May Holidays
Famous Duos
Classic TV
School Days
Name That Tune
100
Many children once spent early May secretly creating handmade gifts using macaroni, glue, or construction paper for this day.
What is Mother’s Day?
Mother’s Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world
100
These two animal cartoon characters were famous for constantly chasing each other.
Who are Tom and Jerry?
Many of us are unaware that the illustrators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera gave the couple the names Jasper and Jinx when they first created the artwork. Following the debut of the experiment, a studio-wide competition was held to choose the pair's final names. The iconic names Tom and Jerry were created by an animator by the name of John Carr. He won the competition, along with a reward of $50 and a history that has continued to this day.
100
This western TV hero wore a black mask and rode Silver.
Who is The Lone Ranger?
Fun Fact: The Lone Ranger actually began as a radio character in the 1930s before becoming a television star.
100
Children once raced outside when they heard the jingling bells of this neighborhood vehicle during summer afternoons.
What is the ice cream truck?
Fun Fact: Many adults still remember exactly which song their neighborhood ice cream truck played decades later.
100
This patriotic song is traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch.
What is “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”?
Fun Fact: Take Me Out to the Ballgame was written in 1908 by men who had reportedly never attended a baseball game.
200
This May holiday was originally called Decoration Day after the Civil War.
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday in 1971.
200
These singing siblings gave us “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie.”
Who are The Everly Brothers?
The Everly Brothers had 35 Billboard Top 100 singles, 26 in the top 40. They hold the record for the most Top 100 singles by any duo.
200
This sea captain took passengers on three-hour tours aboard the S.S. Minnow.
Who is Gilligan?
(or “Who is the Skipper?”)
Gilligan's Island originally left out the Professor and Mary Ann from the theme song until later seasons because fans complained!
200
Before calculators became common, students often used this wooden tool with sliding number scales in math class.
What is a slide rule?
Fun Fact: Slide rule was used by engineers and scientists for decades — even during the early space program!
200
This Elvis Presley love song became one of the most popular wedding songs of all time.
What is “Can’t Help Falling in Love”?
Fun Fact: Elvis Presley often used the song to close concerts near the end of his career.
300
This 1973 Triple Crown winner is still considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time.
Who is Secretariat?
Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes by an astonishing 31 lengths — a record that still stands.
300
This actress frequently starred opposite Spencer Tracy.
Who is Katharine Hepburn?
Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy starred in nine films together and were considered one of Hollywood’s most legendary on-screen couples.
300
This character twitched her nose to perform magic on the sitcom, Bewitched.
Who is Samantha Stephens?
Fun Fact: Bewitched used two different actresses to play the nosy neighbor, Gladys Kravitz, after the original actress became ill — and many viewers never noticed!
300
This small embroidered jacket became a treasured symbol for high school athletes.
What is a letterman jacket?
The letterman jacket tradition began at Harvard University in the 1860s, where baseball players earned large sewn-on letters for outstanding performance.
300
This Neil Diamond song often gets crowds shouting in unison.
What is “Sweet Caroline”?
Fun Fact: Sweet Caroline became especially popular at Boston Red Sox games.
400
Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican victory over this European country.
What is France?
Cinco de Mayo celebrates an unlikely Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 and is often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day, but Mexico actually celebrates Independence Day on September 16.
400
This detective sidekick narrated many of Sherlock Holmes’s adventures.
Who is Dr. Watson?
Although Holmes is the genius detective, most of the famous stories are actually narrated by Dr. Watson — meaning readers experience the mysteries through Watson’s eyes rather than Holmes’s!
400
Herman Munster worked at this type of business.
What is a funeral home?
The makeup for Herman Munster took actor, Fred Gwynne, about two hours to apply every filming day!
Also, the Munsters’ famous hot rod car, called the “Munster Koach,” was a real custom-built vehicle that became one of the most famous TV cars of the 1960s. 
400
This musical instrument was commonly taught in elementary school music classes and played with a small plastic mouthpiece.
What is a recorder?
The recorder became popular in schools because it was inexpensive, lightweight, and easier for beginners to learn than many other instruments.
Another interesting fact: although many people think of it as just a “school instrument,” the recorder was actually a very respected instrument during the Renaissance and Baroque periods — and composers like Johann Sebastian Bach wrote music specifically for it!
400
This song made Chubby Checker famous for a dance craze by the same name.
What is “The Twist”?
Fun Fact: The Twist was the only song to hit #1 on the Billboard charts in two separate years.
500
This floral May tradition involved dancing around a decorated pole tied with ribbons.
What is Maypole dancing?
Maypole traditions date back hundreds of years in Europe and symbolized the arrival of spring.
500
Barney Rubble was the best friend of this cartoon caveman.
Who is Fred Flintstone?
The Flintstones was the very first animated television series to air in prime time on American TV. It debuted in 1960 and was designed to appeal to both adults and children.
500
This rural sitcom featured characters named Jed, Granny, and Jethro.
What is The Beverly Hillbillies?
Fun Fact: The truck used in The Beverly Hillbillies became one of the most recognizable vehicles in television history.
500
This peanut butter-and-marshmallow sandwich became a lunchbox favorite in many schools.
What is a Fluffernutter?
This sandwich was particularly popular in New England, Massachusetts, where it's a nostalgic staple often served in schools and even designated as the state sandwich.
500
This famous Righteous Brothers song became closely tied to the movie Ghost.
What is “Unchained Melody”?
Fun Fact: Ghost caused a huge resurgence in popularity for the song decades after its release.