Ancient Roots
The Roman festival honoring the god of agriculture, celebrated from December 17-23.
What is Saturnalia?
The Civil War cartoonist for Harper's Weekly who gave Santa his modern red suit and North Pole workshop.
Who is Thomas
The real St. Nicholas served as the Bishop of Myra in this present-day country.
What is Turkey (or Patara/Myra, Turkey)?
The date on which St. Nicholas’s Feast Day is celebrated, marking the anniversary of his death.
What is December 6th?
The average total dollar amount spent per person on Christmas.
What is $902?
This specific act of "social inversion" was permitted during Saturnalia.
What is masters served slaves?
The 1931 advertising campaign for this soft drink company solidified the image of the pleasantly plump Santa globally.
What is Coca-Cola?
The nobleman's drying garments that caught St. Nicholas’s tossed gold, beginning a modern tradition.
What are stockings?
The city in which Dutch settlers first introduced the tradition of Sinterklaas to North America.
What is New Amsterdam (or New York City)?
The percentage of the total holiday budget typically allocated to food and candy.
What is 15%?
The legendary figure whose tears turned into white berries, promoting mistletoe's association with love.
Who is Frigg?
His 1822 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," invented the idea of the sleigh, reindeer, and chimney entrance.
Who is Clement Clarke
The German religious figure credited with first adding lighted candles to the Christmas tree.
Who is Martin Luther?
What is the common alternative to turkey that many American families serve for their Christmas dinner.
What is ham (or roast beef)?
This spending category accounts for only 6% of the average Christmas budget.
What are Greeting Cards?
What is the term for the large log burned during the Northern European Yule celebration.
What is the Yule Log?
In his early Dutch depiction, Sinterklaas was shown riding this animal.
What is a white horse?
The tradition of the Christmas tree was made fashionable in England and America by this German prince, husband of Queen Victoria.
Who is Prince Albert?
This 19th-century author popularized Sinterklaas as the patron saint of New York in his 1809 work, Knickerbocker's History of New York.
Who is Washington Irving?
The primary motivation for holiday travel, accounting for 59% of all holiday journeys
What is visiting family?
The pagan sun god whose birthday, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, coincided with the Christian celebration on Dec. 25th.
Who is Mithra (or Sol Invicti)?
What two key character traits did Haddon Sundblom emphasize in his depiction of Santa, moving away from previous strict or elf-like looks
What is warm and friendly (or pleasantly plump)?
This ancient culture believed mistletoe could cure infertility and saw it as a sacred symbol of vivacity because it remained green in winter.
Who are the Druids?
What two staple activities define the modern American Christmas morning, besides
What is watching classic movies and baking cookies (or opening gifts)?
The approximate dollar amount spent per person on Christmas decorations.
What is $72 (or 8%)?