The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
38
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
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
Louis Prang, a Bavarian-born lithographer who came to the USA from Germany in the 19th century, popularized the sending of printed Christmas cards. He invented a way of reproducing color oil paintings
, the "chromolithograph technique", and created a car
, the "chromolithograph technique", and created a car
1
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century.
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.
415