Festive Firsts
This country is credited with popularizing the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century.
What is Germany?
This holiday classic, first recorded in 1942 by Bing Crosby, is often associated with snow. Name the first three words of the song.
What is 'I'm dreaming of'?
This classic holiday drink is often made with eggs, milk, sugar, and a splash of nutmeg.
What is eggnog?
This frosty phenomenon occurs when water vapour in the air freezes directly into ice crystals without becoming liquid first. Name the process.
What is deposition?
Suprise Holiday Triple
Whoever has the lowest screen time on their phone earns x3 points for their team.
In mathematics, this number represents the number of reindeer in Santa's team, excluding Rudolph. What is this number in Roman numerals?
What is XII?
This decade marked the production of the first-ever Christmas card
What is the 1840s?
This Mariah Carey holiday classic has been topping the charts for decades. Subtract its release year from 2024 to calculate how many years it’s been celebrated.
What is 30 years?
This traditional fruit-filled dessert is a staple of British Christmas dinners.
What is Christmas pudding?
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. What is the name of the latitude line where the Sun appears directly overhead on this day?
What is the Tropic of Capricorn?
The birth of Jesus is only recorded in two of the four Gospels. Name them.
What are the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke?
In chemistry, this process, often used in the preparation of Christmas sweets, involves a solid turning directly into a gas without becoming liquid first. Name this process.
What is sublimation?
This Christmas carol, first published in 1818, was performed for the first time in a small Austrian village and has since become one of the most famous songs of the season.
What is 'Silent Night'?
John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1971 holiday song carries an anti-war message and uses 'Xmas' in its title. Explain the origin of the 'X' in 'Xmas' and its historical significance.
What is the Greek letter chi, the first letter of 'Christ' in Greek, used as a shorthand for 'Christmas' since the 16th century?
This sweet bread, popular in Italy during the holidays, is typically filled with dried fruits and nuts.
What is panettone?
In Norse mythology, this figure, associated with frost and cold, was one of the first beings in existence and played a role in the creation of the world. Name this figure.
Who is Ymir?
This Roman emperor ordered a census that led Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Name the Emperor.
What is Caesar Augustus?
In history, the Christmas Truce of 1914, when soldiers from opposing sides in World War I spontaneously stopped fighting, took place on Christmas Eve. Which two countries were primarily involved in this ceasefire?
What are Britain and Germany?
This U.S. state was the first to declare Christmas an official holiday in 1836.
What is Alabama?
Daily Double
This 1957 hit by The Ronettes became a staple Christmas song. Name three elements of Phil Spector’s famous 'Wall of Sound' production style used in this song.
Surprise Holiday Double
$800 for each person wearing a Christmas jumper
Name at least two different types of snow formations caused by wind and temperature, such as those found in polar or alpine regions.
What are snowdrifts and hoarfrost?
This ruler, who ordered the Massacre of the Innocents after the birth of Jesus, was the King of Judea. His actions fulfilled a prophecy from the book of Jeremiah. Name this ruler.
Who is King Herod the Great?
In literature, this famous Christmas character was created by Charles Dickens and is known for his transformation from miser to benefactor. What is the name of this character?
Who is Ebenezer Scrooge?
Daily Double
This individual introduced the first electric Christmas lights in 1882, revolutionizing holiday decor.
In the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' a total of 364 gifts are given. How many gifts are given on the 12th day alone, considering all the previous days?
What is 78 gifts?
This festive French dessert, shaped like a log, is traditionally served at Christmas and often decorated with meringue mushrooms.
What is a Bûche de Noël (Yule Log)?
This chemical compound, commonly associated with icy winter roads, lowers the freezing point of water and prevents ice formation. Name the compound and explain why it is effective.
What is sodium chloride (salt), because it disrupts the hydrogen bonding in water, lowering its freezing point?
Daily Double Triple
In the Gospel of Matthew, before the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and explained the significance of Mary's pregnancy. Which Old Testament prophecy does this event fulfil?
In physics, the phenomenon of this type of wave, often associated with Christmas lights, is used to transmit signals over long distances. Name the type of wave.
What are electromagnetic waves?