Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
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.
36
The definition of a white Christmas in the UK is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of mixed rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th.
32
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. In order to get rid of them, salt or an old shoe is burnt. The pungent burning stench drives off, or at least helps discourage, the Kallikantza
6
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