Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
English Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas between 1647 and 1660 because he believed such celebrations were immoral for the holiest day of the year.
26
The "Urn of Fate" is part of the Christmas celebrations in many Italian households. The Urn of Fate is brought out on Christmas Eve. It holds a wrapped present for everyone. The mother tries her luck first, then the others in turn. If you get a present wi
-19
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113

