The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
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
Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world's presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.
415
The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
38
The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
28
The typical image we have of Santa Claus dressed in red clothes with white fur trim, is an amalgamation of cultural input over many years. Some people claim the image of Santa we know today is from Coca-cola advertising, but this simply isn't true. The st
33
