I don’t know which my son enjoys more – reading National Geographic’s Weird But True books or listening to my reaction to what we read.

Let me begin by saying, I believe all reading is good. Whether my son is reading a biography about Barack Obama, the latest edition of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, or a joke book, he’s an enthusiastic, eager reader. Reading is not a chore in our home. Ryan recognizes books for the true wonders they are.

So our bedtime reading varies. (Currently, we are re-reading a family favorite – Roald Dahl’s Matilda.)

But last week, each night before bed, we read some “weird but true” Christmas-related facts. Maybe it’s due to all my critical-thinking classes. Maybe it’s because I’ve been taught to not always accept things at face value, but to try and dig deeper and ask questions. 

In any event, I have a really hard time readily accepting some of these statements as “fact.”

Although, this time around with this particular book, I found Ryan asking some follow-up questions as well. So maybe it’s not just me.

So on this Christmas day, I’d like to share a few of these questionable “weird but true” statements with you. Enjoy!

Wishing my readers a happy, cozy, festive holiday!

“The world’s biggest Christmas bauble ornament is wider than a garage door and as heavy as a buffalo.”  (And I’d like to know who built such an ornament? Where is it?)

“The world’s largest Christmas pudding weighed more than a hippo.”  (I’d like to know what one does with the world’s largest Christmas pudding. How and where was it made?)

“The world’s largest Christmas stocking measures as long as four school buses lined up end to end.”  (Where is this stocking? Is it hung up each year?)

“The world’s largest wreath was wider than a soccer field and heavier than two elephants.”  (What do you do with such a heavy wreath? How was it made? Where is it now?)

“The largest cup of hot chocolate ever made could have filled 20 bathtubs.”  (We love hot chocolate, but there’s a limit. Who would think to make enough hot chocolate to fill multiple bathtubs? What was done with all that hot chocolate?)