Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
The definition of a white Christmas in the UK is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of mixed rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th.
32
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
18
The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim t
16
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
One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
122