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
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62
In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. In order to get rid of them, salt or an old shoe is burnt. The pungent burning stench drives off, or at least helps discourage, the Kallikantza
6
7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
100
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113