The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
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There are 13 Santas in Iceland, each leaving a gift for children. They come down from the mountain one by one, starting on December 12 and have names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat Hook.
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In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
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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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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.
5
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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