Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
251
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273
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
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
The Christmas tree displayed in Trafalgar square in London is an annual gift to the UK from Norway since 1947. The Norwegian spruce given is a token of appreciation of British friendship during World War II from the Norwegian people.
35
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
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
82
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81