Santa Claus has many different names around the world including Father Christmas in the UK, Pere Noel in France, Kriss Kringle in Germany, La Befana in Italy, Julinesse in Denmark, Dedushka Moroz (meaning Grandfather Frost) in Russia and the Three Kings i
22
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10
The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
28
The sun sets on 24 December at 3.55pm in the UK, and rises the following morning at 8.05am.
81
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
At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".
27
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113