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US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world's presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.
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2
The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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3
Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
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4
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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5
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.
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6
One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus. There is also a Santa, Idaho.
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7
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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9
In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.
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10
Popular belief holds that 3 wise men visited Bethlehem from the east bearing gifts. However there is no mention in the bible about the number of wise men who visited. Three gifts were brought - gold, frankincense and myrrh, but names commonly attributed t
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11
7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year.
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12
The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
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13
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
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14
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
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15
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
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16
The tradition of putting tangerines in stockings comes from 12th-century French nuns who left socks full of fruit, nuts and tangerines at the houses of the poor.
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17
Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.
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18
The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
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19
The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January) and represent the length of time it took for the wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus after his birth.
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20
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.
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