Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. It is usually made of straw. Scandinavian Christmas festivities feature a variety of straw decorations in the form of stars, angels, hearts and other shapes, as well as t
2
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
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 abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
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
In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
103
The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
15