Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
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The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
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At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".
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In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
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Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
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Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
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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.
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