What is the shortest day of the year called?
The Winter Solstice
Which Vincent van Gogh painting features a swirling night sky over a peaceful village?
The Starry Night
What was the highest-grossing film of the 1960s?
The Sound of Music (1965)
What traditional holiday dessert is lit on fire before serving?
Christmas pudding
Which military leader conquered the Persian Empire, India and Egypt, among others, to become one of the greatest conquerors of all time?
Alexander the Great
What is the most linguistically diverse country in the world, with over 840 languages spoken?
Papua, New Guinea
How fast do snowflakes fall on average?
3 to 4 mph
What painting by John Everett Millais shows a woman floating in water surrounded by flowers?
Ophelia
Which film, released in 1961, starred Audrey Hepburn as the iconic character Holly Golightly?
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
What holiday celebrates the African heritage and culture?
Kwanzaa
In 1215, what doctrine was the first of its kind to establish that a king was not above the tenants of the law?
The Magna Carta
Who is the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different sciences?
Marie Curie (Physics and Chemistry)
Although counterintuitive, what month is Earth closest to the Sun?
January
Who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
Michelangelo
Who directed the controversial and groundbreaking film “Easy Rider” released in 1969?
Dennis Hopper
What traditional holiday drink is sometimes called “milk punch”?
Eggnog
What is the name of the first permanent English settlement in North America?
Jamestown
What was Elvis Presley’s first No. 1 hit?
Heartbreak Hotel
For meteorologists, what are the three calendar winter months in the Southern Hemisphere?
June, July, and August
Which artist’s painting “The Persistence of Memory” features melting clocks?
Salvador Dalí
Who played the role of Bonnie Parker in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde”?
Faye Dunaway
In Jingle Bell Rock, where are they ‘dancing and prancing’?
In Jingle Bell Square
What 1789 event symbolizes the French Revolution’s outbreak?
The Storming of the Bastille
What is the term for a word that has the same spelling but different meanings?
Homonym
What is the fear of snow called?
Chionophobia
In Edvard Munch’s “The Scream,” what natural disaster may have inspired the blood-red sky?
The eruption of Krakatoa
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa was one of the deadliest volcanic events in history, resulting in over 36,000 deaths and significant global climatic effects.
In which film does Julie Andrews play the magical nanny who brings joy to the lives of the Banks family?
Mary Poppins
Which artist recorded the hit Blue Christmas in 1964?
Elvis Presley
Which canal opened in 1869, shortening the Europe–Asia sea route?
The Suez Canal
What does the Latin phrase “carpe diem” mean?
Seize the day
What are the small white crystals formed on surfaces during the winter?
Frost
During which period did artists like Monet and Renoir work, focusing on light and its changing qualities?
Impressionism
Which TV show features a group of eccentric characters living on an island after being shipwrecked?
Gilligan’s Island
In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", how many total gifts are given?
A) 78
B) 364
C) 144
D) 555
B) 364
What 1914 assassination sparked World War I?
Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo
What is the largest island in the world?
Greenland
What causes Watermelon snow that is pink or red in color?
Algae
In which Spanish city would you find the Picasso Museum?
Barcelona
What type of footwear for women became a symbol of rebellion and freedom in the 1960s, featuring a low heel and a long, fitted shaft often reaching the knee?
Go-go boots
What type of tree is typically used as a Christmas tree?
a Fir Tree
What kind of warfare dominated the Western Front?
Trench warfare
Which U.S. state is the Venus flytrap’s only native home?
North Carolina
What red bird sticks around in snowy winters instead of migrating?
The cardinal
Who painted “Girl with a Pearl Earring”?
Johannes Vermeer
What accessory, associated with the space age aesthetic, became a popular decoration in homes and dorm rooms during the 1960s?
Lava lamps
In A Christmas Story, what gift does Ralphie desperately want for Christmas?
A Red Ryder BB gun
Which automotive innovation transformed mass production in the 1910s?
The moving assembly line
What is the name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago?
Pangaea
What large mammals are excellent swimmers and can swim for several hours in icy waters?
Which French artist is known for his water lily paintings?
Claude Monet
What hairstyle for women, characterized by a high, voluminous crown of hair, was a popular choice in the early 1960s?
The beehive hairdo
What’s the name of the young boy forgotten at home in Home Alone?
Kevin McCallister
Who pioneered modern nursing during the Crimean War?
Florence Nightingale
What part of the brain regulates balance and coordination?
The cerebellum