Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
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.
26
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
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".
27
One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
122
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62
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.
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