The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim t
16
The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
15
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
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