The average Brit eats around 7,000 calories on Christmas Day – more than three times the daily recommendation.
Before turkeys became popular, people feasted on goose, boar’s head or even peacock at Christmas dinner.
Brussels sprouts (not Brussel) first appeared on British Christmas plates in the late 1800s, and we now eat around 750 million of them every Christmas.
Families often make the traditional Christmas pudding weeks in advance on “Stir–up Sunday”, when everyone takes a turn stirring the mixture and making a wish.
Bakers made the largest Christmas pudding ever produced in the UK in 1992 in Worcestershire, and it weighed more than 3 tons.
Many people believe that eating a mince pie on each of the 12 days of Christmas brings good luck for the year ahead, but only if you make a wish with the first bite.
People eat around 250 million mince pies in the UK every Christmas – roughly four pies per person.
London sweet maker Tom Smith invented Christmas crackers in 1847 (he holds a royal warrant!), inspired by French bonbons wrapped in paper.
Cooks prepare over 10 million turkeys in the UK on Christmas Day – yet around 7 million people admit they would rather eat something else, like roast beef or even pizza.
The average UK household spends over £100 on Christmas dinner ingredients – and across the country, Britain spends more than £2 billion on festive food each year.
Christmas Facts
Father Christmas appeared in English folklore long before Santa Claus and originally symbolised good cheer rather than gift–giving.
Snow rarely falls on Christmas Day – official records show it has occurred only four times in the UK over the last 50 years.
Many Brits still enjoy a post–dinner walk on Christmas Day, with estimates suggesting that over 40% of families head outdoors after lunch to “walk off” their feast.
The UK sends an enormous Christmas tree to Oslo, Norway, every year to thank the country for its support during World War II, and in return, Norway sends one to Trafalgar Square.
The song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid has topped the UK charts three separate times – in 1984, 1989 and 2004 – and remains the biggest-selling Christmas single in the UK.
Boxing Day originated in Britain, when employers traditionally gave gifts or “boxes” to servants and tradespeople the day after Christmas.
In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas celebrations, including festive food, dancing and carols, for being “too frivolous”.
People still buy around 100 million Christmas cards in the UK every year, despite the rise of e–cards and social media messages.
The word “Christmas” comes from the Old English Cristes Maesse, meaning “Mass of Christ.”
Craftspeople originally made tinsel from real silver in 17th–century Germany to reflect candlelight on Christmas trees.
Manufacturers created the first artificial Christmas trees in Germany in the 1800s using dyed green goose feathers.
The ancient Druids considered mistletoe sacred because they believed it brought peace, love and fertility.
We hope you enjoyed reading “Christmas Fun Facts and Trivia“. Click here for more of our articles about strange facts.
