History Around the World
This holiday season tradition in many countries includes decorating a tree with lights and ornaments. What is the name of the decorated tree commonly used in winter celebrations?
Pine --- Christmas Tree --- Yule Tree
This short, repeating song line often includes the sound of a bell or a small instrument in a famous song that goes “Jingle _____.”
bells (Jingle bells)
Warm drinks often served in winter use cocoa powder, milk, and sugar. What is this popular drink called?
hot chocolate
Winter in the Northern Hemisphere happens when that hemisphere is tilted ____ the Sun. (Fill in the blank: toward or away from)
away from
People slide down hills on boards made for snow in a sport that shares its name with the board. What is this sport called?
snowboarding
Central European Alpine regions like Austria, Germany, and Hungary, rooted in ancient pagan traditions celebrates this horned, demonic figure from Alpine folklore who punishes misbehaving children around St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 5th), carrying birch branches to swat them and a sack to drag the worst offenders away, appearing in parades with bells and masks, originating from older traditions balancing reward and discipline, not just fear. What is this creature called?
Krampus
A well-known tune tells the story of a snowman who comes to life. What simple three-word name is the snowman often given in songs and stories?
Frosty the Snowman
A sweet baked good sometimes shaped like people or decorated with icing, often made during holiday season, is called a ______ cookie.
gingerbread (gingerbread cookie)
Snow forms when water vapor in clouds freezes into ice crystals and falls to the ground. What is the general name for frozen water that falls from the sky?
Snow
A sport played on ice where players slide heavy stones toward a target and teammates sweep the ice is called _____.
Curling
In some places, people light candles in windows, hang wreaths on doors, or exchange small seasonal gifts. A group that studies cultures might call these actions examples of what? (One-word answer meaning shared behaviors of a people
December 31
A popular song asks people to “sing” about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Which season does that song describe? (Name the season.)
Winter
Many families bake a spiced bread or cake with dried fruit during the holidays. This kind of dense sweet bread is often called fruit _____ . (Fill in the blank.)
cake (fruitcake)
The average temperature for freezing water is ____ degrees Celsius. Fill in the numeric temperature.
0
Some winter athletes compete in events where they skate on an ice rink and toss a disc-like puck into a net. Name this team sport.
Ice Hockey
In what company is it a common winter activity is eating a special noodle soup on New Year’s to celebrate long life.
Japan
The song that begins with “Deck the halls with boughs of holly” asks listeners to do what to their houses?
deck (as in “deck the halls”) decorate your home
A savory dish that mixes many vegetables and sometimes meat, baked together in one pan, is often called a casserole. True or False?
True
Daylight hours are shortest on the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice usually occurs in which month?
December
In many winter sports, athletes need warm layers that trap air to keep them insulated. Name one common material used for insulating winter outerwear
Down
In parts of northern Europe, people celebrate a festival of lights around midwinter to celebrate returning sunlight. Name one reason communities create festivals of light during the darkest months. (Give one clear reason.)
to celebrate returning sunlight--- to bring hope ---- to honor winter traditions
Many classic holiday songs mention traveling by different forms of transportation. Name one common winter transportation mentioned in holiday songs. (One-word answer.)
Sleigh
In some cultures, people enjoy a cold dessert made from milk, sugar, and fruit or nuts that is similar to pudding and served for special winter meals. Name one ingredient commonly used to flavor such a dessert (e.g., vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, or fruit).
vanilla (or cinnamon, chocolate, fruit, nuts — accept reasonable common flavors)
When salt is spread on icy roads, it lowers the freezing point of water so ice melts more easily. This process of lowering a liquid’s freezing point by adding a substance is called freezing-point _____ . (Fill in the blank.)
freezing-point depression
In what year was the Winter Olympics hosted in Utah?
2002