FEELING FESTIVE?
The big day is almost here. To celebrate MARION MCMULLEN cracks opens a selection box of Christmas facts
1 Bing Crosby’s White Christmas is the biggest selling Christmas single of all time. It is in the Guinness Book Of World Records for worldwide sales of more than 50 million. Bing once said his epitaph should be: “He was an average guy who could carry a tune.”
2 London sweet shop owner Tom Smith was the origintor of the cracker. He discovered a variety of sweets wrapped up in a twist of paper in France and in 1846 developed the idea to place toys and novelties inside twisted wrapping that could be pulled apart.
3 It’s not just Santa Claus who is busy over the holidays delivering presents. Spain and South America have the Three Kings, Russia has Grandfather Frost (pictured) and grandmotherly figure Babouschka, there’s kindly old witch La Befana in Italy and a variety of Christmas gnomes in Scandinavia, including Norway’s Julenisse.
4 It was in AD320 that December 25 was designated Christmas Day when Pope Julius I and other religious leaders specified that as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
5 December 26 was traditionally known as St Stephen’s Day, but is more commonly known now as Boxing Day. The expression came about because money was collected in alms boxes placed in churches during the festive season. The money was then distributed to the pool after Christmas.
6 The first Christmas card was printed in England in 1843 for Sir Henry Cole (below). He was a busy man who wanted to save time on his own Christmas letters, but was also interested in encouraging the use of the postal system.
7 The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, brought the first Christmas tree to Windsor Castle for the royal family in 1834. Pictured is the Royal Christmas tree in 1848.
8 Celebrities born on Christmas Day include Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox, football presenter Chris Kamara, TV baker Nadiya Hussain, Hollywood star Humphrey Bogart and Oscar winner Sissy Spacek.
9 The people of Oslo have given a Christmas tree to the city of Westminster since 1947. The gift is an expression of goodwill and gratitude for Britain’s help to Norway during the Second World War. Pictured is the tree from 1949.
10 Bah, humbug! The British Parliament officially abolished the celebration of the festive holiday in 1643 and Christmas carols were banned by Oliver Cromwell (below) for 11 years from 1649.