Origins of Christmas Symbols
The use of candles & lights during Christmas traces back to ancient winter solstice celebrations, where they symbolized the return of the sun during this astronomical event
What is the winter solstice?
This 1951 British film adaptation of A Christmas Carol is often praised by critics as one of the darkest & most faithful versions of Dickens' original story
What is Scrooge?
This carol's melody originated from a traditional English tune before its Christmas lyrics were added in the 19th century
What is "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"?
What is an Advent calendar?
This author helped redefine Christmas as a time of generosity & goodwill through his 1843 novella A Christmas Carol
Who is Charles Dickens?
This sweet, striped Christmas candy originated in the 17th century & was shaped to resemble a shepherd's crook, linking it symbolically to the nativity story
What is a candy cane?
In this animated Christmas special, a young reindeer is rejected by his peers because of a physical difference before ultimately saving Christmas
What is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
This song became the first Christmas single ever played in outer space when astronauts broadcast it during a Gemini space mission
What is "Jingle Bells"?
In Norway, families traditionally hide their brooms on Christmas Eve due to a folkloric belief involving witches & evil spirits
What are witches stealing brooms?
Dr. Seuss wrote this story as a critique of materialism, featuring a green character whose heart grows three sizes
What is How the Grinch Stole Christmas?
The tradition of hanging this by the fireplace is connected to a legend involving Saint Nicholas secretly helping impoverished daughters by leaving gold in this household item
What is a stocking?
This Christmas comedy stars Bill Murray as a cynical television executive forced to relive A Christmas Carol through increasingly surreal experiences
What is Scrooged?
Written during the Great Depression, this Christmas song expresses longing for home & became especially meaningful to soldiers during World War II
What is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"?
In the Czech Republic, unmarried women toss a shoe over their shoulder on Christmas Eve to predict this future event
What is marriage?
This poem helped standardize the names & number of Santa's reindeer in American culture
What is "A Visit from St. Nicholas"?
Holly became associated with Christmas not only because it stayed green in winter, but because its red berries & sharp leaves were later interpreted as symbols of this Christian narrative
What is the crucifixion of Jesus?
This stop-motion animated film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who attempts to take over Christmas after discovering it for the first time
What is The Nightmare Before Christmas?
This composer is responsible for "The Nutcracker", a ballet now almost universally associated with the Christmas season
Who is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky?
In Venezuela's capital city, some people attend early-morning Christmas services by traveling this unusual way, according to tradition
What is roller-skating?
In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the return of Christmas symbolizes the weakening power of this antagonist
Who is the White Witch?
This popular Christmas decoration, once banned by Puritans in colonial American for being pagan, regained popularity in the 19th century due to German immigration
What is the Christmas tree?
This foreign-language Christmas film, set during World War II, focuses on a fragile holiday truce & shared humanity among soldiers on opposing sides
What is Joyeux Noël?
This Christmas song, banned by the British Broadcasting Company for decades due to religious references, eventually became a chart-topping hit in the UK
This country celebrates Christmas primarily on December 24, with the main meal occurring late at night & gifts opened afterward
What is Spain?
This long-running TV special, first aired in 1965, features a young boy discovering the true meaning of Christmas after a failed attempt to commercialize it
What is A Charlie Brown Christmas?