Robins on cards were a joke 150 years ago when postmen wore red tunics and were named after them.
20
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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Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
14
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 Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
18
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.
42
Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
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