Holiday Stories & Film
In Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, what was the first name of Scrooge?
Ebenezer
The traditional Christmas treat that has red and white strips.
Candy Cane
If a child is naughty, what does Santa bring?
Lump of coal
What Christmas hymn features the line, "The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head"?
Answer: "Away in a Manger"
The Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is called
Chanukah
In A Christmas Story, what does Ralphie's mom say when he asks for a BB gun?
"You'll shoot your eye out"
What Spanish delicacy of fried dough strips is traditionally served with thick hot chocolate on Christmas morning?
Answer: Churros
Spanish hot chocolate is so thick you can stand a churro in it without it falling over! The tradition of churros con chocolate for Christmas breakfast started because families needed energy after staying up for Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) celebrations and Midnight Mass.
What is a group of singers who go door-to-door to sing holiday tunes called?
Carolers
Who originally recorded the song "White Christmas"?
Answer: Bing Crosby
The seven-day celebration meaning "the first fruits," which encourages people to think about their African roots as well as their life in present-day America is called
Kwanzaa
Where does Kevin's family travel to in Home Alone 1?
Paris
What Scandinavian Christmas dish involves fish preserved in lye solution?
Lutefisk
It is dried cod rehydrated in lye, giving it a jelly-like texture that many find challenging. The dish smells so strong that some American churches that serve it have designated "lutefisk kitchens" to contain the odor.
Which country started the practice of putting up a Christmas tree?
Answer: Germany
Which Christmas song includes the lyrics "lean your ear this way"?
Answer: "Jolly Old St. Nicholas"
Which song is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year?
Auld Lang Syne
In what city did the Grinch steal Christmas?
Whoville
What fast food restaurant do millions of Japanese families eat at on Christmas?
KFC
A 1974 marketing campaign called "Kentucky for Christmas" lead to the tradition. Its estimated that approx. 3.6 million Japanese families eat KFC every Christmas.
Which Brothers Grimm fairy tale helped popularize gingerbread houses?
Answer: “Hansel and Gretel”
Which festive anthem, written during World War II, emphasizes hope and unity?
"I’ll Be Home for Christmas"
In China, an important aspect of the New Year celebration is the worship of
Ancestors
Toy Salesman, Scott Calvin (played by Tim Allen), must unwillingly take over the role of Santa after putting on his suit in this 1994 holiday movie
The Santa Clause
What bread do Ethiopian Christians eat after their Christmas morning service (Ganna)?
Injera (served with Doro Wat, a spicy chicken stew)
Ethiopian Christmas falls on January 7th following the Julian calendar. Doro Wat contains exactly 12 hard-boiled eggs (representing the apostles) and 12 pieces of chicken. Families eat communally from a shared platter, tearing injera to scoop up stew.
In the holiday season, a number of Central European countries honor the (fictional) evil counterpart of St. Nicholas. What is its name?
Krampus
Which Beatle released the song "Wonderful Christmastime"?
Paul McCartney
On December 13th, the Swedish celebrate a holiday honoring this saint who was killed by Roman soldiers about fifteen hundred years ago for refusing to give up his/her religion.
St. Lucia