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
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
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
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
273