Movies
This is Rudolph’s girlfriend in the “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” television special
Who is Clarice?
Tinsel Tidbits - Rudolph has aired every year (sometimes multiple times a year) since 1964. It predates other Christmas staples like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas", making it the the longest-running holiday TV special in the United States.
This is America's most popular cookie during Christmas
What is a sugar cookie?
Tinsel Tidbits - The modern sugar cookie was originally called the Nazareth Sugar Cookie, after German Protestants who settled in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and improved the recipe.
In the song “Frosty the Snowman,” this is what made Frosty come to life.
What is "an old silk hat"?
Tinsel Tidbits - In the animation, Frosty has magic fingers! He usually has four fingers, except (conveniently) he has five when he uses them to count.
It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree come from this country
What is Germany?
Tinsel Tidbits - We aren't exactly sure how the tradition of the Christmas tree started, but they may have started out as "Paradise Trees." Such trees were decorated with apples and used in plays about Adam and Eve, representing the Garden of Eden.
Santa has nine reindeer and these are their names
Who are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph?
Tinsel Tidbits: Here are interpretations of their names!
And of course Rudolph! Rudolph is an ancient Germanic name that comes from the words Hrōþi, meaning "fame, glory, honour, renown", and olf, meaning "wolf".
This is the name of the Grinch's dog
Who is Max?
Tinsel Tidbits - Max is a true mystery mutt—no one knows exactly what kind of dog he is! In the 2000 live-action film starring Jim Carrey, Max is played by six different mixed-breed dogs.
This item is traditionally hidden inside a Christmas Pudding
What is a silver coin (sixpence)?
Tinsel Tidbits - The coin symbolizes good luck and whoever finds the coin in their serving is said to have a prosperous year ahead. This idea of probably harkens back to earlier traditions of adding a dried bean or pea to festive cakes and puddings. These were always added to Twelfth Night cakes and the person who found the bean was “crowned” the King or Queen of the Bean or Pea for the night, a dubious pleasure that nowadays involves you having to buy a round of drinks!
This person composed the music for the "The Nutcracker"
Who is Tchaikovsky?
Tinsel Tidbits - The original copy of The Nutcracker Suite was lost for 50 years, but was found in 1946 and is now in a museum near Moscow!
Sprinkling yule logs with red wine is one of this country’s Christmas Eve traditions.
Where is France or Italy?
Tinsel Tidbits - On Christmas Eve, a log is brought into the home and sprinkled with red wine to make it smell nice when burning. It is customary to leave the log and candles burning all night with some food and drinks left out in case Mary and the baby Jesus come past during the night.
Santa uses this magical item to enter homes without chimneys
What is Santa's magic key?
Tinsel Tidbits - This key is said to only work for Santa and can open any door.
These are the four main food groups according to Buddy the Elf in "Elf".
What are candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup?
Tinsel Tidbits - The scene where Buddy eats his special spaghetti had to be shot twice, because Will Ferrell got sick the first time
Plum Christmas pudding was traditionally made with 13 ingredients for this reason.
Why symbolize Christ and the Apostles?
Tinsel Tidbits - The ingredients were: raisins, currants, suet, brown sugar, breadcrumbs, citron, lemon peel, orange peel, flour, mixed spices, eggs, milk and brandy.
The last Sunday before Advent was known as “stir up Sunday" - this is when the ingredients where assembled and each family member had to stir the pudding from east to west to honour the journey of the Three Wise Men. A coin was put into the mixture and whoever got the coin when it was cut up had good luck for the new year.
This song was initially condemned by the Roman Catholic Church for allegedly portraying an adulterous affair
What is “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”?
Tinsel Tidbits - A made-for-television movie based on the song was released in 2001 and the movie's tagline was "Christmas is coming, and Santa's a dirty rat."
This food is traditionally eaten on Christmas Day in Japan.
What is KFC - Kentucky Fried Chicken?
Tinsel Tidbits - KFC's "Kentucky for Christmas" campaign was a success because it appealed to Japan's fascination with foreign cuisine and avoided traditional Western Christmas symbols. The campaign featured festive commercials that linked fried chicken with Christmas and luxurious foods. And beacue because few Japanese homes have ovens, buying take-out chicken made sense.
In "The Nutcracker" ballet, Santa Claus is portrayed as this character
Who is Uncle Drosselmeyer?
Tinsel Tidbits - Drosselmeyer is the character who gives out presents, specifically the Nutcracker doll that starts Clara's magical journey. He is often depicted with a slightly magical/mysterious aura and a jolly disposition, which can add to the Santa-like quality.
The Peanut's gang sing this song at the end of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
What is "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"?
Tinsel Tidbit - Charles Schulz hated jazz. The instrumental score in the movie would go on to become synonymous with Peanuts animation—but it wasn’t up to Schulz. He left the music decisions to Mendelson, telling a reporter shortly after the special aired that he thought jazz was “awful.”
This sweet treat is traditionally served with a Christmas dinner in Germany
What is Stollen?
Tinsel Tidbits - The Dressing Stollen Festival parades a giant Stollen around each year. In 2015, it weighed more than 6613lbs!!!
This is the other name for the Christmas tune, "The Twelve Days of Christmas”
What is "The Counting Song"?
Tinsel Tidbits - It was originally written as a kind of poem known as "cumulative verse" around 1780, but wasn't set to music until the 20th century
The "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is a popular Christmas Eve dinner tradition in this country
What is Italy?
Tinsel Tidbits - This tradition dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil). The meal typically consists of seven different seafood dishes, but families may have more or less and other foods are are also made.
St. Nickolas was believed to have been born in this modern day country
What is Turkey?
Tinsel Tidbits - At the time, it was known as Patara. St. Nickolas lost both of his parents as a young man and reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick.
This many ghosts visit Scrooge in the movie "A Christmas Carol".
How many is 4?
Tinsel Tidbits - The four ghosts are....
1) Jacob Marley - Scrooge's former business partner who represents what Scrooge could become if he doesn't change his ways)
2 The Ghost of Christmas Past - Takes Scrooge to scenes from his past when he was more innocent, but still lonely
3) The Ghost of Christmas Present - Represents generosity, empathy, and the Christmas spirit
4)The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come - Represents the fear of death and moral reckoning
Historically, women in England who wanted to find a husband would give this to a future spouse to make them fall in love with them.
What are gingerbread men?
Tinsel Tidbits - Folk practitioners would provide these cookies to women for good luck and fertility. But there is also a darker slide to gingerbread - some superstitions believed that witches could use gingerbread figures to cast spells, either to harm someone by eating a gingerbread representation of them or to control someone through enchanted gingerbread.
This song was the first Christmas song to ever be played on the radio
What is "O Holy Night"?
Tinsel Tidbits - Neither the song's author (Placide Cappeau) nor it's composor (Adolphe Adam) were religious. The song was banned by the Catholic Church in Franch for 20 years when it was discovered that Cappeau was an atheist with anticlerical views and Adam was Jewish.
In this country, people celebrate Christmas by roller skating to church.
Where is Caracas, Venezuela?
Tinsel Tidbits - Every year between the 16th and 24th of December in, roads are closed to traffic so people can "barrel down the streets" on roller skates to attend early-morning Christmas Mass. The tradition allows children to use their gifts, encourages festivity and helps with traffic.
In the Netherlands, this is the name of the figure who accompanies Saint Nicholas and is said to punish naughty children
Who is Zwarte Piet (Black Peter)?