Seasonal Idioms
Many people determine that once the holidays are over, they will turn over a new one of these.
What is leaf? When people want to turn over a new leaf, they want to give themselves a fresh start or change their ways—maybe break a habit or form a new one.
Casablanca is set in this country.
What is Morocco? While the movie is set in Casablanca, a city in Morocco, it was filmed mostly on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, using leftover sets from The Desert Song and Now Voyager
The Oval Office is in this wing of the White House.
What is the West Wing? The Office of the First Lady is in the East Wing.
You’ll find these roasting on street corners in New York City in December.
What are chestnuts? You can smell them all the way down the street. You might also hear Louis Armstrong singing “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).
“Hope springs” this.
What is eternal? The full quote is “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” It was penned by Alexander Pope in his An Essay on Man.
Good things come in this sized package
What is small? Many think this phrase refers to packages holding expensive jewelry or watches.
Three Coins in the Fountain was filmed on location in this country.
What is Italy? The Trevi Fountain is in Rome, and visitors often make a wish while tossing a coin into it. Other movies filmed on location that include the Trevi Fountain include Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita.
A mile is made of this number of feet
What is 5,280? The concept of a mile originated in Roman times, where the mile was set at 5,000 Roman feet. Our current mile dates to 1592, when the English Parliament determined it to be 5,280 feet.
These are a hybrid of mandarins and sweet oranges and sometimes are referred to by their brand names, including Halos, Cuties, and Sweeties
What are clementines? They are sometimes confused with tangerines because they both belong to the mandarin family and are easy to peel, but they are not the same fruit.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for” this.
What is tomorrow? This quote is attributed to Albert Einstein.
When snow is on the ground on Christmas Day, we say it’s this kind of a Christmas
What is white? Charles Dickens introduced the idea of a white Christmas in England long before Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby popularized the phrase in North America
Notting Hill is set in this country.
What is England? Julia Roberts plays an actress who is filming on location in London. The movie was filmed in locations throughout London, including Notting Hill.
This country gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States as a show of friendship.
What is France? It was gifted to the United States at a ceremony in Paris on July 4, 1884. The American ambassador received the gift on behalf of the country
This native North American berry is grown in bogs and is readily available at the grocery store in December
What is cranberry? Cranberries are staples at many holiday tables.
Hope for this and expect that.
What is the best and the worst? “Hope for the best and expect the worst.” It means to maintain a positive attitude while preparing for the worst.
During the holidays, when we confront people lacking holiday spirit, we might say, “Don’t be a (this person).”
During the holidays, when we confront people lacking holiday spirit, we might say, “Don’t be a (this person).”
The TV series Northern Exposure is set in this U.S. state
What is Alaska? The series is set in Cicely, Alaska, which claims a population of 213, but it was filmed in the little town of Roslyn, Washington. Every year, the town holds a Moosefest in honor of Northern Exposure.
Astronaut is a combination of two words: astro and naut. Astro means this
What is stars? Naut means “sailor,” so astronauts are sailors of the stars.
This white, cruciferous vegetable is in season year-round but best in fall and winter.
What is cauliflower? The longer it cooks, the sweeter it is.
Emily Dickinson wrote that hope is the thing with this.
What are feathers? The poem states: “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops—at all.”
When you give an anonymous gift, you might be known as this kind of Santa
What is secret? The concept of Secret Santa may have begun in Scandinavia, where people would leave gifts on someone’s doorstep, knock on the door, and then run away before they were spotted.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was filmed in this country.
What is India? In the film, a group of retirees travel from London to India, hoping to call a luxurious hotel their retirement home. Instead, they find a ramshackle hotel run by a young man with more enthusiasm than business sense
The 10 highest mountains in the United States are all in this state.
What is Alaska? The highest is Denali, which was once called Mount McKinley.
These vegetables look like white carrots
What are parsnips? British colonists brought parsnips to the New World. They have escaped gardens and now grow wild.
He took his show on the road to entertain American troops around the world.
Who is Bob Hope? Hope began entertaining troops during World War II. He was born in England and moved to America when he was four years old.