Songs
This 1818 carol, originally titled “Stille Nacht,” helped inspire the unofficial Christmas Truce of 1914 when German soldiers sang it across the trenches.
What is Silent Night?
Left behind when his family flies to Paris, a young boy battles two bumbling burglars in this 1990 comedy hit.
What is Home Alone?
In this Asian country, a successful 1974 marketing campaign turned fried chicken into the go-to Christmas meal, with families often reserving their buckets months in advance.
What is Japan?
This circular evergreen hanging on doors symbolizes eternal life.
What is a Christmas Wreath?
This French/Swiss dessert, a rolled sponge cake resembling a log, is a modern Christmas treat inspired by an ancient Yule ritual.
What is a bûche de Noël (or Yule log cake)?
Jewish songwriter Johnny Marks penned this 1949 hit about a misfit reindeer, as well as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.”
What is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
A human raised by elves who journeys to New York City to find his real father in this 2003 comedy favorite.
What is Elf?
The German word for Christmas Tree.
What is Tannenbaum.
The red-and-white striped treat shaped like a shepherd’s staff, symbolizing Jesus as the “Good Shepherd.”
What is a Candy Cane?
Kids (and adults) love icing and decorating these spiced molasses cookies shaped like people or trees.
What are gingerbread cookies?
Written in 1857 for Thanksgiving, this sleigh-riding tune became the first song broadcast from space in 1965.
What is Jingle Bells?
This 2004 animated film features Tom Hanks voicing multiple characters, including a boy who boards a magical train bound for the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
What is The Polar Express?
This half-demon, horned creature punishes naughty children in Alpine regions of Austria and neighboring countries during early December parades.
What is Krampus?
This calendar with daily doors or pockets counts down the 24 days leading to Christmas Eve.
What is an Advent calendar?
This dense cake packed with candied fruits, nuts, and spices is a staple Christmas dessert in many English-speaking countries.
What is Fruit Cake?
This 16th-century English carol celebrates the tradition of bringing a boar’s head to the feast table, with origins possibly tracing back to ancient pagan sacrifices, and is still performed annually at Queen’s College, Oxford.
What is The Boar’s Head Carol?
Though now a staple Christmas viewing, this 1946 Frank Capra film initially flopped at the box office due to high production costs and post-war audience tastes, even leading to an FBI memo labeling its portrayal of a greedy banker as potential “Communist” propaganda.
What is It’s A Wonderful Life?
In this Scandinavian country, a popular Christmas character is a gnome-like figure called “tomte” or “nisse” who brings gifts and protects the farm.
What is Norway (or Sweden, Denmark)?
This bright red plant, native to Mexico and popular as a Christmas decoration, was named after a U.S. ambassador.
What is the poinsettia? (Named after Joel Roberts Poinsett.)
Despite the name, Figgy Pudding, modern versions of this dessert rarely contain actual figs; “figgy” historically meant this dried fruit.
What are raisins?
Written in just 30 minutes after noticing that 16 out of 22 second-graders were lisping due to missing front teeth, this 1944 novelty tune’s breakout 1948 recording featured not a child but trumpeter George Rock in falsetto.
What is All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth.
This 1947 film won an Oscar for Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, who proves he’s the real Santa Claus in a courtroom trial.
What is Miracle on 34th Street?
Children in this country write letters to “Papá Noel” or the Three Wise Men, who bring gifts on January 6 during the feast of Epiphany.
What is Spain?
The “Twelve Days of Christmas” traditionally run from December 25 to this date, the Eve of Epiphany.
What is January 5?
This tart red sauce made from berries pairs perfectly with turkey.
What is Cranberry Sauce?