Do You Think You Know Christmas?
Dear Readers: We hope you enjoy this year’s Christmas Quiz. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
1) George Frederick Handel’s great Christmas oratorio, The Messiah, was first performed in 1742. Where did the performance take place? A) London B) Dublin C) Vienna D) Jerusalem
2) What Christmas song contains the line: “Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation”? A) Silent Night B) O Come, All Ye Faithful C) The First Noel D) Joy to the World E) Deck the Halls
3) For people who live in the Canadian prairies, the Christmas season traditionally begins with a shipment of Japanese _____. A) rice wine B) oranges C) teas D) dolls
4) In Sweden, the “tomte” is a ____. A) seasonal dessert B) Christmas elf C) table centerpiece D) Christmas gnome 5) Reveillon is a meal eaten after ____ in France and Canada. A) Midnight Mass B) Sunday Sermon C) The Day of the Dead D) Boxing Day
6) December 26th, also known as Boxing Day, is the holy day of which saint? A) St. Nicholas B) St. Stephen C) St. Francis D) St. Peter
7) Whose patron saint is St. Nicholas? A) children and scholars B) merchants and sailors C) women without dowries D) all of the above
8) In the 1800s, German settlers in Pennsylvania became the first in our country to decorate their homes with _____ for Christmas. A) holly B) wreaths C) stockings D) fir trees
9) The poem “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”, written by Clement Moore in 1823, was originally known as _____. A) “Sleigh Bells in the Distance” B) “Visions of Sugar Plums” C) “A Visit from St. Nicholas” D) “Footsteps on my Roof-top”
10) Most of the Christmas carols sung today were composed in the ______. A) period shortly after Christ’s birth B) 1300s and 1400s C) 1500s and 1600s D) 1700s and 1800s
11) The Mexican tradition of posado is a recreation of Mary riding on a ____ and Joseph looking for a place to spend the night. A) donkey B) camel C) horse D) goat
12) Traditionally, German children are not allowed to see the ___ until Christmas Eve. A) Christmas stockings B) Christmas Tree C) plum cake D) Christmas wreaths
13) What does the name Jesus mean? A) God with us B) Chosen by Yehovah C) Lamb of God D) Salvation of Yehovah
14) What country started the tradition of exchanging gifts? A) Austria B) Finland C) Italy D) England
15) The name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was:
16) How many gifts would you receive if you received all of the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas? A-312 B-199 C-364 D-365
17) The Grinch is as cuddly as a ______? A-Cactus B-Porcupine C-Pine Tree D-Iceberg
18) Who was seated next to me a day or two ago in the song Jingle Bells?
19) American’s concern over the separation of church and state resulted in a number of court challenges. What was the “ruling name” of the United States Supreme Court decision?
20) When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by whom:
21) Which city, famous for its ‘Christmas Market’, is also known as ‘The Gingerbread Capital of the World’? A) Nuremberg, Germany B) Paris, France C) Zurich, Switzerland D) Salzbug, Austria
22) In “A Christmas Carol”, what song does the caroler sing outside Scrooge’s office?
23) Not counting Rudolph, how many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh?
24) The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. Where did it originally grow? A) Canada B) China C) Mexico D) Spain
25) In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. What should you do to get rid of them? A) Placate them with gifts of rice pudding B) Burn either salt or an old shoe C) Sing hymns in a loud voice D) Throw your sandals at them
How Do You Rate?
20-25 correct-One of Santa’s Elves
15-19 correct-You love Christmas, but need a refresher course.
Less than 15 correct-Is your name Ebenezer Scrooge?
1-B
2-B
3-B
4-D
5-A
6-B
7-D
8-D
9-C
10-D
11-A
12-B
13-A
14-C
15-Jacob Marley
16-C
17-A
18-Miss Fanny Bright
19-The “Reindeer Rule”
20- Black Peter
21-A
22-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
23-Eight
24-C
25-B
