Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
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
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
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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".
27
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
Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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