English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas between 1647 and 1660 because he believed such celebrations were immoral for the holiest day of the year.
26
Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
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".
27
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
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
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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