Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
103
One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
122
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
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
Christmas trees become popular in the UK from 1841 when Prince Albert erected a tree in Windsor Castle following a German tradition. Fir trees have been decorated at Christmas time in Germany since the 8th century.
20
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
42
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