Christmas Facts

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. The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957. The definition of a white Christmas in the UK is for a single snow flake (perhaps amongst a shower of mixed rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25th. 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.

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.

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.

Nearly 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.

The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.

The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.

Many theologians estimate that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 but sometime in September between 6BC and 30AD.

In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world's biggest ever snowman. He stood at 113ft tall.