Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim t
16
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
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
251
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
38