Got the turkey in the oven? Munching on mince pies? But have you ever wondered why?

• Turkeys were introduced in Britain more than 500 years ago by Yorkshireman William Strickland, who acquired six birds from American Indian traders. Before that, the main Christmas meal was geese, boar’s head and even peacocks
• Henry VIII was the first English king to enjoy turkey in the 16th century, although Edward VII made eating turkey fashionable at Christmas
• Although turkey is now the most popular meal on Christmas day, this has only been the case for the past 60 years. Until the 1950s it was widely considered a luxury
• Turkey is not as popular across the continent – in Portugal the typical Christmas animal is codfish, while Germans prefer wild boar or venison. In Sweden the average Christmas feast consists of caviar, shellfish and raw fish
• Mince pies, like Christmas puddings, were originally filled with meat rather than fruit. They were also made in an oval shape to represent the manger that Jesus slept in as a baby, with the top pastry representing his swaddling clothes
• During Stuart and Georgian times mince pieces were a status symbol at Christmas. People had pies made in shapes such as stars, crescents, hearts and tears, which could fit together like a jigsaw
• A custom from the Middle Ages says that if you eat a mince pie on every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night you will have happiness for the next 12 months

World famous Copas Turkeys are giving SN Members a free packet of luxury smoked salmon (200g) with every turkey ordered before 15th Dec. Turkeys are produced using the best old fashioned methods. Just add the chicken to your basket and enter the code. Click HERE for offer code ad details