Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It was a forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It is linked in legend to the Celtic god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the earth.
5
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
62
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
Popular belief holds that 3 wise men visited Bethlehem from the east bearing gifts. However there is no mention in the bible about the number of wise men who visited. Three gifts were brought - gold, frankincense and myrrh, but names commonly attributed t
101
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113