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
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The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
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Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
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'Klaxon' is a name that does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer. A klaxon is actually a powerful electric horn. Its name comes from a German word meaning "shriek".
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One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
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Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
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Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
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