Xmas quiz week 1

Please PM your answers to me by 8pm Wednesday 5th December. Thanks

1. Which of these names does NOT belong to one of Santa's reindeer?

a. Comet
b. Prancer
c. Blitzen
d. Klaxon

2. At Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of which plant?

A) Ivy
B) Yew
C) Holly
D) Mistletoe

3. In the Ukraine, what does it mean if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning?

A) Good luck
B) Misfortune will strike in the coming year
C) The winter will be unusually cold
D) Your house needs cleaning!

4. In many households, part of the fun of eating Christmas pudding is finding a trinket that predicts your fortune for the coming year. For instance, finding a coin means you will become wealthy. What will you be if you find a button?

A) Poor
B) Famous
C) A bachelor
D) Called away on a trip

5. If you were given some frumenty at a Medieval Christmas party, what would you probably do with it?

A) Eat it
B) Burn it
C) Put it in your sweetheart's hair
D) Use it to polish your boots

6. Many of us are quite familiar with the first verses of the traditional Christmas carols, but how well do you know the rest of the lyrics? For instance, what is the first line of the second verse of Angels from the Realms of Glory?

A) "Christ by highest heav'n adorèd"
B) "Shepherds in the fields abiding"
C) "Shepherds why this jubilee?"
D) "Don we now our gay apparel"

7. Which of the following names does NOT belong one of the Three Kings?

A) Caspar
B) Balthazar
C) Teleost
D) Melchior

8. In "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" Sherlock Holmes adventure takes place during the Christmas season. Which of these does the tale hinge upon?

A) A burglar disguised as Father Christmas
B) A blue diamond found in a goose
C) A cat trapped in an organ pipe
D) A poisoned flask of Napoleon brandy

9. Which well-known author of fantasy fiction also created a book called The Father Christmas Letters?

A) Lewis Carroll
B) J.R.R. Tolkien
C) E. Nesbit
D) C.S. Lewis

10. One of the most loved Christmas books is A Christmas Carol. Who wrote it?

A) Mark Twain
B) Charles Dickens
C) Hans Christian Andersen
D) Thomas M. Sawyer

11. In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. Of what material is it usually made?

A) Candy
B) Straw
C) Uranium
D) Fir wood

12. What is the Irish custom of "feeding the wren" or "hunting the wren" on December 26?

A) Taking one's in-laws out to dinner
B) Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
C) Leaving a basket of cakes at the door for passers-by
D) Putting out suet and seeds for the wild birds

13. In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", who is the nutcracker's main enemy?

A) A girl called Clara
B) The King of the Mice
C) Dr. Almond
D) Drosselmeyer the magician

14. At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served "endored". What does that mean?

A) The feet and beaks were coated with gold
B) The guests knelt in adoration as the birds were brought in
C) The birds had been raised on grain soaked in brandy
D) The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter

15. All through the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could be found in the houses of the well-to-do. What was it?

A) Imitation snow used in decorations
B) A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
C) The material used for knitting Christmas gifts
D) A fluffy confection made from almonds and sugar

16. The ancient game of Snapdragon has been part of English Christmases for over 300 years. Players are egged on by a chant, part of which goes, "Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in your clutch, Snip, snap, dragon!" What is "the dragon" in this game?

A) A costumed child
B) Flames of burning brandy
C) The oldest male in the room
D) A "snapper" made from fireplace tongs

17. In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the "goose club". What was it?
A) A pantomime troupe specializing in slapstick
B) A stout stick used for slaughtering geese
C) A banjo-like instrument used in door-to-door caroling
D) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas

18. After Scrooge has reformed his life at the end of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, he invites Bob Cratchit to join him for some "smoking bishop". What did he mean?

A) A fast variation of chess popular in Victorian London
B) A premium pipe tobacco
C) A hot spiced drink
D) A Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy and set alight

19. In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys:

A) Were herded by sheep dogs
B) Flew
C) Rode in huge wagons called "turkey-vans"
D) Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather

20. Many movies on Christmas themes have been made for television and the cinema over the years, including dozens of versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Which of the following films has NOT yet been made?

A) The Jetsons' Christmas Carol
B) Popeye's Christmas Carol
C) Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
D) Mickey's Christmas Carol

21. In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. What should you do to get rid of them?

A) Placate them with gifts of rice pudding
B) Burn either salt or an old shoe
C) Sing hymns in a loud voice
D) Throw your sandals at them

22. The jólasveinar, or "yule lads", are a traditional part of an Icelandic Christmas. What are they?

A) A band of thirteen gift-giving goblins
B) In charge of Santa’s reindeer
C) Woodcutters
D) The best male singers from each village

23. George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, The Messiah, was first performed in 1742. Where did the performance take place?

A) London
B) Dublin
C) Vienna
D) Jerusalem

24.
The first commercial Christmas card is generally agreed to have been the one shown above. The card had a hostile reception from some people. Why?

A) It depicted a family, children as well as adults, drinking wine
B) A mass-produced card was felt to violate the Christmas spirit
C) The ivy leaves bordering the design were once a pagan symbol
D) The card’s popularity raised fears of a paper shortage

25. The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. Where did it originally grow?

A) Canada
B) China
C) Mexico
D) Spain

26. Some people like to hide a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding. This may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere, of concealing a particular object in food. What was it?

A) A key
B) A piece of parchment with a fortune written on it
C) A ruby or sapphire
D) A dried bean

27. What important contribution to our Christmas customs was made by Louis Prang, who came to the USA from Germany in the 19th century?

A) Printing the first special Christmas edition of a major magazine
B) Being first to use an image of Santa Claus in an advertisement
C) Publishing the first children’s book featuring Santa Claus
D) Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards

28. One fairly modern Christmas ritual is the British monarch's broadcast to the people on Christmas day. The first was given by George V in 1932. Who wrote the king's speech?

A) The king himself
B) Children’s author Enid Blyton
C) Rudyard Kipling
D) Sir Winston Churchill

29. The "Urn of Fate" is part of the Christmas celebrations in many Italian households. What is it?

A) A jar full of fortunes
B) A game in which players toss coins into a cup
C) An actual urn containing presents
D) A special decoration that recalls the fragility of life

30. In Lithuania, if Kaledu Senelis, or Grandfather Christmas, appears to the children on Christmas Eve to hand out presents, the recipient must:

A) Find the gift while blindfolded
B) Guess what the gift is, or pay a forfeit
C) Kneel to receive the gift
D) Perform a song or poem before receiving the gift

This weeks winner is Keef with 29/30, with a very respectable 25/30 Emma (internet-nobody) is runner up.