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
Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
103
Popular belief holds that 3 wise men visited Bethlehem from the east bearing gifts. However there is no mention in the bible about the number of wise men who visited. Three gifts were brought - gold, frankincense and myrrh, but names commonly attributed t
101
'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
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82