What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
The members of the Spice Girls did not come up with their own nicknames! In 1996, Top of the Pops magazine identified them as Posh Spice, Ginger Spice, Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, and Baby Spice. After that, the band and the media decided they were keepers and started using the names.
Alicia Silverstone was chosen for the role of Cher in the cult classic 'Clueless' (1995) because the writer-director loved her in the Aerosmith music video for 'Cryin.'
His rival, the Notorious B.I.G., was also only 24 years old when he was shot the following year. These imposing figures lived a lot in a very short time.
It's hard to imagine, but the 'Friends' writers originally planned to make Monica and Joey the central couple in the show. They changed it to Ross and Rachel when they noticed the chemistry between the actors.
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is Nirvana's most famous song. Kurt Cobain was inspired to write it after his friend jokingly wrote "Kurt smells like teen spirit" on the wall of his apartment. Teen Spirit is a deodorant brand.
The 1994 Disney classic 'The Lion King' originally had an entire song all about eating bugs.
The sound of the T-Rex's roar in 'Jurassic Park' (1993) was actually the sound of a Jack Russell Terrier playing with a rope. They slowed down the recording and it sounded like a dinosaur!
The famous spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller sued Pokémon in the 1990s because he believed one of their characters was based on him. To be fair, the Pokemon known as Kadabra also bent spoons with his mind!
The '90s band Hanson came up with the hit song 'MMMBop.' The three brothers were teenagers at the time, but they've now come out with their own beer brand called MMMhops.
Remember Y2K? It seems ridiculous now, but the United States spent approximately US$300 billion to prepare for the potential fallout.
Pogs were one of the hottest school yard commodities in the 1990s. Unfortunately, the little circles of cardboard were banned in many schools because it was thought that they promoted gambling.
The toy Tickle Me Elmo was so popular in 1997 that it was sold out everywhere around Christmas. Scalpers bought up all of the US$30 toys and sold them on eBay for $1,500!
Billy Crystal was offered the role of Buzz Lightyear in the 1995 hit move 'Toy Story.' He turned it down and it went to Tim Allen. Needless to say, it's one of the biggest regrets of his career.
The famous Taco Bell dog from their '90s adverts was the same Chihuahua who starred as Bruiser in 'Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde' (2003). That dog is a star!
Everything Princess Diana did created a frenzy. She started to carry a Dior bag called the Chou Chou in 1995. It became one of the most sought-after bags of the year, and the brand renamed it the Lady Dior in honor of Diana.
The famous song 'Closing Time' by Semisonic isn't about closing time at a bar. It's actually about childbirth!
MTV was really suffering in terms of ratings in the '90s. Presenter Jenny McCarthy was the only thing keeping them going! When she left, they came up with the show 'TRL' to keep young people interested.
Tim Burton was supposed to direct a third 'Batman' movie in the 1990s, but he was dropped by Warner Bros. after parents complained that his movies were "too dark."
The 'Harry Potter' character Hermione Granger was nearly named Hermione Puckle. Thankfully, J.K. Rowling went with Granger instead because she didn't want to have a second character with the initials H.P.
The hit 1999 movie 'Drive Me Crazy' was originally supposed to be called 'Next to You.' When the Britney Spears song 'Crazy' was added to the soundtrack, they decided to change it.
"Bye Felicia" is one of the biggest memes of the 2020s. It comes from the 1995 comedy 'Friday.' Her name is actually spelt Felisha in the movie.
Furbies were definitely one of the stranger toy trends of the '90s, but it gets weirder. Rumors spread that Furbies contained computer chips that allowed them to spy on people. The National Security Agency in the US even banned employees from bringing their Furbies to work.
The 'Rugrats' character Chuckie was based on the lead singer from the band Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh.
Sources: (Mental Floss) (BuzzFeed)
See also: You'll only understand these sentences if you lived through the '80s or '90s
Lead actress Melissa Joan Hart protested the change. She was convinced that Britney Spears was a one-hit wonder and would be forgotten within a few years...
Director James Cameron never wanted to include a pop song in his epic 1997 movie 'Titanic.' Céline Dion also hated the song 'My Heart Will Go On,' but was convinced to sing it by her husband. Cameron changed his mind and included it in the movie after hearing her demo.
The '90s were a weird and in many ways wonderful decade in human history. Certainly each decade has its own unique form of nostalgia, but the '90s revival we're currently experiencing makes it twice as strong. From 'Friends' to the Spice Girls, the iconic movies, music, fashion trends, and toys of the decade loom large in our memories and take on an almost religious status.
These facts might make you see things a little differently though. There were all sorts of strange things going on behind the scenes. Let's take a look at some surprising facts about the '90s that really put a different spin on things. Click through the gallery to get started.
Crazy facts that will change how you see the '90s
What exactly was going on during that time?
LIFESTYLE Trivia
The '90s were a weird and in many ways wonderful decade in human history. Certainly each decade has its own unique form of nostalgia, but the '90s revival we're currently experiencing makes it twice as strong. From 'Friends' to the Spice Girls, the iconic movies, music, fashion trends, and toys of the decade loom large in our memories and take on an almost religious status.
These facts might make you see things a little differently though. There were all sorts of strange things going on behind the scenes. Let's take a look at some surprising facts about the '90s that really put a different spin on things. Click through the gallery to get started.