7 exciting questions that pop up in your head during the holiday season (with answers)

When we think of Christmas, we get the mental image of Santa Claus in a red suit and his elves in green clothes. Red and green have always been traditional colors of Christmas, and although no one knows exactly why this is so, there are some interesting theories.

Most likely, the tradition was started by the Celtic people. They believed that red and green plants could bring good fortune in the new year, so they decorated their homes with them during the winter holidays.

Over the years, the tradition evolved and was shared by many communities, making us wear red and green and wrap the presents with these colors during the Christmas season.

According to science, Santa's reindeer are definitely female. How sure are we about that?

Well, two professors from Edinburgh University – Gerald Lincoln and David Baird – answer this question shortly: only female reindeer have antlers this time of the year. In the wild, the males shed theirs before Christmas. Yes, as simple as that!

Picking a Christmas tree can be stressful, and if you've ever done this before you can certainly relate. Do you wonder where this tradition started in the first place? Well we've got the answer.

Germany is said to be the first country to start the use of Christmas trees. In the 16th century, Christians started decorating trees at home. Some people even built pyramids and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. Next time you have trouble picking a tree, you have the Germans to thank for that.

When we were younger, there were so many holiday songs that painted the classic White Christmas with snow. But really, how much snow do we need for a White Christmas?

According to the national weather service, an inch (approximately 2.5 centimeters) of snow is enough to have an official White Christmas. Contrary to a popular belief, it doesn't have to be fresh snow fallen on Christmas or Christmas Eve – the snow remaining on the ground for a week or so still counts.

The stories of Mrs. Claus are almost as old as those of Santa. In most stories, she is portrayed as a plump, nice woman who makes cookies for her husband while he delivers presents for Christmas. In different stories, she is referred to as Jessica, Amelia, Anna, and even Mary.

Snowflakes are really pretty, and if you've ever wondered how they are made, keep reading.

Snowflakes appear when water droplets freeze onto dust or pollen particles in the air. This forms a crystal that falls to the ground, and while it's falling, other crystals freeze onto it, forming the six arms of a snowflake.

Why are the crystals symmetrical? The parts of a crystal appear in specific places, as a pattern in which they're formed is determined by the internal order of water molecules. This process is known as crystallization.

We've always wondered how this old man delivers gifts to children all over the world. Let's look at it this way:

UNICEF says that there are 2,1 billion children under 18 in the world, making it an average of 2.5 children per household. Judging by all these, Santa would make 842 million stops in 221 million miles for 36 hours to deliver gifts to all the children in the world. He would have to travel at 650 miles per hour.

So Santa definitely has some magical powers that allow him to stretch time!