Season’s Meanings

By now the stockings have been unstuffed in most homes, the presents unwrapped and the family fruitcake passed on to another generation. After a bustling Christmas season, it’s finally time to relax. A look at the holiday’s trappings and traditions:

Holiday History

* An early Roman calendar in the year 336 made the first mention of Dec. 25 as the birth date of Jesus Christ

* The Greek X, or chi, the first letter of the Greek word for Christ,was frequently used as a holy symbol in the early church, giving rise to the shorthand word Xmas

* English illustrator John Calcott Horsley created the first Christmas card in 1843 with the legend “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You”

O Tannenbaum

* The average Christmas tree takes seven years to grow to six feet

* About 33 million trees were sold in North America this year, an 11% drop from 1995’s all-time high

* Nationwide, three of five trees will be recycled into mulch

Waste Not

* The average household generates three to 10 bags beyond its ordinary amount of trash during Christmas, an extra million tons of waste for the week nationwide

* Trash haulers in California typically handle 40,000 tons of Christmas trees after the holidays

* Gift boxes, tissue paper and bows can be reused next holiday season, while greeting cards can be cut into gift tags

Football Bowl Bonanza

* Blue-Gray All-Star Classic, 9 a.m., KABC/7

* Aloha Bowl, Arizona State vs. Wake Forest, 12:30 p.m., KABC/7

* Oahu Bowl, Oregon State vs. Hawaii, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Also on the Tube

* Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m., KCBS/2

* New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 4 p.m., KNBC/4

* San Antonio at Los Angeles Lakers, 6:30 p.m., KNBC/4

* “Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade,” 8 p.m., KABC/7

At the Movies

Debuting in theaters this holiday weekend:

* Oliver Stone-Al Pacino football flick “Any Given Sunday”

* Andy Kaufman bio-pic “Man on the Moon,” starring Jim Carrey

* Suspenseful “Talented Mr. Ripley” with Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow

* Winona Ryder in psychiatric ward drama “Girl, Interrupted”

* Sci-fi farce “Galaxy Quest,” starring Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver

Bah, Humbug

A few non-holiday things to do on Christmas Day:

* Disney on Ice presents “The Little Mermaid” at Arrowhead Pond, 4:30 p.m.

* Disneyland (8 a.m.-midnight), Legoland (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), Queen Mary (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), Sea World (10 a.m.-5 p.m.), San Diego Wild Animal Park (9 a.m.-5 p.m.), San Diego Zoo (9 a.m.-5 p.m.)

* All county parks; they are open with limited staffing

Ready, Set, Return

* While malls are closed today, shoppers return en masse Sunday.

Sources: National Christmas Tree Assn., International Council of Shopping Centers, California Integrated Waste Management Board, World Book Encyclopedia

Graphics reporting by BRADY MacDONALD / Los Angeles Times