Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
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The first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria in 1937.
28
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.
35
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
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
113
'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".
3
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.
415
Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
10