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1. What
country did the poinsettia originally come from?
A. Mexico
B. Europe
C. Ecuador
ANSWER: A. Mexico. Dr. Joel Poinsett,
the first ambassador to Mexico, brought it to the U. S. in 1828.
2. What
instrument was "Silent Night" originally played on?
A.
Harpsichord
B. Organ
C. Guitar
ANSWER: C. Guitar. Some say it was
because the organ was broken and other stories, but it's entirely likely
it was composed for the guitar.
3. Why do
we kiss under the mistletoe?
A.
Because of an ancient Greek myth
B. Because it was the symbol of the goddess of
love in Norse legend
C. The custom originated in Russia in the 12th century
ANSWER: Why not? No, really, B.
Mistletoe was the symbol of the goddess of love in Norse legend.
4. How
did the tradition of a Christmas tree get started, and where?
A.
Emigrant to the US brought the tradition from Europe
B. Germany in the 7th century
C. Romans began the custom
ANSWER: B. In Germany, in the 7th
century. Before Christianity, people brought evergreen trees into their
house and decorated them for a winter festival. (There have long been
celebrations at the Winter Solstice.)
5. What's
up with the Yule log?
A. It was a classic dessert loved and popularized by
King Louise XV of France
B. A European tradition for household protection during the coming year
C. Originated with the Aztecs who considered oak wood sacred
ANSWER: A. European tradition. If the
Yule log was burned right, it would protect the household during the
coming year. The rules were: it had to be found or be a gift (never
bought), it had to light the first time, the lighter had to have clean
hands, and it had to burn for 12 hours.
6. What
place is the world's largest exporter of Christmas trees?
A.
Christmas Tree Island, Alaska
B. Nova Scotia, Canada
C. Northern California
7. How did fruitcake come about?
A. Who
cares
B. Hawaiians made a similar dessert using macadamia nuts
C. In the olden days, only preserved fruits were
available in the wintertime
ANSWER: C. Because originally people had
to make something sweet from what was available in the winter time, which
meant preserved fruits.
8. What's
a manger?
A. A feeding trough for livestock
B. A storage place for livestock feed in the winter
C. A bed for infants
9. In
1947, Gene Autry recorded "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and the rest is
history. Who wrote this song, and why?
A. Gene
Autry wrote it for his children and someone suggested he record it
B. Clinton Mills, an engineer, wrote it for a YMCA youth pageant
C. Robert May, an ad writer, wrote it for a
Montgomery Ward store giveaway
ANSWER: C. Incredibly, an ad writer,
Robert May, wrote the lyrics for a Montgomery Ward store giveaway in 1939.
10. "The
Night Before Christmas" was written by Clement Moore. How did he get it
published?
A. He didn't. In fact he was ashamed of it and never
admitted to having written it.
B. He submitted it for his feature column in the New York Herald Tribune
and the rest is history
C. It was part of a collection of Christmas poems he wrote for his
children
ANSWER: A. He didn't. He was a
religious scholar and embarrassed about the poem. In fact he never
admitted to having written it! It made it into print when a friend sent it
to a newspaper in 1822.
11. What
does the word “mistletoe” mean?
A. Dung-on-a-twig
B. “Mistle” is the old word for “missile.” Ancient druids used to kick it
with their toes, and the person it landed on would have good luck for a
year.
C. It means “lightning” because the original myth was that it – being
semi-parasitic – “arrived” on trees during electric storms, transported by
lightning.
ANSWER: A. It is true. “Mistle” is the
Celtic word for “dung,” and “toe” is the word for “twig.” However, don’t
let this stop you from kissing under it. (At one time it was believe it
arrived on trees transported by lightning, BTW, but that’s not what the
word means.)
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