# Bakers Dozen

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173>\
**Category:** Thread Games\
**Created:** [August 4, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173 "2010-08-04T17:56:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3172

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63428 "2018-12-19T18:11:02Z")

</div>

Annie’s post #6 got replaced by Sparky’s #6, essentially a duplicate.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63429 "2018-12-20T13:55:52Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63430 "2018-12-20T14:23:27Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives
9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63431 "2018-12-20T14:40:20Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives
9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.
10. The traditional Christmas colors of red and green represent pagan worship of male and female, fertility and incubation

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63432 "2018-12-20T15:16:21Z")

</div>

> [@Thin\_Ice](#):
>
> Annie’s post #6 got replaced by Sparky’s #6, essentially a duplicate.

Sorry, that’s what happens when you don’t refresh!

Funny coincidence we posted the same thing!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63433 "2018-12-20T19:57:04Z")

</div>

GMTA, Sparky

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives
9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.
10. The traditional Christmas colors of red and green represent pagan worship of male and female, fertility and incubation

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63434 "2018-12-21T05:17:33Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives
9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.
10. The traditional Christmas colors of red and green represent pagan worship of male and female, fertility and incubation
11. Santa Claus / Father Christmas may be based on old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter

> **[Pagan Roots? 5 Surprising Facts About Christmas](https://www.livescience.com/25779-christmas-traditions-history-paganism.html)**
>
> Christmas has weathered many twists and turns throughout its long history, one that includes pagan roots.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63435 "2018-12-21T14:44:43Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing
2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]
3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.
4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice
5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.
6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.
7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies
8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives
9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.
10. The traditional Christmas colors of red and green represent pagan worship of male and female, fertility and incubation
11. Santa Claus / Father Christmas may be based on old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter
12. The name Yuletide, meaning the “turning of the sun,” refers to sun worship

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63436 "2018-12-21T14:58:05Z")

</div>

Christmas traditions with Pagan origins

1. Holly - used to drive evil spirits away from trees during winter so they could resume growing

2. Mistletoe - Pre-Christian cultures regarded the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling semen. The Celts, particularly, saw mistletoe as the semen of Taranis, while the Ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak sperm.” [quoting from der Wiki]

3. Christmas Tree - Tree worship was common among the pagans as well as Vikings and Saxons.

4. Yule log - common practice among Nordic and Germanic peoples at the winter solstice

5. Gift giving - The Romans exchanged gifts for Saturnalia.

6. December 25 - date chosen to appropriate many pagan holidays.

7. St. Lucy’s Day - candles carried by girls in Nordic countries, maybe rooted in Germanic pagan mid-winter ceremonies

8. Fruitcake - ancient Egyptians left cakes made of fermented fruit and honey at the tombs of their loved ones that also had long shelf lives

9. Yuletide - Festival observed by the historical German peoples.

10. The traditional Christmas colors of red and green represent pagan worship of male and female, fertility and incubation

11. Santa Claus / Father Christmas may be based on old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter

12. The name Yuletide, meaning the “turning of the sun,” refers to sun worship

13. The three wise men - Eastern astrologers  
New!  
Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

14. Frosty the Snowman

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63437 "2018-12-21T14:59:14Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63438 "2018-12-21T15:58:51Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63439 "2018-12-21T16:04:04Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63440 "2018-12-21T16:18:42Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63441 "2018-12-21T16:20:37Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. [Do You Want to Build a Snowman?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-zXT5bIBM0)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63442 "2018-12-21T16:42:43Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. [Do You Want to Build a Snowman?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-zXT5bIBM0)
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63443 "2018-12-21T16:46:11Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - Snowman scene
4. Snow Family by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell
8. Jack Frost - 1997 movie where convicted killer becomes a snowman

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63444 "2018-12-21T16:46:28Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - Snowman scene
4. Snow Family by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell
8. The Snowman (2017) - starring Michael Fassbender based on 2007 Norwegian crime novel by Jo Nesbø

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63445 "2018-12-21T17:05:04Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - Snowman scene
4. Snow Family by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell
8. The Snowman (2017) - starring Michael Fassbender based on 2007 Norwegian crime novel by Jo Nesbø
9. Jack Frost - 1997 movie where convicted killer becomes a snowman

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63446 "2018-12-21T17:17:49Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. [Do You Want to Build a Snowman?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-zXT5bIBM0)
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell
8. The Snowman (2017) - starring Michael Fassbender based on 2007 Norwegian crime novel by Jo Nesbø
9. Jack Frost - 1997 movie where convicted killer becomes a snowman
10. “Winter Wonderland”

“In the meadow we can build a snowman”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-dozen/549173/63447 "2018-12-21T17:31:10Z")

</div>

Songs or stories with snowmen in them.

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Jack Frost – 1998 movie where Michael Keaton turns into a snowman
3. Dumb & Dumber - [Snowman scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txXHlyReC0I)
4. _Snow Family_ by Daniel Kirk
5. The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs: [https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj](https://goo.gl/7Gw9vj)
6. [Do You Want to Build a Snowman?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-zXT5bIBM0)
7. The Littlest Snowman by Charles Tazewell
8. The Snowman (2017) - starring Michael Fassbender based on 2007 Norwegian crime novel by Jo Nesbø
9. Jack Frost - 1997 movie where convicted killer becomes a snowman
10. “Winter Wonderland”
11. _Frozen_ (Olaf)

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