Winter Holidays
Customs & Traditions
Languages
Origins
Food
100

This eight-day Jewish holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil that burned in the Temple for eight nights.

What is Hanukkah?

100

During Hanukkah, families gather to play this spinning top game.

What is dreidel?

100

"Feliz Año Nuevo” translates to this English phrase.

What is Happy New Year?

100

The phrase “holy day” is the origin of this modern English word.

What is “holiday”?

100

These treats are traditionally left out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

What are cookies and milk?

200

This winter festival celebrates the shortest day and longest night of the year.

What is the Winter Solstice?

200

This holiday is known as the Festival of Lights in Indian Culture.

What is Diwali?

200

The greeting “Buon Natale” is used in this language.

What is Italian?

200

"Weihnachten” is Christmas in this language.

What is German?

200

This delicious potato pancake is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah.

What is a Latke?

300

Celebrated on January 6, this holiday marks the visit of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus.

What is Three Kings Day?

300

This is a traditional shared by those who celebrate Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

What is lighting a candle every night?

300

In Spanish-speaking countries, people wish others “Feliz” + this holiday.

What is Navidad?

300

The French word "Noël" means Christmas, but this is its original meaning in Latin.

What is birth?

300

People often eat dumplings for good luck during this holiday.

What is Lunar New Year?

400

This Japanese winter holiday is traditionally celebrated by eating fried chicken, thanks to a famous marketing campaign.

What is Christmas?

400

In Germany, children receive gifts from this figure rather than Santa Claus.

Who is St. Nicholas?

400

In German, people say “Frohe Weihnachten” to mean this.

What is Merry Christmas?

400

Advent calendars originated in this country in the 19th century.

What is Germany?

400

A "Buche de Noel" (French) is more commonly reffered to this sweet treat.

What is a Yule Log?

(a rolled sheet cake filled with jam and frosted with chocolate to look like a log)

500

Celebrated on December 13th in Sweden and other parts of Scandinavia, this "Festival of Lights" honors a young Christian martyr whose name means "light."

What is St. Lucia Day?

500

In Italy, children receive gifts from this broom-riding figure on Epiphany.

Who is La Befana?

500

The word “menorah” comes from Hebrew and means this.

What is lamp or light?

500

The word “Yule” is an old word connected to winter celebrations in this region.

What is Northern Europe (or Scandinavia)?

500

This sweet, round bread is eaten to celebrate Three Kings Day and a small figurine of baby Jesus is hidden inside this bread.

What is Rosca de Reyes?