The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
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Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
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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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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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The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
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The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
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7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
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