Fascinating festive facts to make you go "wow!"

Here are some 'fascinating festive facts' (a little alliteration there for Yr 6)

The three wise men were called Bathazar, Caspar (not Casper the friendly ghost) and Melchior.

Christmas carols were introduced into church services by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.

The word "carol" comes from the Greek choraulein, which was a dance accompanied by flute music, and the French caroller, meaning "to dance round in a circle".

The names of Santa's reindeer are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and of course we can't forget Rudolph!

Reindeer are the only type of deer where both sexes grow antlers.

Did you know that there is a little farming village in Carmarthenshire, Wales called Bethlehem?

Christmas Day was officially fixed as 25th December by Pope Julius 1 in the 4th century AD. Before that it was celebrated on various dates throughout the year.

The royal Christmas Day message was broadcast on television for the first time in 1957.

William the Conqueror was crowned King of England on December 25th, 1066. The year of The Battle of Hastings.

The first commercially printed Christmas cards were designed by London artist John Calcott Horsley, in 1843.

The largest ever advent calendar, which was over 1100 sq.m, was created to mark the refurbishment of St Pancras station, London in 2007.