If you want to know how many days, hours and seconds are left for Christmas 2018, check the countdown. It may seem a long time away, but soon the Coca-Cola ad will begin to play and you will decorate the Christmas tree. Christmas is also a good time to visit Essex’s wonderful Christmas Fair (or you can fly there). Or celebrate with your colleagues and friends at the annual Christmas party. If you want to know how long you’re going to be preparing for Christmas 2018, we’ve created an inverted clock for you to make sure you’re ready.

Want to get yourself in the mood? Here are 52 Christmas facts you never knew about the festive period

1. Speedy Santa

US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.

2.Mince Pies

Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.

3.Wassailing

Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.

4.Angels Singing?

here is no mention of angels singing in the Bible.

5.Baby Jesus

Biblical scholars say Jesus may have been born in a cave rather than a wooden stable.

6.White Christmas

White Christmas in 2017 is 7 / 4 in Scotland, 4 / 1 in Wales, 2 / 1 in Ireland, 3 / 1 in northern England and 5 / 1 in the south.

7.A Merry Greek Christmas

According to the old Julian calendar, the Greeks celebrated Christmas on January 7, and Christmas presents began in the New year.

8.Shopping Spree

The pre-Christmas shopping spree began in the United States, where relatives of foreign soldiers during World War II were encouraged to send gifts in advance.

9.Christ’s Mass

The word Christmas comes from the ancient English word “cristesmaesse”, which means “Christ’s Mass”.

10.Cracker Design

In 1847, Tom Smith (tomsmith), a London-based dessert maker, made the first Christmas cookies based on sweet wrappers.