Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
33
The 26th of December is traditionally known as St Stephen's Day, but is more commonly known as Boxing Day. The reason it was called this is either alms boxes in church were opened and the money distributed to the poor, or alternatively it was named from t
-1
Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It was a forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It is linked in legend to the Celtic god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the earth.
5
Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.
74
In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. It is usually made of straw. Scandinavian Christmas festivities feature a variety of straw decorations in the form of stars, angels, hearts and other shapes, as well as t
2
Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
196
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113