The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.
42
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
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
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
One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
122