Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
100
The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim t
16
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
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
Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33