Questions people actually ask

The word Christmas means “Christ’s mass”. It comes from the Middle English Christemasse, which came from the Old English Cristes mæsse. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas

The church in Rome began formally celebrating Christmas on 25 December in 336, in the reign of the emperor Constantine. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas In the 3rd century, the Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated the conception of Jesus to 25 March, which would give a birth date nine months later, on 25 December. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christmas

Oliver Cromwell did not start the ban on Christmas himself. A 1644 Parliament ordinance confirmed the abolition of the feasts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, before his time as Lord Protector (1653–58). Historic England: Did Oliver Cromwell really ban Christmas? From then until the Restoration in 1660, Christmas was officially illegal, and the ban was very unpopular. Historic England: Did Oliver Cromwell really ban Christmas?

Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, brought a Christmas tree to Britain in the late 18th century, but it was a yew rather than a fir. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas Victoria and Albert did not bring the first tree, but they made the Christmas tree popular in Britain. Royal Collection Trust: A royal Christmas

Henry Cole, later the first director of the V&A, sent the first Christmas card in 1843. V&A: The first Christmas card The Postal Museum says Queen Victoria sent the first official Christmas card, and that Cole commissioned the first commercial Christmas card in 1843. The Postal Museum: The first Christmas card

The Christmas cracker was invented by Tom Smith (1823–1869), a London confectioner and baker who set up shop in Clerkenwell in the 1840s. V&A: The Christmas cracker Smith patented his first cracker device in 1847 and perfected it in the 1860s. V&A: The Christmas cracker

St Nicholas lived in the 4th century in Myra, in Asia Minor, near modern Demre in Turkey. Encyclopaedia Britannica: St Nicholas He is a patron saint of children and of sailors. Encyclopaedia Britannica: St Nicholas

Oie’l Verrey (also spelt Oie’ll Verree) means the Eve of the Feast of Mary: Christmas Eve. After the evening service, the parish clerk and congregation stayed in church to sing carvals, carols in Manx Gaelic. Culture Vannin: Kiaull Manninagh Jiu, December 2016 (Manx music and dance at Christmas) Culture Vannin calls the Oie’ll Verree on Christmas Eve perhaps the key event in the traditional Manx song year. Culture Vannin: Oie’ll Verree and the Manx carval tradition

Hunt the Wren happens on St Stephen’s Day, 26 December, and has gone on in the Isle of Man without a break for longer than written records. Culture Vannin: Hunt the Wren, a short history of a Manx custom Today, groups go round their local community with a decorated wren pole, singing and dancing. Culture Vannin: Hunt the Wren, a short history of a Manx custom

Nobody is sure where the name comes from. Some say it is from church alms boxes being opened for the poor; others say it is from boxes of gifts given to workers the day after Christmas. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Boxing Day

Britannica gives Twelfth Night as 5 January, the evening before Epiphany. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Twelfth Night Culture Vannin gives Twelfth Night as 6 January (Old Christmas Day). Culture Vannin: Kiaull Manninagh Jiu, December 2016 (Manx music and dance at Christmas)

For the Met Office, a “white Christmas” needs just one snowflake to be seen falling in the 24 hours of 25 December, by an official observer or automatic weather station. Met Office: White Christmas and UK Christmas weather records