Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".
27
Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
18
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
'Klaxon' is a name that does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer. A klaxon is actually a powerful electric horn. Its name comes from a German word meaning "shriek".
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