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 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
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
In many households, part of the fun of eating Christmas pudding is finding a trinket that predicts your fortune for the coming year. For instance, finding a coin means you will become wealthy. A ring means you will get married; while a button predicts bac
26
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62