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the Magi
the Magi
Ball Drop Trivia
Global Traditions
100
This gospel tells the story of the Magi.
What is the Gospel of Matthew?
100
According to the Christmas carol, how many kings come to visit Jesus.
What is 3?
100
The country the Magi most likely came from.
What is Persia?
(Tradition also suggests India, Persia, and Arabia so flexibility for these answers.)
100
The year a ball was first dropped in Times Square.
A. 1887
B. 1907
C. 1927
D. 1947
What is B. 1907?
100
In the United States, eating these foods are said to bring wealth in the new year.
What are greens and black eyed peas?
200
The number of Magi that visit the baby Jesus according to the Bible.
What is the Bible does not say?
200
These names are traditionally given to the 3 Magi.
What are Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar?
200
The reason the Magi did not return to Herod after visiting Jesus.
What is they were warned in a dream?
200
In 1942 and 1943 the ball did not drop for this reason.
What is because of light ordinances during WWII?
(Crowds still gathered and following a minute of silence, chimes rang out from trucks parked at the base of the Times Tower.)
200
This item is often baked into a King Cake and eaten on Epiphany. The person who finds it becomes king or queen for the day.
What is a bean, coin, or plastic baby?
(any of the 3 answers are acceptable)
300
These are the gifts brought by the magi.
What are gold, frankincense, and myrrh?
300
O.Henry wrote this famous short story about a poor, young couple who secretly buy gifts for each other.
What is "The Gift of the Magi?"
300
Gold is a precious metal that indicates this about Jesus's identity.
What is a king?
300
The original ball made of iron and wood weighed this amount.
A. 12,350 pounds
B. 700 pounds
C. 400 pounds
D. 150 pounds
What is B. 700 pounds?
(The 2nd ball in 1920 was made of wrought iron and weighed 400 pounds.
In 1955 an aluminum ball weighed 150 pounds.
The 2025 ball weighed 12,350 pounds!)
300
In Greece, this red fruit is smashed and the more seeds that scatter, the greater the luck and prosperity in the new year.
What is the pomegranate?
400
This King ordered the death of children under age 2.
Who is King Herod the Great?
400
This 15th century painter created the "The Adoration of the Magi" which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
400
Frankincense is burned as an incense. It identifies this role of Jesus.
What is a priest?
400
No ball is dropped, but this country is the first major place to see the New Year.
What is New Zealand?
Auckland, NZ is the first big city.
Christmas Island, Samoa and Tonga actually see the New Year first so any of these would count.
400
In Denmark these items are broken at the doors of friends and neighbors. The bigger the pile at your door, the luckier you will be.
What are plates and dishes?
500
This minor prophet from the OT said "and you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah... from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people."
Who is Micah? (5:2)
500
This 20th century poet wrote "The Journey of the Magi" which begins "A cold coming we had of it, just the worst time of the year for a journey, and such a long journey".
Who is T.S. Elliot?
500
The gift of myrrh symbolizes this about Jesus.
What is that he will die?
500
The first ball drop to signal the passage of time occurred at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1833 to help these persons with navigation.
Who are ship captains?
The ball dropped at 1pm every afternoon so nearby ships could set their chronometers.
500
Some Christians will write 20+C+M+B+26 on their doors with chalk representing these 4 things.
What is the year (2026) and the names of the magi (Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar)?
The crosses may also represent Christ.
Christus mansionem benedicat.
(May Christ bless this house.)