Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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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.
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Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
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The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
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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.
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