There are 13 Santas in Iceland, each leaving a gift for children. They come down from the mountain one by one, starting on December 12 and have names like Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat Hook.
191
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
28
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
Santa Claus has many different names around the world including Father Christmas in the UK, Pere Noel in France, Kriss Kringle in Germany, La Befana in Italy, Julinesse in Denmark, Dedushka Moroz (meaning Grandfather Frost) in Russia and the Three Kings i
22
Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
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