It’s that time of year once again – Christmas has officially arrived in London. And you know what that means – yup, defusing potentially hostile conversations between family members without upsetting either side of the argument! And the easiest way to do that is by changing the topic entirely, or by dazzling them with a fun fact. So, why not do both (and keep it festive) by whipping out these festive fun facts about Christmas? Whoever’s doing hosting duty this year will thank you.
Or, alternatively, maybe you’re at a Christmas work party and the conversation is fizzling. Have no fear; these festive fun facts will work a charm at injecting a spark back into chatting to your colleagues. Or maybe you’re just here for some light reading that’s also edumacational? No matter the reason, you’ll be sure to impress everyone with these festive fun facts. Ho-ho-ho!
1. The first commercial Christmas card was printed in London in 1843
It was commissioned by a bloke called Sir Henry Cole, and it shows three generations of a family drinking wine and celebrating. The initial run saw 1000 cards printed – each of which was hand-coloured. Coincidentally, the card was distributed in the same week that Dickens’ iconic Christmas story, ‘A Christmas Carol’, was published. You can see one of the cards on display at The Postal Museum.
2. The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is sent to us by Norway every year
They send us one every year to thank us for our help in the Second World War. What a nice bunch, eh? Seems to be quite the divisive topic every Christmas on the internet, however…
3. The very first Christmas Cracker was created in London in 1847
London-based sweet maker, Tom Smith, created the first Christmas cracker all the way back in 1847. He was inspired by bonbons wrapped in a twist of tissue paper when on a visit to Paris. The crackers were sold in boxes that were themed around popular topics and interests of the time. What a cracker of a festive fact!
4. Celebrating Christmas was banned between 1647 and 1660
Okay, so this isn’t strictly a London fact, but gosh, what a thought! In 1647, Parliament passed an ordinance that outright banned Christmas, as well as other associated holy day festivities. Purportedly, the military patrolled the streets of London and seized any items they believed were part of Christmas celebrations. The ban was incredibly unpopular, and there were riots in major cities around the country.
Many mistakenly believe that Oliver Cromwell was to blame for the ban on Christmas. However, according to the Cromwell Museum, his involvement – if any – was likely merely on the periphery. The ban was overturned when King Charles II returned to power in 1660.
5. Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk in A Christmas Carol, lived in Camden
But the story’s connection to Camden goes even deeper than that. The author of the seminal Christmas work was also connected to the area. Charles Dickens resided in Camden as a kid (16 Bayham Street if you fancy visiting the plaque). We reckon the area might have changed just a bit since that time…
6. The puppets in The Muppets Christmas Carol were created in London
Talking of Camden, those lovable puppets for the 1992 adaptation were made in what was once a warehouse on Oval Road. The London branch of the Jim Henson Creature Shop moved to the premises in 1990, where they created the beloved puppets.
7. Harrods sees an average of 300,000 people PER DAY walk through its doors at Christmas
On a regular day, around 100,000 people head into the store, but these figures triple over the Christmas period. A whopping 300,000 people traipse through the doors to explore the fashion mecca at Christmastime. We feel stressed out just thinking about it.
8. Regent Street and Oxford Street’s Christmas lights were banned between 1971 and 1977
This wasn’t quite for the same reason as the earlier Christmas ban, though. Instead, the lights were turned off for six years in order to save money during the recession. During that time, a number of money-saving restrictions went into place – including dimming street lights, and banning advertising lights. However, thanks to then-Prince Charles, the Christmas lights returned in 1978 – albeit in a surprising new form. They originally returned as lasers, shining down the streets, before taking the general form we now know.
9. Fairy lights were invented in London
You know those charming twinkling lights that take over every window, tree, and flat surface at Christmas? They were invented right here in London. More specifically, they were invented for a performance at the Savoy Theatre in 1882. That was just one year after the theatre became the first public building in the world to be fully lit by electricity! That history has been commemorated outside the iconic theatre, with fairy-inspired Christmas lights lining The Strand.
10. Christmas markets used to be held right on the Thames
In years gone by, it was not uncommon for the River Thames to completely freeze over in the winter. In fact, the frost would be so extreme that they would hold entire Christmas markets atop the frozen waters. The events were known as Christmas Frost Fairs. They were almost like a precursor to Winter Wonderland, with hastily constructed markets, pubs, and ice rinks.
11. William the Conqueror was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066 at Westminster Abbey
And you thought having your birthday or your anniversary around Christmas was bad? However, getting crowned King after victory in battle was probably slightly different. It’s like Christmas came early…
12. The Children’s Society made an enormous world-record-breaking stocking
Shortly after a record-breaking attempt in Canada, London waded into the stocking battle and promptly broke the world’s largest stocking record in 2007. When completed, the enormous stocking weighed as much as five reindeer and was as long as three double-decker buses. (Does anyone know of a fireplace large enough to hang it on?!) It raised an incredible £14,000 for the Children’s Society.
Sadly, the record was broken a few years later in Italy, in 2011, when the volunteer emergency services organisation Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni created their own enormous stocking. It has remained the record-holder ever since. It measured over 51 metres in length, and from the heel to the toe it was almost 22 metres wide!
So there you have it – some festive fun facts about London that we bet you didn’t know! From crowning Kings to Christmas being banned, there’s plenty for history buffs to lap up here.