The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
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In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning, it is believed to be a harbinger of good luck! There once lived a woman so poor, says a Ukrainian folk tale, that she could not afford Christmas decorations for her family. One Ch
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The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
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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.
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Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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Robins on cards were a joke 150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics and were named after them.
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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
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Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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