Every Christmas practice and custom has a tradition behind it...a religious one, in most cases. Test your knowledge of your Christmas Heritage. A correct answer advances you to the next question. A wrong answer melts the snowman.
1. Which statement is not true?
A. 'Merry' originally meant 'peaceful, blessed and pleasant' rather than 'joyful'
B. The French word 'Noel' comes from the Latin 'natalis' (birthday) or from 'nowell' (news)
C. The Yule Log is derived from the Germanic 'iol' meaning 'joyful'
D. Christmas ('Christes Maesse' AD 1038) means 'Mass of Christ'
2. Which is not a reason December 25 was chosen as the day to celebrate Christmas?
A. To make the traditional pagan celebration (Natalis Solis Invicti) a Christian festival
B. To fix an official date in the Church Calendar, halting regional celebrations on different days of the year
C. John the Baptist's conception (Sept 25); 9 months to his birth (June 24); 6 months to Christ's birth (Dec. 25)
D. To assert Roman authority over the schismatic Orthodox who celebrate Christmas on January 6
3. Choose the true statement below:
A. Christ is believed to have been born at midnight on (12:00am Dec. 25) because of Wisdom 18:14-15: thus, the midnight mass
B. The Puritans in England (1642-1659) successfully outlawed and halted the celebration of Christmas in England
C. Employees were fired for missing work and children attended schools on Dec. 25 in Boston up until 1776
D. Miracle/mystery plays about the Nativity were prominent from AD 600-1000 in Europe
4. Choose the true statement below:
A. The first Christmas Card was commissioned by Englishman John C. Horsley in 1843, featuring a Christmas toast
B. The Creche (Nativity Scene) originated with St. Francis of Assisi in Greccio, Italy, AD 1423
C. A forerunner of the modern Christmas tree was the Paradise Tree of the Middle Ages (a holly tree decorated with apples)
D. Carol comes from the Latin 'choraulein' meaning a dance with flutes, while a hymn is more solemn
5. Choose the FALSE statement below:
A. January 1 is the Circumcision of the Lord, the Octave of Christmas and Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
B. The 'Twelve Days of Christmas' begin December 25 and continue to the Epiphany, January 6
C. On Christmas Day, the Shepherds arrived to worship the Christ Child before the Magi
D. The Advent Wreath contains four candles (for each Sunday), and the Jesse Tree reflects an Old Testament theme
6. Choose the FALSE statement about the use of lights at Christmas:
A. A candle in a 19th century Irish window welcomed 'Mary and Joseph' as well as a priest/Mass during English persecution
B. Lights on Christmas trees symbolize Christ the 'light of the world' and the stars in the sky at His birth
C. The Yule Log of 'Thor' became the 'Christmas Log' burned on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
D. The Jewish Festival of Hanakah uses a Menorah and posadas to commemorate the re-dedication fo the Temple in in 165 BC
7. Choose the plants that have not always been a part of Christian Christmas celebrations:
A. Mistletoe which is a token of good will, love (the 'kiss') and friendship, and ivy (human weakness 'clinging' to divine strength)
B. Holly which symbolized the burning bush of Moses as well the the crown of thorns (sharp points) and Christ's blood (red berries)
C. The Laurel (bay) symbolzing Christ's victory over death and rosemary with its fragrance of the infant Jesus's clothing on the flight to Egypt
D. Evergreens (eternal life) and poinsettia (given supernaturally to a poor Mexican child to present to the Infant Jesus)
8. Which special day does not take place during Advent/Christmas:
A. Boxing Day when church alms-boxes were traditionally emptied and distributed to the poor
B. The eve of the feast day of St. Lucy, when the saint wearing a crown of seven candles, leaves treats in children's shoes
C. Feasts of the Holy Family, the Holy Innocents and St. Wenceslaus
D. The traditional Ember Days and the feasts of St. Stephen and St. John the Evangelist
9. Which was not an 'ancestor' of the Christmas Tree:
A. The Paradise Tree (from mystery plays about Adam and Eve) decorated with apples, Host-like wafers and shaped decorative pastries
B. A wooden pyramid with candles (in Germany)
C. The oak tree which St. Boniface cut down with one blow (and a supernatural wind), splitting into four equal parts
D. A decorative tree during English Victorian times with candles lighted infrequently because of fire hazard
10. Find the false statement about Christmas foods:
A. English mince pies sometimes contained as many as eight different birds and animal meats
B. The 'cross' on Christmas 'Hot Cross Buns' is usually made of sugary icing
C. 'Plum' Pudding often contains no actual plums, but rather dried raisins (called 'plums' in the 17th Century)
D. Turkey was available in 19th Century England, but was expensive, so 'goose' more often a main course
Merry Christmas!
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