The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
'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".
3
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
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century.
20
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
28