History
Where did the idea of Santa Claus climbing down a chimney to leave presents come from? Well it started with the 4th century bishop, Nicholas of Myra. Did the tradition start because he…
B.) Several times Nicholas dropped money through a window to help a man marry off his daughters. Otherwise they would have had to resort to prostitution.
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans' classic Christmas song “Silver Bells” was originally called something else, but Livingston’s wife convinced him to change the name because it was inappropriate. What was the original name?
B.) Tinkle Bells
Which of the following is included in either Biblical account of Christ’s birth?
C.) An angel that appears to Joseph
Throughout the first 300 years of Christianity only a few holidays were celebrated. Which of the following was not one of these early holidays to be celebrated?
C.) Christmas
Where did the word Xmas come from?
B.) X has historically been a shorthand for Christ and this abbreviation has been used by Christians for nearly a thousand years.
What is the oldest Christmas song to mention Santa?
B.) Up On the Housetop (1864)
When did the magi visit Jesus?
B.) Sometime within the first two years of his life.
Most scholars agree that Jesus was not actually born on December 25, but more likely sometime during which two months?
D.) September and October
The 4th century bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, famously punched someone he disagreed with. Did he punch:
C.) The heretic Arius for denying the trinity.
The song Jingle Bells was popularized as a Christmas classic by Bing Crosby in the 1940s, but before that it was called The One Horse Open Sleigh and it was written to celebrate a different holiday. Which holiday was Jingle Bells originally written about?
A.) Thanksgiving
Where do Mary, Joseph, and Jesus flee to after Herod sets out to kill all of the Jewish boys in Bethlehem under two years old?
C.) Egypt
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also called Twelvetide, refers to which of the following:
B.) The twelve days between December 25th and when the wisemen are traditionally believed to have visited Jesus.
Which great Christian leader started the tradition of setting up nativity scenes and nativity plays?
A.) Francis of Assisi started the trend in 1223 AD
B.) A parrot and a parakeet
Which of the following is an exhaustive list of the animals that are mentioned in either of the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth?
C.) Sheep
The ancient Christian celebration of Epiphany, which means manifestation, has traditionally been celebrated to commemorate:
C.) When the wisemen visited Jesus.
There are many Christians throughout history that have opposed celebrating Christmas. All but one of the following are reasons that some Christians have given for not celebrating Christmas:
D.) Since Pope Julius I officially designated December 25 as Christmas, the Eastern Orthodox Church refused to celebrate Christmas as a protest against papal authority.
Several notable Christmas season songs were written by Jewish songwriters, which of the following Christmas songs was not written by a Jewish author?
A.) We Wish You a Merry Christmas
When the angels announce Christ’s birth to the shepherds and then praise God, do the angels:
D.) Speak to the shepherds and then speak praises to God
Considering no specific date is given in Scripture for Christ’s birth, there are two primary theories about why Christians began celebrating Christmas on December 25th. Which of the following is not one of these theories?
A.) Constantine, who was the first Christian emperor of Rome, was a prideful man. Even though he adopted Christianity as the preferred religion in the Roman Empire, he likely chose to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th to coincide with his own birthday on the same day.