General Trivia
Where did the christmas tree originate?
Germany
What item of clothing do children place in front of the fireplace on christmas eve?
Shoes
Who is St Nicholas’ ‘helper’ who visits the naughty children?
Krampus
When is Krampus night?
Dec 5
What’s the german or french word for “gift”?
Geschenk / le cadeau
Where did gingerbread houses originate?
Germany
What color of Christmas lights are most used in france?
white
When and where was oldest christmas market created?
Dresden, 1434
What does krampus do to naughty children?
Punishes them with birch rods
Whats the german or french word for christmas?
Weihnachten / Noël
When does St Nicholas visit children/give gifts?
Dec 6
How does Père Noël respond to the letters of French children?
By postcard. Since 1962, France has had a law that stipulates any letter to Santa must be responded to in the form of a postcard.
Who is the Christkind?
Created by Martin Luther to eliminate St Nicholas, he's a childlike figure resembling jesus that brings gifts on Christmas eve
Who is le Pere Fouettard?
Père Fouettard is the wicked butcher who once kidnapped and butchered children. Saint Nicholas came to stop him, and now he follows st nicholas, carries a whip and is dressed in black.
Whats the german or french word for christmas tree?
Weihnachtsbaum/Tannenbaum / l’arbre de Noël
What are the ingredients for mulled wine?
wine, cloves, cinnamon, orange, sugar
What animal travels with Père Noël?
a donkey
What food shaped christmas tree decoration do German families hang on the tree and whoever finds it first wins a prize?
A pickle
Hans Trapp is Santa’s little helper, accompanying Santa and beating children who are naughty. This is his origin story: in the 15th century, Hans Trapp was a rich and greedy local who took an interest in satanic rituals and black magic. After being arrested by the catholic church, he was exiled to the forest where he sank deeper into his evil ways. Consumed by a desire to eat human flesh, Trapp began to wander the countryside disguised as a scarecrow until one day he came across a hapless young boy. Pouncing on the child Hans ran him through with a sharpened stick and took him back to his lair to roast over an open fire. It was at this point that God decided things had gone too far and struck Hans with lightning, killing him before he could have a bite of his grisly meal. To this day Hans wanders the region looking for children to nibble on to satisfy his cannibalistic appetite. Which country and which specific region does this tale come from?
Alsace Lorraine, France
What’s the german or french word for “Christmas ornament”?
Christbaumkugel / le décoration de Noël
During which century did the term “Christmas” first appear?
4th century
What is Le Réveillon de Noël?
This is Christmas Eve dinner. At around midnight, French families eat a special meal to celebrate the very beginning of Christmas Day.
Which DACH (German-speaking) country practices predicting the future from molten metal at Christmas?
Austria
From the alpine region, there is a ghoul in the form of a classically frightening witch, a Christmas monster you don't want to cross. This crone, who is often depicted with a bent back and warty nose, looks for naughty children who she slices open, disembowels and fills with straw. Often accompanied by a gang of ghosts, or in some accounts evil spirits, the only way to fend her off is to leave out a special porridge called perchtenmilch. Who is this figure?
Frau Perchta
What's the german or french word for “stocking”?
Strumpf / le bas de Noël