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
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
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
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
