Christmas Hymnody
Throughout Epiphany, we in the church sing of Magi visiting the Christ-child. What is the name of this hymn?
What is "We three Kings of Orient Are"?
The number of days the Christmas holiday was celebrated during Tudor times.
What is twelve days?
This Cleveland classic movie boasts an iconic 'leg lamp', and a local museum dedicated to sharing fun facts about the house and community where the movie was filmed through tours and events.
What is A Christmas Story?
In the US, many children learn about a red-nosed reindeer and his somewhat bullies of counterparts in song for their Christmas Concert. How many reindeer are there in Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
Bonus 200 points, can you name them all?
What is nine reindeer?
*Who are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, & Rudolph.
Many people in the US bake and decorate these with icing and sprinkles, and often set them out with a glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
What are Sugar Cookies?
Well known in the German community, in German, what is the title to the Christmas Eve favorite, Silent Night?
What is Stille Nacht?
Now a popular lunch meat brand, this Christmas delicacy would be served on a silver platter and ushered in by trumpet and song.
What is a Boar's Head?
*The Boar's Head Carol is still sung today in many observances of the dish being served. The Boar (a favorite hunting target of Henry's) would be marinated, stuffed, and roasted on a spit for days before the Christmas feast, and the tusks covered in gold leaf. The nose was considered the choicest meat.
What kind of Christmas will Elvis have without you? (Hint, it isn't white!)
What is a "Blue Christmas"?
What traditional Polish, Slovak, and Hungarian meal is enjoyed on Christmas Eve?
What is Mushroom Soup?
This type of hard cookie can be used to build miniature houses. There is also a story about a man, made out of this cookie.
What is Gingerbread?
*Fun Fact, the original gingerbread did not have ginger in it and was an extremely thick, and dry bread. Over the centuries, and by location, the recipe changed greatly including ginger, currants, different kinds of nuts and alcohol, until it ultimately became the relatively thin cookie we eat and build houses out of today.
This carol, often sung in English, French, & Wendat (Huron), was written by Saint Jean de Brebeuf, a French Jesuit missionary to the Huron people of "New France" in 1694. It now holds the title as Canada's oldest Christmas Hymn.
What is the Huron Carol/ 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime?
This Tudor Royal composed a carol entitled "Green Groweth the Holly", a carol thought to precede the more well known "The Holly and the Ivy".
Who is King Henery VIII?
In the classic, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch was described with three words. What are they?
What are stink, stank, and stunk?
This individual (a witch) from Italian folklore delivers Christmas gifts to children on Epiphany.
Who is La Befana?
This Christmas candy, shaped like a "J" or a shepherds hook, usually has a peppermint flavor.
What is a Candy Cane?
This Christmas hymn tells the traditional story of the nativity.
*Hint- it is NOT "Away in a Manger".
What is "Once in Royal David's City"?
This carol was written during Tudor times for the Childermass (now Feast of the Holy Innocents), in remembrance of the children slaughtered by King Herod the Great. During this period of time, over 12% of children would not survive their first year of life, and 60% of children would die by age 16. The piece is often thought to reflect their own feelings of loss during the period as well.
What is the Coventry Carol/ Lully Lullay?
Which Hollywood actor played six different roles in The Polar Express?
Who is Tom Hanks?
This historically Mexican Christmas celebration takes place the nine nights leading up to Christmas, with participants singing carols and processing from house to house throughout the community.
What is Las Posadas?
*Two traditional parts of the song are those outside (representing Joseph) asking for shelter and those inside (representing the family/innkeeper) determining if they should admit the guests outside. It ends with the guests being admitted and a celebration inside.
How old is the oldest Fruit Cake Recipe (give or take a few years)?
*Hint, think BIG!
What is 2,000 years old?
Name all of the "O Antiphons".
What are:
This banquet was the largest celebration of the twelve days of Christmas festivities.
What is the Twelfth Night Banquet?
*In Tudor times a Banquet was not a full meal, but a course of desserts following a meal. Not only were the spices used to flavor these sweets a show of opulence, but also the sugar itself.
How many gifts in total are given in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song?
What are 364 gifts?
What common 'light display' is used in South and Central America to celebrate Christmas?
What are fireworks?
Give the name (in Spanish or Polish) for the Three King's Cake.
What is Rosca de Reyes/Ciasto Trzech Króli?
*This cake is eaten as celebrations on the Feast of the Three Kings (also known as Epiphany and Twelfth Night). The cake can be made as a sweet bread or sponge cake with fillings depending on local customs and contains a figurine of a baby (historically a bean or coin) baked into it. Whoever discovers the item in their slice has special priveledges or duties depending on local customs.