24 interesting facts about Christmas
- At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".
- Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
- Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century.
- Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
- Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It was a forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It is linked in legend to the Celtic god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the earth.
- English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas between 1647 and 1660 because he believed such celebrations were immoral for the holiest day of the year.
- In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
- Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
- Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
- Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
- Robins on cards were a joke 150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics and were named after them.
- Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
- The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
- The Christmas tree displayed in Trafalgar square in London is an annual gift to the UK from Norway since 1947. The Norwegian spruce given is a token of appreciation of British friendship during World War II from the Norwegian people.
- The definition of a white Christmas in the UK is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of mixed rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th.
- The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
- The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
- The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
- The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
- The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.
- The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January) and represent the length of time it took for the wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus after his birth.
- The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
- There are 13 Santas in Iceland, each leaving a gift for children. They come down from the mountain one by one, starting on December 12 and have names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat Hook.
- US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world's presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.
