7 shocking facts that you didn’t know about your Christmas dinner

Are you ready to have your mind blown by these shocking Christmas dinner facts? You're going to be stunned to learn how many calories you'll consume on Christmas day or how much money you really spend in the run up to Christmas.

Christmas has become one of the biggest holidays around the world. The build up to the big day often starts straight after Halloween at the end of October (if not earlier for some supermarkets or retail stores!) and the countdown begins imminently. It's a mad rush to by hundreds of presents, wrap them, get your food shop, prepare the food - it's madness we tell you, madness!

Yet every year we do the same thing and despite its stresses, we still love the festive holidays just as much each time.

Here are 7 shocking facts that you didn’t know about your Christmas dinner including how many turkeys we consume each year, why Brussel sprouts should be on the menu and where our favourite Christmas dinner favour, Christmas crackers, came from...

1. Turkey mayhem

Can you believe that approximately 10 million turkeys are consumed in the UK each year at Christmas time? That's a whole load of turkey! This festive bird has been served up as the centrepiece for Christmas dinner since the 1950s. It's said that about 76% of us opt for turkey nowadays over goose or chicken.

2. Brussel sprouts are go!

Did you know that Brussel sprouts are packed full of vitamin C? An 80g portion contains about 4 times more vitamin C than an orange - our minds have been officially blown! It's time to put your hate to one side and stock up on these festive balls of delight for Christmas this year.

3. We've gone Christmas crackers

The tradition of having Christmas crackers at the dinner table on Christmas day is as old as old can be. Dating back to the 1840s (yes, really!) Christmas crackers were invented by a lovely chap called Tom Smith. The design was inspired by his bon-bon sweets and he originally filled them with love messages instead of jokes and games. Bet you didn't know that?

4. And the grand total is...

According to YouGov, on average, UK households will spend a whooping £22bn at Christmas time - madness! That's an average of £835 per household on Christmas dinner, the tree, presents, decorations... Why does Christmas have to be so expensive?! Ahhhhh!

5. Turkey vs roast swan (ew!)

Now you'd think that because the majority of us have turkey on Christmas day that it's always been that way but you're wrong. Prior to the succulent turkey, roast swan, goose, pheasants and even peacocks were on the centre piece list for Christmas dinner! We just can't imagine having roast swan - ew!

6. Christmas calories - look away now!

Right, are you ready for the most shocking fact of them all? On average we consume 6,000 calories on Christmas day. That's an equivalent to 23 and half hamburgers (or 12 Big Macs!) or 71 eggs.

The day-long feast is nearly three times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for the average female and twice the RDA for the average male. Despite this ridiculously shocking fact, we still plan to chow down on Christmas day and get our fill of mince pies, roast potatoes and Christmas pud! It's only one day a year after all...

7. Meaty Christmas pud? No thank you!

Once upon a time a Christmas pudding wasn't a sweet treat drizzled in brandy, it was meat feast made with minced beef, mutton, raisins, prunes, wine and spices. And of course in that case, it wasn't eaten on Christmas day either, it was eaten as a fasting meal in preparation for the Christmas festivities. We much prefer the sweet kind, don't you?