St Nicholas
Advent
Maria
Traditions
Higgledy-piggledy
100
When do we celebrate St. Nicholas' Day? a) on the 6th of January b) on the 11th of November c) on the 6th of December d) on the 8th of February
c) on the 6th of December
100
The advent wreath is the symbol of the advent season. How many candles does it have? a) four, according to the number of family members b) four, according to the number of Sundays before Christmas Eve c) four, the number that it takes to light a room d)it depends on the size of the wreath
b) four, according to the number of Sundays before Christmas Eve
100
Why did Maria and Joseph go to Bethlehem? a) They wanted to see some relatives b) They wanted to look for a new place where to live c) Joseph got a new job there d) They had to be registered there
d) They had to be registered there
100
What' s the most famous Christmas Carol? a) Feliz Navidad b) Silent Night, Holy Night c) Jingle Bells d) Last Christmas
b) Silent Night, Holy Night
100
Which tradition doesn't count as a St. Nicholas tradition? a) St. Nicholas comes in disguise and hands out presents to children b) Children recite poems and songs c) Children place boots in front of their bedroom doors to have them filled with sweets d) The night before St. Nicholas the children place their shoes in front of their bedroom doors to have them cleaned and polished
d) The night before St. Nicholas the children place their shoes in front of their bedroom doors to have them cleaned and polished
200
St. Nicholas was the bishop of .... a)... Myra b) ...Mytra c) ...Mykonos d) ...Rome
a)... Myra
200
During the advent season people sing lots of songs. Which one is NOT a Christmas carol? a) Driving home for Christmas b) Joseph, lieber Josepf mein c) Ein Männlein steht im Walde .... d) Go tell it on the mountains ...
c) Ein Männlein steht im Walde ....
200
Where was Maria living when the archangle appeared to her? a) in Bethlehem b) in Hedron c) in Jerusalem d) in Nazaret
d) in Nazaret, a small place in Galiläa, the north of Israel.
200
Which biscuits are not associated with the advent season? a) Spekulatius b) Buttered cookies c) Ginger Bread d) Cinnamon biscuits
b) Buttered cookies, they are good all around the year, not júst at Christmas!
200
Why do we decorate the Christmas tree with tinsel? a) because children love the glitter b) because it represents icicles which are a symbol of the cold c) because it brightens up the dark tree d) because the glitter represents the joyfulness of the Christmas night
b) because it represents icicles which are a symbol of the cold
300
Nicholas was the patron saint of a) ... donkeys and horses b) ... children, pupils and sailors c) ... pedestrians (Fußgänger) and bikers d) ... mountain climbers and hikers
b) ... children, pupils and sailors
300
In the advent season many families handicraft. What's the most favourite handicraft? a) to fold paper planes b) to fold paper bags c) to form pictures with leaves d) to fold straw stars
d) to fold straw stars
300
Maria's fiancees' name was Joseph. What was Joseph's profession? a) He was a teacher b) He was a shepherd c) He was a carpenter d) He was a farmer
c) He was a carpenter
300
Why do we decorate the Christmas Tree with Christmas balls? a) Balls don't break so easliy b) Balls sparkle nicely because they keep moving c) Balls represent the fruit from the forbidden tree in paradise d) Balls are what children love best
c) Balls represent the fruit from the forbidden tree in paradise
300
In medieval times a Christmas tree would be decorated with many "funny" things. Which of the following things were NOT among them? a) apples b) communion wafers c) paper roses d) oranges
d) oranges
400
What do you call the headdress of the bishop? a) baret b) hood c) crown d) mitre
d) mitre
400
Which saint celebrates his/her birthday before the advent season starts? a) Nicholas b) Martin c) Barbara d) Lucia
b) Martin St. Martin's Day (11th of November, all the other saints' birthdays are celebrated later in December when the advent season has already begun)
400
God had chosen Maria to give birth to her son Jesus Christ. What was the angel's name who told her the news? a) Gabriel b) Michael c) Gabriele d) Martin
a) Gabriel, who actually was an archangle. Archangles are angles of higher rank. God decided to send an archangle because the news was of high importance.
400
Why do we give presents to others at Christmas? a) Why not? b) Presents say: I love you, you are precious to me c) Because it says: Let's reconcile d) Because children love them
b) Presents say: I love you, you are precious to me
400
What do the letters "C+M+B" stand for, that the carol singers write on people's front doors? a) They represent the astrologers: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar b) it means: Christ and Maria in Bethlehem c) it means: "Christus Mansionem Benedicat" d) it means: Christ, Make us Believe
c) it means: "Christus Mansionem Benedicat", which means: "Christ, bless this house"
500
Why is Nicholas sometimes depicted with three golden balls? a) Nicholas once turned 3 apples into gold b) Nicholas liked juggling with balls c) Nicholas once gave 3 golden balls to 3 little girls d) the balls represent the objects that are given to children on St. Nicholas' Day
c) Nicholas once gave 3 golden balls to 3 little girls
500
The advent season usually starts on the last Sunday in November. What does the word "advent" mean originally? a) Joy b) Waiting c) Arrival d) Preparation
c) Arrival origin: (= Latin = "adventus" = Ankunft) We are waiting desperately for Christ's arrival and therfore decorate the house, bake cookies and handicraft nice little objects.
500
Maria was happy about the news that she would give birth to her son Jesus Christ. She then went to see her relative, who was also pregnant. What was her name? a) Eleonore b) Evita c) Elisabet d) Esther
c) Elisabet (She and her husband Zacharias had tired for a long time to have children but had always failed. Now they were old, but God decided to make Elisabet pregnant)
500
Why do we take a fir tree for a Christmas tree? a) fir trees were Maria and Joseph's favourite trees b) a fir tree never loses its needles c) a fir tree has a particularly nice smell d) candles can be attached to a fir tree more easily
b) a fir tree never loses its needles and therefore has become a symbol of life, same as Jesus
500
The world's most famous Christmas tree stands in front of the Rockefeller Center in New York. Which of the following facts around the tree are NOT true: a) it is 25 m high b) it weighs 13 tons c) it was cut in Norway d) it is 90 years old
c) it was cut in Norway (in fact it was cut in Pennsylvania and was carried over a distance of 260 kilometers to New York)