Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
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
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.
42
The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
18
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
100
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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