Medieval Christmas I
Medieval Christmas II
Traditions
Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight
Green Knight
Christmas Songs
A Christmas Carol
100
The Medieval Christmas tradition of JULEBUKKING is similar to what other holiday activity?
A. Giving Valentines on Valentines Day
B. Trick-or-Treating on Halloween
B. Trick-or-Treating on Halloween
Imagine trick-or-treating, only creepier, and you’ll have a good idea of what julebukking was like. As is the case today with Halloween, Scandinavians celebrating Christmas in the Middle Ages would don masks and costumes and go door-to-door looking for treats. But the julebukkers weren’t cute kids: They were usually drunk adults. The practice isn’t as popular as it was in medieval times, but it’s still observed by some Norwegians and even Americans of Scandinavian descent.
100
This is the number of days the Christmas celebration lasts.
What is twelve?
100
You should do this underneath the mistletoe.
What is give a kiss?
100
This holiday is being celebrated at the beginning of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."
What is New Years Day?
100
Elvis Presley sings about this kind of Christmas.
What is a Blue Christmas?
100
This is Scrooge's first name.
What is Ebenezer?
200
People living in the Middle Ages couldn’t pick up a ham from the supermarket for Christmas, so they ate the next best thing...
A.Reindeer
B. Goose
C. Wild Boar
C. Wild Boar
If you wanted to impress your guests around the holidays, nothing was more striking than the head of a boar presented with an apple in its mouth on a silver platter. Of course, not every family could afford to serve a Yule boar at their Christmas dinner. For households that were less well off, a pie in the shape of a pig was a popular alternative.
200
When the rich gave presents to the poor. Typically in clay pots with money in them, so they had to break the pot open.
(Hint: it is the name of the day after Christmas)
What is Boxing day?
200
This popular drink is only available around Christmas.
What is Egg Nog?
200
Sir Gawain celebrates this holiday with the lord and lady of the castle.
What is Christmas?
200
Frosty's nose is made of this.
What is a Button?
200
This person authored "A Christmas Carol"
Who is Charles Dickens?
300
Wassailing was one of the many pagan customs adopted by Christmas revelers. What modern practice comes from this?
A. Making Christmas Cookies
B. Caroling
C. Decorating a Tree
D. Leaving out milk and cookies
B. Caroling
The term wassail comes from the Anglo-Saxon greeting waes-hael, which means “be in good health.” Carolers would take their wassail bowl door-to-door, offering a drink and a song in exchange for gifts.
300
These were more commonly given not on 25 December, but on New Year’s Day
What are gifts?
300
Santa's real name is this.
What is Kris Kringle?
300
This is the actual name of the Green Knight/Lord of the Castle.
Sir. Bercilak
300
All I want for Christmas is two of these.
What are My Two Front Teeth?
300
This specter visits Scrooge first.
Who is Scrooge's old partner Jacob Marley?
400
King cakes with tiny plastic baby dolls baked into them have become a Mardi Gras staple, but the first version of the tradition originated with the winter solstice. Cakes containing a single _____ were consumed during pagan solstice celebrations and whoever found it in their slice became “king” for a year.
A. Coin
B. Nail
C. Bean
D. Cherry
C. What is a bean?
Following a year of rule, the temporary king was sacrificed and his blood spilled onto the earth to promote another year of good harvest. When medieval Christians adopted this practice for Christmas they made some adjustments. Whoever found the bean in their cake wasn’t sacrificed, but the tradeoff was that they only got to be king for a day instead of the whole year.
400
This is a thick porridge/ boiled wheat, currant and dried fruit were stirred in. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg
What is Christmas pudding?
400
The holly plant and this company helped popularize Green and Red as Christmas colors.
What is Coca-Cola?
The soda makers popularized the plump and jolly red-suit-wearing Santa in an ad in 1931.
400
Sir Gawain receives this many kisses from the lady of the castle.
What is six kisses?
400
It's fun to ride in this as we jingle all the way.
What is a one-horse open sleigh?
400
This is the name of Bob Cratchet's ill son.
Who is Tiny Tim?
500
During Christmas, this group of people demanded to receive presents from those less fortunate.
What are the rich/ruling class?
500
The rich would have eaten this. Typically covered with butter and saffron plant.
What are goose/swan.
(Turkey were for the poorer classes)
500
The gingerbread house came from this country.
What is Germany?
500
Sir Gawain receives this punishment from the Green Knight.
What is a cut on his neck?
500
In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," this was given on the eleventh day.
What is eleven pipers piping?
500
These two words could be concidered Scrooge's catch phrase.
What is Bah! Humbug!