fenrir as a shaggy wolf having gigantic body and is often described as the progeny of Loki who was the God of Trouble. Fenrir used to love human flesh and it'd grow larger ever with each person he'd devour. Many other myths are still popular about Fenrir like he'd use his lower gaping jaw to drag the ground while the upper one to touch the sky.   

7. Loch Ness Monster

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Actually Loch Ness Monster is believed to be a modern day relative of the extinct water dinosaur the plesiosaur. Loch Ness Monster is depicted as cryptid having gigantic body and inhabitant of the Lake of Loch Ness, which is located in Scotland. There are many folktales popular about Loch Ness. It's been said that Loch Ness Monster is seen only a head and neck. You would many people who now claim that they have spotted Loch Ness Monster, but nobody can give the evidence about the existence of Loch Ness Monster.

6. Ghoul

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According to Arabic Mythology, Ghoul is a monster or spirit associated with graveyards. They are said to have consuming human flesh and categorized as undead. Ghouls are like One Thousand and One Nights old according to myths. It's said that Ghouls preys on young children and eat dead bodies, drinks blood and etc.

5. Dragons

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No doubt, Dragons rule all the tales of mythological monsters. Dragons are of different categories according to different existing mythologies in throughout the world. And they symbolize different things according to the different myths. European Mythologies say that Dragons live in rivers and have underground lairs. Some Dragons can even talk like humans. Some other tails portray Dragons as evil monsters while Chinese mythologies believe that Dragons are the symbol of heroism, courage, power, and majesty.

4. Yeti

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Yeti is also known as The Abominable Snowman and is quite similar to Bigfoot which is said to have spotted in the jungles of North America. Yeti is said to inhabit the snowy Himalayas of Asia. It's also been said that Yeti is an ape like cryptid and is taller than average human. They are supposedly very aggressive and monstrous. Although nobody has reported seeing or meeting the Yeti but there was a rumor around 1974 that Yeti attacked a Sherpa woman in Nepal Himalayas. As it's been said, the Sherpa woman was grazing her yaks and Yeti attacked her from behind, hit her on the head and grabbed her neck. And well, Yeti also killed some of her yaks too. Interestingly, the Everest Expedition Team of 1954 found some hair specimens on Pangboche Monastery in 19^th of March. That specimen was alleged to be a scalp of Yeti.

3. Black Annis

According to English Mythology, there used to be a malevolent creature with blue skin, long claws and yello teeth called Black Annis. Black Annis used to roam around the countryside of Leicestershire (England) and used to feed on lambs and children. It's said that if Black Annis caught any kid, she'd mercilessly tan their skin and then she would wear it around her waist. And you can guess that the parents that time would get their naughty children to behave by claiming Black Annis would come! Well, it's been said.

2. Vampires and Dracula

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Vampires live off of the human blood and possess the ability to turn living breathing humans into undead creatures such as themselves. It's believed that sunlight kills them, and that's why they lurk in dark places. Vampires are believed to be immortal with special powers. They are extremely feral and predatory creatures with their canine teeth lengthen into fangs. Dracula is similar to Vampire but it tends to live alone. According to popular myths, Dracula have more ancient look with black cloak and very piercing canine teeth.

1. Werewolves

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Werewolves are half man and half wolf. It is believed that these beasts have ability to transform into monsters at the light of full moon. Interestingly, werewolves are said to live among us and coming out to kill only when there's full moon. Some popular rumors say that werewolves can be controlled via magic.

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Top 10 Unusual Lakes in the World

Actually lakes aren't exactly the most exciting subject quite often. But the lakes we have mentioned aren't average ones. This list consists of the top 10 most unusual, deadly and strangest lakes on this planet.

10. Lake Vostok

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Lake Vostok is the largest of all sub-glacial lakes in Antarctica. This lake was untouched for the millions of years and was sealed off by ice. According to scientists, there could unusual species. Scientists have even estimated that these unusual species can exist in equally inhospitable conditions of other planets. But recently, in early 2013, Russian scientists are able to extract the longest ice core in the history. They are still examining the water samples of Lake Vostok.

9. Tricolored Lakes in Indonesia

In the craters of Mount Kelimutu on the Indonesian island of Flores, there's one unique cluster of lakes called Tricolored Lakes. These lakes are named Lake of Old People (Tiwu Ata Mbupu), Lake of Young Men and Maidens (Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai), and Lake of Evil Spirits (Tiwu Ata Polo). Interestingly, these Lakes change colors from blue to bright green to dark brown or red. It's because of minor eruptions that change the chemical composition of the water. But the most interesting and weird thing about the three lakes on Flores is that they all belong to the same crater yet appear in three different colors.

8. Boiling Lake of Dominica

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Boiling Lake is a flooded fumarole and is situated on Dominica in the Caribbean. It's so hot that it actually boils the water. If you happened to slip inside accidently, you will be dead in the matter of few minutes. The temperature of the water in Boiling Lake is typically between 180 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit. It is said that the center of the lake is actively boiling.  

7. Lake Baikal

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Lake Baikal, the deepest and oldest lake in the world, is situated in the Southern Siberia in Russia. Lake Baikal is also known as the Blue Eye of Siberia. It is said that Lake Baikal is more than 25 million years old and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Lake Baikal is home to more than 1700 species of plants and animals. This lake is said to hold about the 20% of total freshwater in the world.

6. Lake Nyos

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Lake Nyos is situated at Cameroon. And this lake gained worldwide notice in 1986 after a horrific landslide which caused this lake to give off a cloud of carbon dioxide. It disrupted pockets of magma which give off poisonous gas. Around 1700 people in local villages were suffocated. To prevent future disaster, three more tubes are installed to the siphon off bottom levels of water allowing carbon dioxide to escape in.

5. Dead Sea

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Dead Sea is situated between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east. Dead Sea actually is a large salt lake. It is over nine times saltier. Dead Sea is so named because animals can't survive in this lake. Dead Sea is known as the lowest point in the earth. People can float in the Dead Sea.

4. Pitch Lake

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The Pitch Lake is considered to be the largest deposit of asphalt in the world. This lake is located at La Brea in the Southwest Trinidad. Pitch Lake covers about 40 hectare and said to be 75m deep. This lake was discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. The exported asphalt from Pitch Lake was also used to pave the streets of some regions of New York.  

3. Spotted Lake

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Spotted Lake is located northwest of Osoyoos in British Columbia in Canada. This lake is very highly concentrated with numerous different minerals. It contains extremely high concentrations of magnesium sulfate, sodium and calcium sulfates along with eight other minerals. Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer. You can spot large spots of different colors on the lake depending on the minerals composition at the time.

2. Lake Retba

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Situated in Senegal, Lake Retba is locally known as Lac Rose. This lake is a pink-colored lake and it gets unusual color from algae that turn reddish, and as it creates energy from sunlight, it turns the water pink. Lake Retba is the finishing point of famous Dakar Rally. It also has a high salt content as much as in Dead Sea.

1. Dallol Volcano

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Ethiopia contains a volcano with numerous geysers and hot springs called Dallol. Dallol area is the hottest place on the earth with the average temperatures of 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The landscape is made up of a variety of colors and can resemble alien landscape. Dallol Volcano is one of the weirdest places in the world.

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