Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
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The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
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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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The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
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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".
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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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Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
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