Image: Shutterstock
About This Quiz
There is something magical about Christmas time. With Christmas around the corner, test how much you really know about everyone's favorite holiday with this quiz!
Why is christmas celebrated?
An excuse to sing Carols.
For all the presents.
Remembering the birth of Jesus Christ.
The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service is attended on Christmas eve. Christians go to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and remember how he died for our sins.
To increase sales of gifts.
Who celebrates Christmas in modern day times?
Many around the world.
Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. It's a time when family and friends come together. People, and especially children, also like Christmas as it's a time when you give and receive presents!
Only Europeans.
Only the Jewish.
Americans only.
What was the first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated?
January 1st.
December 25th.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336 A.D., during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I, officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December!
March 25th.
December 1st.
Advertisement
What is the name for the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting?
Winter Solstice
It happens on December 21st or 22nd. To pagans this meant that the winter was over and spring was coming and they had a festival to celebrate it and worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter!
Summer Solstice
New Years Eve
Easter
What is "Yule�
Winter Solstice
In Scandinavia, and some other parts of northern Europe, the Winter Solstice is known as Yule and is where we get Yule Logs from. In Eastern Europe the mid-winter festival is called Koleda. "Yule time carols!"
A carol
One of the WIsemen
A dessert.
Pagans use what to decorate their homes during the winter solstice?
Apples
Candy
Fir Trees
Pagans used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as it made them think of the spring to come. The Romans used Fir Trees to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia. Christians use it as a sign of everlasting life with God!
Faux snow
Advertisement
Who was the first person to bring a Christmas tree inside?
Roman Emperor Constantine.
Saint Nicholas.
The Grinch.
Preacher Martin Luther.
A story is told that one night before Christmas, he was walking through the forest and looked up to see the stars shining through the tree branches. It was so beautiful, that he went home and told his children that it reminded him of Jesus!
What is the Yule Log?
A sacred log people came to visit.
Made of special bark.
An entire tree that was brought inside.
The largest end of the log would be placed into the fire hearth while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room! The log would be lit from the remains of the previous year's log which had been carefully stored away and slowly fed into the fire through the Twelve Days of Christmas!
Used for paper to make Christmas Cards.
This plant represents the crown of thorns Jesus wore when he was crucified.
Fir Tree
Holly
The berries are the drops of blood that were shed by Jesus. In Scandinavia it is known as the Christ Thorn. In pagan times, Holly was thought to be a male plant and Ivy a female plant.
Fern
Poinsetta
Advertisement
In Roman times _____ were hung on the doors as a sign of victory and status.
Candy
Stockings
Wreaths
Rich Roman women also wore them as headdresses at special occasions like weddings and to show they were posh! Roman Emperors also wore Laurel Wreaths!
Banners
What is the advent?
The story of Rudolph.
A popular christmas carol.
Preparation of Jesus' coming.
Some people fast (don't eat anything) during advent to help them concentrate on preparing to celebrate Jesus's coming. In many Orthodox and Eastern European Churches, Advent lasts for 40 days and starts on November 15th and is also called the Nativity Fast!
The legend of Frosty.
Why is mistletoe originally hung in a house?
To warn off intruders
For Santa's coming.
To bring good luck
It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household. It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology and that's where the custom of kissing under Mistletoe came about.
A sign of wealth.
Advertisement
This item captured gold coins which were tossed down a chimney by Saint Nicholas.
Christmas stockings
The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls' plight, set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry!
Rudolph
Wreath
Fir Tree
This edible christmas decoration mocks the shape of a shepherd's crook.
Gingerbread house
Fruitcake
Mince pie
Candy cane
Legend has it that during the 17th century, craftsmen created the white sticks of candy in the shape of shepherd's crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during ceremonies!
What is Midnight mass?
A Christmas Lottery
A church service
Having a Mass at Midnight at Christmas eve dates back to the early church when it was believed that Jesus was born at midnight. A lot of Churches have midnight services on Christmas Eve! In many Catholic countries such as France, Spain, and Italy, the midnight mass service is very important and everyone tries to go to a service.
When Santa comes
A caroling event
Advertisement
Where is St. Nicholas from?
Turkey
Because of his kindness Nicholas was made a Saint. St. Nicholas is not only the saint of children but also of sailors! One story tells of him helping some sailors that were caught in a dreadful storm off the coast of Turkey!
Albania
United States
Australia
Who is Ruldoph?
A reindeer
Did you know that Rudolph might actually be a girl!? Only female reindeer keep their antlers throughout winter. By Christmas time most males have discarded their antlers and are saving their energy ready to grow a new pair in the spring!
An elf
A snowman
A saint
Who is Frosty?
A saint
A reindeer
A snowman
The song "Frosty the Snowman†was written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson in 1950 specifically as a means of capitalizing on the success of Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.â€
An elf
Advertisement
This single was originally a Thanksgiving song.
Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells was originally written by James Pierpont in 1857, for Thanksgiving not Christmas. It was originally called One Horse Open Sleigh!
Deck the Halls
All I Want for Christmas
Frosty
What is the name for this paper tube, which when pulled will make a "pop†sounds and release its contents?
Christmas stocking
Christmas cracker
Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith. Traditionally it contains a paper crown, small gift, and joke!
Mistletoe
Nutcracker
Who was responsible for using electric lights on Christmas Trees.
Thomas Edison.
Edison's assistant.
Thomas Edison demonstrated electric lights in 1879, but his assistant came up with the idea to use them on trees in 1882!
St. Nicholas
Frosty.
Advertisement
In the 1600's, it was at one point ______ to celebrate Christmas in Boston.
illegal
Because of its roots in pagan festivals, Christmas was not immediately accepted by the religious. In fact, from 1659 to 1681, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas in Boston. You were fined if you were caught celebrating!
required
encouraged
mandatory
Who was santa's lead reindeer?
Frosty
Rudolph
Rudolph was actually conceived by a department store, Montgomery Ward, as a marketing gimmick to get kids to buy holiday coloring books!
Blitzen
Prancer
This is the best selling Christmas single of all time.
"Frosty"
"White Christmasâ€
"White Christmas†by Irving Berlin is the best selling single of all time, with over 100 million sales worldwide!
"We Three Kings"
"Jingle Bells"
Advertisement
What is a mince pie?
A type of fruitcake.
A pastry filled with meat.
Mince Pies, like Christmas Puddings, were originally filled with meat, such as lamb, rather than a dried fruit mix as they are today. They were also first made in an oval shape to represent the manger that Jesus slept in as a baby!
A pastry filled with apples and spice.
A chocolate dessert.
Who was the first person to draw santa?
Mary Poplov
Thomas Nast
On January 1st 1881, Harper's Weekly published Nast's most famous image of Santa, complete with a big red belly, an arm full of toys and smoking a pipe! This image of Santa became very popular!
Harper James
Kris Kringle
Who are "Waits�
Beggars.
Carol singers.
Before carol singing in public became popular, there were sometimes official carol singers called 'Waits'. These were bands of people led by important local leaders. They were called 'Waits' because they only sang on Christmas Eve!
Orphans.
Santas helpers.
Advertisement
This is a successful Christmas ballet.
Frosty
Yule TIme
Black Swan
The Nutcracker
Nutcrackers got what would turn out to be their biggest boost when Peter Tchaikovsky adapted an 1816 E.T.A Hoffman Christmas story called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King for the famous and wildly successful ballet, first performed in 1892!
Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh were presents given to Jesus by who?
A shepherd
The wise men
One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the 3 Wise Men!
An elf
St. Nicholas
Who was responsible for christmas carols?
The pagans
Christians
Early Christians took over the pagan solstice celebrations for Christmas and gave people Christian songs to sing instead of pagan ones!
Jewish
The romans.
Advertisement
The origin of Santa Claus began with whom?
The wise men
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims he that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased!
Thomas Edison
Frosty
Which is a gift from the "Twelve Days of Christmasâ€
Five children sleeping.
Three leaves of Holly.
Two turtle doves.
A partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese laying, seven swans swimming, eight maids milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords leaping, eleven pipers piping!
Four women singing.
When did Rudolph become Santa's 9th reindeer?
1939
Rudolph didn't become Santa's ninth reindeer until 1939 when an advertising writer for the department store Montgomery Ward created him!
2011
1990
1980
Advertisement
Which country did Kris Kringle originate?
United States
Germany
The German word Christkindl, which means Christ child, eventually turned into Kriss Kringle!
Africa
New Zealand
What is an advent calendar?
A calendar for kids only.
A calendar of the addition of reindeer.
A christmas countdown calendar.
There are many types of calendars used in different countries. The most common ones in the UK and USA are made of paper or cardboard with 25 little windows. A window is opened on every day in December and a Christmas picture is displayed underneath!
A countdown until Winter Solstice.
You Got:
/35
Shutterstock