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TIL in 1931, Coca-Cola solidified the image of Santa Claus as a fat old white man. Prior, he was thought to be a little creepy elf/gnome-like man.

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ne909 TIL that Jon Bon Jovi's first professional recording was singing backup vocals on the 1980 Star Wars tie-in Christmas album "Christmas In The Stars." The only reason he got the gig was because his cousin Tony managed the studio where the album was recorded and had hired him as a janitor.
1aX4X TIL LBJ as VP "invited" a Pakistani camel cart driver named Bashir Sarban to the White House. Though he said it as a formality, the governments of both the US and Pakistan made it happen. LBJ and Bashir had a meal at the Johnson ranch outside Dallas, and Bashir toured the country over a week.
X9KP TIL that Dick is a nickname for Richard because, in Medieval times, one of the customs for coming up with a nickname was to create a rhyme or swap a letter. So Richard became Rick, which rhymes with Dick or Hick. Only Dick has stuck around as a proper name.
d8MbE TIL that 60 Minutes ran a story on the Audi 5000 in 1986, claiming that it accelerated suddenly on its own. However, the demonstration used a rigged car whose transmission had been altered. Government agencies vindicated the car, but Audi's sales were affected. 60 minutes never apologised to Audi.
9GVQ TIL that in 1866 two separate entrepreneurs started competing milk companies in Switzerland. By 1905, when both men were dead, the two companies merged to become Nestle.