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.
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Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
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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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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.
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Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
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The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
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The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
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Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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