Holiday Music
Can you finish these lyrics: “God rest ye merry, gentlemen”?
Let nothing you dismay.
According to German folklore, what horned figure punishes naughty children around the holidays?
Krampus. The horned mythological antithesis to Santa Claus has been around since the 12th century!
What well-known fairy tale inspired the tradition of gingerbread houses?
Hansel and Gretel. According to researchers, German bakers began making elaborate fairy-tale houses of lebkuchen (gingerbread) after the story’s publication.
How many Christmas trees are sold every year in the United States?
Between 25 and 30 million. That’s a lot of trees!
What is Frosty the snowman's pipe made out of?
Corn Cob
What is the best selling Christmas song ever?
"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby
Not only the best-selling Christmas single, the BEST-SELLING SINGLE OF ALL TIME! 50million sales and counting!
In what country did eggnog originate?
England.
Modern-day eggnog can trace its roots to posset, a hot, milky, ale-like drink favored by the medieval upper class.
In what year did Coca-Cola begin using Santa Claus in its advertising?
1931
How long does it take for an average Christmas tree grow to its full size?
It takes 7 years for a tree to reach the size of a typical 6/7 foot tree.
Before electric Christmas lights were invented, what did people use to light trees?
Candles
What Christmas song did the Catholic Church denounce for seemingly portraying an illicit affair?
“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”
The song’s thirteen-year-old singer Jimmy Boyd had to meet with Church leaders at the Archdiocese and explain that the “Santa Claus” the lyrics mention is, in fact, the narrator’s father in costume.
What country celebrates Christmas by eating KFC chicken?
Japan. Over 3.6 million Japanese families participate in the Yuletide tradition every year.
What fruit is commonly put in Christmas stockings?
Orange
Which U.S. president banned Christmas trees at the White House?
President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was a staunch conservationist who banned the trees due to “environmental concerns.” However, as the story goes, his children still surprised him by hiding a tree in a sewing room closet in December 1903.
What do the reindeer names Donner and Blitzen mean in German?
a. Honor and Blessed
b. Thunder and Lightning
c. Grandad and Quick
d. Giving and Beloved
b. Donner and Blitzen mean ‘thunder’ and ‘lightning’
What does “Mele Kalikimaka,” mean in Hawaiian?
Merry Christmas!
Which country began the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree?
Germany. According to historians, the tradition began in the 16th century when devout Christians began bringing trees into their homes and decorating them.
What type of pie is traditionally eaten in the UK at Christmas?
Mince Pie
Which U.S. president signed a bill into law making Christmas a federal holiday?
Ulysses S. Grant did in 1870
The poinsettia plant originates from which country?
Mexico
What does the singer ask for a deed to in the song “Santa Baby”?
A platinum mine.
Interestingly, “Santa Baby” was voted the most annoying Christmas song in a 2021 poll!
In what modern-day country was Saint Nicholas born?
Turkey. At the time, his birthplace was known as Patara, an ancient seaport city.
What is the oldest known Christmas candy?
Marzipan. While its precise origin is challenging to pin down, the earliest written references to "marzipan" date back to 16th-century Italy and Spain. Another legend has it that during a 15th-century famine in Lübeck, Germany, bakers, facing a shortage of bread flour, ingeniously crafted marzipan using eggs, sugar, and almonds as a solution. Maple Sugar Candy, and fudge were made later in the 1880's.
What were the first artificial trees made of?
Goose Feathers
What does the Germanic word for mistletoe mean?
Mistletoe berries are eaten by birds and the seeds germinate through their droppings, thus mistletoe means dung on a twig!