Did you know that each nation has its own unique way of memorialise Christmas ? Have you ever wondered why we ship Christmas poster ? beautify an evergreen plant tree diagram and give it a plaza of honor in our home ? Smooch a mantrap underneath a bloodsucking works ? Did you ever marvel how Santa delivers gifts to children all over the creation in just one Nox ?
These questions and many more will be answer in this Christmas trivia article that ’s chock full of interesting , entertaining , and fun facts ! Here ’s a prevue :
Christmas Symbol Trivia
Christmas is a vacation full of symbolism . Do you know the meanings of the different Christmas symbols ? screen your Christmas trivia knowledge with the titbit below .
What is the Meaning of Gold?
The gift of gold to the Christ Child is supposed to have come from Melchior , a king from Arabia , who , fable has it , was one of the Three Wise Men . His share is thought to have finance the Holy Family ’s flight into Egypt .
Gold , as valuable today as it was in Christ ’s sentence , symbolizes immortality , divinity , purity , and the kingship of Jesus Christ .
What is the Meaning of Frankincense?
Tradition maintain that Balthasar , one of the Three Wise Men who make out from the East to observe the Christ Child , confront frankincense to the babe as a giving . By honoring him in this way , Balthasar fulfilled the prophecy that Au and frankincense would be brought from the Gentiles to reward the heavenly king ( Isaiah 60 and Psalm 72 ) .
Frankincense , a sweet gum tree resin from the Boswellia tree diagram , is the purest of incense . When fire , it produces white smoke and a sweet smelling , symbolize the supplication and praises of the faithful as well as Christ ’s sacrifice and the divine name of God .
What is the Meaning of Myrrh?
Caspar , a Riley B King from Tarsus and one of the Three Wise Men , is believed to have given myrrh to the Baby Jesus .
Myrrh is known for its medicinal value and was used in ancient times for cleaning wounds and sores , as an analgesic , and for embalm the dead or anointing kings .
Myrrh is actually an aromatic glue resin that ooze from gashes cut off in the barque of the commiphora tree diagram . It hardens into tear - shape chunk and is then ram down into gunpowder or assorted to make balm and essence . It is named for its acid taste and symbolizes the Suffering Savior , the Great Physician , and Christ ’s human nature .
What is an Advent Wreath?
The season of Advent is the rootage of the church year for Christians . It bulge out the quaternary Sunday before Christmas Day and end on Christmas Eve . mean " arrival , " Advent is a solemnisation of the birth of Jesus and his eventual return .
Many family observe this holy season by lighting an Advent wreath . A circular evergreen wreath is laid flat and adorned with four candle around the wreath and one in the center . It is very emblematic of :
The four purple candles around the wreath standstill for the four Sundays of Advent and for the four centuries between the time the prophet Malachi foretell the coming of the Messiah and the actual birth of Jesus . One purple candle is get down for each Sunday in Advent , with one candle lit on the first Sunday , two on the second Sunday , and so on , until all four wax light are lit on the fourth Sunday . The blank center wax light symbolise Christmas Day and is lit on that twenty-four hours .
The meter - honored tradition of broadcast Christmas identity card began more than 150 years ago in England . Sir Henry Cole , a renaissance man who write and put out books on art and architecture , was too busy to write vacation greetings to friends and crime syndicate , so he asked John Callcott Horsley , a well - known painter , to plan a card with a single substance that could be institutionalise to everyone on his list .
Horsley created a lithographed , hand - colored sketch print on cardboard . The representative picture a Graeco-Roman puritanical Christmas scene of a family gayly eating and drinking . The legend read , " A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You . "
The first Christmas card appeared in the United States in the mid-1800s , when New York engraver Richard Pease design a carte du jour with a little Santa Claus , a sledge , and reindeer .
In 1875 , Louis Prang , who wrote and published architectural books , printed images in people of color with a series of lithographic zinc photographic plate . The finished merchandise resembled an oil colour painting . These notice were so in demand that Prang could n’t fulfill all of his orders . At one detail Prang was printing five million cards a yr . His efforts earned him the byname , " The Father of the American Christmas Card . "
Today , everything from cagey verses and vacation scenes to geometrical pattern and sports form embellish the straw man of cards . An average U.S. household mails out 28 Christmas notice each year and receives the same number in proceeds . More than three billion Christmas cards are place annually .
As we ’ve learned , the Christmas symbols often hold religious significance . try out your religious Christmas small beer about the substance of the nativity fit , the word " Xmas , " and the Good King Wenceslas in the next segment .
Religious Christmas Trivia
examine your spiritual Christmas trivia knowledge with the fun interrogative below .
Do you understand the ancient beliefs behind the various Christmas songs ?
Do you recognise the meaning of the Word of God " Xmas ? " Find out .
Can you distinguish the First Live Nativity Scene ?
In a cave on a windswept Italian mountainside , Francis of Assisi assembled the first Christmas crib in 1223 . The Christ Child , put on an altar of I. F. Stone , and two live animals – an wild ox and a Equus asinus – were its only occupants .
Today , a flyspeck monastery surrounds the cave , which still remain relatively undisturbed by the eld . The idea behind the cribbage was to make the story of Christ ’s birth more vivid in the minds of shepherds and farmers who hold out there . The townsfolk were very enthusiastic – they were the ones who paint a picture the ox and donkey .
What is the belief behind the Twelve daytime of Christmas Sung ?
One of the vacation ’s best - loved song , " The Twelve Days of Christmas , " denounce the longest vacation in the Christian calendar – the clock time between Christmas Day and Epiphany , lionize on January 6 .
The birdsong ’s origin is unknown , but some believe the song was written to help Catholic children remember various article of religion . These are :
straight passion
God
A partridge in a pear tree
Jesus
Two polo-neck doves
Old and New Testaments
Three French biddy
Faith , Hope , and Charity
Four call in birds
Four gospel singing
Five favorable anchor ring
The first five books of the Old Testament , the Pentateuch , which records the history and laws of ancient Israel
Six geese a - put
Six days of Creation
Seven swans a - float
Seven talent of the Holy Spirit , or the Seven Sacraments
Eight amah a - milking
Eight beatitudes
Nine ladies dance
Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ten lords a - bound
Ten precept
Eleven genus Piper piping
Eleven close disciples
Twelve drummer thrum
Twelve point of philosophical system in the Apostles ' Creed
Where is the World’s Largest Nativity Scene located?
With more than 450 figures and C of yard of landscape painting , the world ’s largest panorama of the Nativity is found in Einsiedeln , Switzerland . In the 1930s , crib maker Ferdinand Pottmesser built a giant Christmas crib along with hundred of figurines .
Pottmesser sell the collection to Einsiedeln in the mid-1950s , and the figurines became the impetus for create a giant diorama – a copy of the landscape painting of Bethlehem and a visually precise representation of the story of the birth of Christ .
The diorama jump with angels awakening the shepherds with word of the birthing of Jesus and terminate with Joseph and Mary fleeing into Egypt to escape Herod and his soldiers . The diorama attracts thousands of visitors every twelvemonth .
What is the Meaning of the Word “Xmas?”
Some people think of Xmas as a contemporaneous , sacrilegious abbreviation of the word Christmas . On the contrary , the first letter of the alphabet of the word Christ in the Greek linguistic process is chi , which is superposable to the modern Roman ABC ’s X.
Therefore , Xmas is an ecclesiastic abbreviation that has been used for almost as long as Christmas has been in existence .
What is the story behind The Birthplace of Jesus?
It was preach in Micah 5:2 that Bethlehem would be the provenience of the future King of the Jews . Indeed , this small Judean city near Jerusalem became the site of the Nativity . Bethlehem , which means " mansion of bread , " was also the home of David , one of God ’s favorite kings .
Though the precise locating of Jesus ' birth is nameless , the story uphold that Jesus was have in a stable and lay in a trough , or food for thought till . In those days , stables were made of stones or situated in a cave .
Around A.D. 326 - 330 , Empress Helena , married woman of Constantine , build a church service over the cave think to be Jesus ' birthplace . The church service was rebuilt in the 6th one C , and pieces of the original building still remain . It is said to be the oldest Christian church in existence and one of the most genuinely holy site in the Holy Land .
This altar inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is believed to distinguish the exact place of Jesus ' birth .
Who was Good King Wenceslas?
“ in effect King Winceslas look out on the Feast of Stephen when the blow lie in round about deep and nippy and even . ” King Wenceslas , about whom John Neale write this carol , became Duke of Bohemia in A.D. 924 . He was a human beings of great organized religion who puzzle out diligently to thread Christianity throughout Bohemia .
King Wenceslas serve his masses very well , specially the baby and the poor . But his reign lasted only five year . His brother , Boleslaw , invite Wenceslas to a religious fete , then attacked and hit him on the way there .
Christmas Traditions Trivia
Christmas custom around the existence can be nearly identical to the way you celebrate Christmas , moderately the same , or they can be entirely unlike . Do you know how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico ? Germany ? Test your Christmas custom trivia knowledge with the facts below .
How do Mexicans celebrate Christmas?
Mexicans fete the birth of Jesus with las Posadas , nine days of preparation during which the tarradiddle of the Nativity is reenact each solar day . These days lead up to Noche Buena ( Holy Night ) or Christmas Eve . Most menage go to hatful , then head home for dinner with family and admirer . The highlight of the evening is localise Baby Jesus in the trough in the Nativity scene .
To prepare for the celebration , the firm is embellish with clayware ; bowls of yield ; brightly biased paper ornament ; colorful confetti ; tinsel - trimmed maraca ; maven - forge piñatas filled with orange , tangerine , peanuts , and candy canes ; red , gullible , and silver tablecloths ; lowly lanterns and standard candle ; and , of course , a Nativity aspect .
The bedspread for Feliz Navidad include :
What are some of the Swedish Holiday Traditions?
On December 13 , one of the darkest days of the year , St. Lucia Day , or the Festival of Lights , is celebrated throughout Sweden to symbolise the promise of the Sunday ’s return . In the yesteryear , a young girl would dress in a white-hot gown with a crimson sash and a coronal of lit candles on her head . She would go from house to house offering baked goods .
Today , the custom continues with the erstwhile miss in a syndicate fag out the traditional clothes with a lei of ( assault and battery - powered ) candles on her head , waken everyone with a vocal and saffron butt and coffee .
According to legend , Lucia was a young missy that lived during the 4th 100 . She was blinded for her Christian belief . St. Lucia is the frequenter nonpareil of the blind .
For a Swedish Christmas dinner party , sit down down to a table of :
What is Christmas like in Germany?
Celebrating the season is a month - farsighted event in Germany , with festivity climax on Christmas Eve , when the Christmas tree is uncover . Children are not grant to see the tree until a bell rings to signify that the Christ Child has been there .
Once the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is revealed , full decorated with tinsel , Christ Within , and decoration , family localise presents underneath and peach Christmas Christmas carol . The Nox subsequently give way to a feast so overgenerous that the eventide is often called dickbauch , or " fat abdomen . "
It is believed that those who do not deplete well will be haunted by demons during the nighttime . screwball , fruits , marchpane , greenery , candles , and endearing carved , wooden figurine of angels , Tree , and Santa are placed around the table .
The night ’s pleasure include :
What is Boxing Day in England?
Although the exact origin of package Day is unsung , it is believed to particular date back to England during the Middle Ages . The most wide accepted theory is that even though servant were take to wreak on Christmas Day , they were given a hiatus the day after to visit family , with their employers sending them off with a box containing gift and solid food , hence the term " Boxing Day . "
Today , mass continue to fete by carry the day off to visit family and friends and to give present to those who have avail them throughout the yr . Traditional Christmas festivities in England let in tables laden with pine bough , holly , mistletoe , raetam Charles Edward Berry , cinnamon stick , orange with fragrant Eugenia caryophyllatum , bowls of fruit , and tiny Christmas trees scattered throughout .
Party favors are placed on plates . These include English " crackers , " which are colour paper subway system filled with candy and small gifts .
The distinctive English Christmas banquet consists of :
How do you say “Merry Christmas” around the World?
So , you ’ve learned quite a bit about Christmas custom around the world and how to say Merry Christmas in more than a dozen speech . Are you quick to test your Santa Claus knowledge ? Continue to the next section to test your Santa triviality .
Santa Trivia
Do you conceive in Santa Claus ? prove your Santa trivia knowledge with the St. Nicholas facts below – then decide .
Who is Santa Claus?
For 100 , St. Nicholas has been remember by Christians for his generosity toward small fry and the short . The real St. Nicholas go in Turkey , where he swear out as bishop in the town of Myra , during the fourth hundred . allot to Dutch caption , Sinter Klaas(St . Nicholas ) convey natural endowment at Christmastime , either through an open windowpane or down a chimney . This legend is the footing of the Santa Claus we know and love today .
Prior to the sixteenth century , gifts were convert during the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6 . After that time , German Protestants get celebratingChristkindlon December 25 , a feast day for the Christ Child . before long the two days merged into one , although , today many the great unwashed in Europe continue to celebrate both days . As betimes as 1773 , the name " St. A Claus " appeared in print .
But Americans did not have a detailed verbal description of St. Nicholas until Washington Irving included a draught of him in the 1809 publicationA History of New York . Then , in 1823 , Clement Clarke Moore wrote’Twas the Night Before Christmas(orA Visit from St. Nicholas ) . It was Moore ’s account that characterized Santa as a jolly old man who rides in a sleigh pulled by fly reindeer and slides down chimneys to deliver natural endowment .
Who’s Tracking Santa Claus?
" Deter . notice . Defend . " This catchword of the North American Aerospace Defense Command , better known as NORAD , applies to the Canadian and American agency ’s responsibility to maintain the airspace of Canada , Alaska , and the continental United States . However , each December 24 , NORAD is also call for in tracking Santa Claus ’s sled ride across the earth .
Using data receive from a ecumenical net of radio detection and ranging and satellite in space , NORAD staff and more than 360 volunteers begin reporting on Santa ’s progress at 5:00 a.m. MST . tangible - time update via eastward - mail , the Internet , and telecast are transport into well out audio recording and video update and then translate into French , Japanese , Spanish , Portuguese , and English .
Which Cities are Easiest for Santa to Visit?
Those with snow , of course ! concord to the Statistical Abstract of the United States , the medium snowfall each December in the following locations is more than two feet :
Does Santa Really Exist?
Yes , Santa Claus really does exist – and he lives in Rovaniemi , Finland ! At Santa ’s Village , you may visit Santa in his workshop and watch his trusty elves building toys and decorate for the holidays . you’re able to also hold back by one of the gift store and pick up Santa ’s pet Finnish candies or a toy from Santa ’s shop .
In maintain with Santa ’s North Pole reference , Santa ’s Village is located in the Finnish Lapland on the Arctic Circle . The Lapland is a region that includes northern Finland , Sweden , and Norway . It is north of the Arctic Circle , an fanciful line on the surface of the earth where the Sunday does not rise on the wintertime solstice or set on the summertime solstice .
What are Santa’s Favorite Reads?
What are Santa’s Aliases?
Christmas gifts are bestowed by different gift givers in various countries . These include Père Noël in France , St. Nicholas or Sinter Klaas in Holland , Father Christmas in England , the Three Martin Luther King in voice of Latin America and Spain , and Santa Claus in the United States . In Germany , tike are visit by Christkind , an saintly messenger of Jesus .
Babouschka , a grandmotherly figure , bring present in Russia , while in Sweden , Jultomten , a dwarf who twit a sled , does the honors . Syrian fry have talent from a camel of one of the Three Wise Men , reportedly the small one in the caravan . And in Italy , a kindly old witch named La Befana leave giving for children .
Can you Name any Reindeer Facts?
After testing your Santa trivia cognition , you should have it off all there is to love about Santa Claus and his Rangifer tarandus . observe out how much you know ( or cerebrate you know ) about Christmas trees . Continue to test your Christmas tree trivia knowledge in the surface area of Earth records , types of Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , and more
Christmas Tree Trivia
Christmas just would n’t be the same without a Christmas tree scintillate in the night on Christmas Eve . Where did this Christmas tree tradition come from ? What is our bang-up body politic ’s home Christmas tree ? chance out answers to these head and more as you increase your Christmas tree trivia cognition with the interesting fact below .
What is the Origin of the Christmas Tree?
The Christmas tree is thought to have originated in a drama often do in the Middle Ages during the Advent season . base on the story of Adam and Eve , the romp featured a Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden that was decorated with apples to symbolize Eve ’s enticement . The Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree used in the play was an evergreen tree diagram , which symbolized natality and a renewal of life .
Later , in sixteenth century Germany , people would hang Malus pumila , luxurious candies , coloured paper , and blush wine from tree diagram branches . Martin Luther , inspired by the beauty of stars shining through the offset of a fir Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , is credited with being the first person to add lighted candles to a tree diagram .
Some think that King George , a aborigine of Germany , wreak the custom of decorating a Christmas tree to England . Others quotation Queen Victoria with contribute the tradition to England from Germany where her husband , Prince Albert , was upraise .
An etching of the British royal fellowship gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle in 1848 prompted the spread of this favorite decoration throughout Victorian England . The impost was brought to the United States when German immigrant in Pennsylvania continued to decorate Christmas trees just as they had done in their homeland .
How do you care for Holiday Botanicals?
So much of Christmas decorating involves natural greenery and holiday flowers . Even if you do n’t have a light-green thumb , it is promiscuous to contain these elements into your decor . All it take aim to keep alive and cut botanicals fresh during the holidays is tippy , loving care . It is a myth that poinsettias are venomous , but they do have a acerb gustatory modality .
To care for poinsettias , keep the soil moist , not smashed . After the holidays , transfer the plant into a larger pot , clip the arm back once the bract or leaves fade , and feed it every three weeks with plant food . As the weather warm to 60 level Fahrenheit , place the plant alfresco and continue trimming its branches . In October , give away the industrial plant to 14 hours of shadow day by day to force the parting to color .
vacation greenery such as holly , ivy , and evergreen offshoot will stay beautiful longer by adding a commercial floral preservative to the water system . Spritz arrangement with urine daily and supervise their temperature . The tank the room , the longer the greenery stays overbold . leafage dip in household floor wax can last up to six week . This also works for decorative fruit such as grape and pear . It chip in them a shine and can keep them from spoiling for at least three weeks .
Christmas tree need piddle daily . Adding a commercial-grade preservative to the water will extend the life of the tree . For a hot tree , target the gunny - wrap root - ball in a tub , and pee it daily . After Christmas , dig a maw twice as large as the root - ball , cautiously remove the burlap , then range the tree into the hole .
Ranging in colouration from red to yellowish , kalanchoes and other succulent plant are first-class holiday bloomers . Though the plants can withstand relatively dry atmospheric condition , keep the soil moist . After the holidays , treat kalanchoes like poinsettias , trimming the branches and feeding regularly . In the fall , give up the plant to dry out out between lachrymation and display it to at least 12 hours of dark to encourage flowering .
To force bulbs like paperwhites , narcissus , amaryllis , and iris , plant them in October with the pointed oddment up in a shallow container on a layer of pebble . Fill with flaxen pot soil or with more pebbles . water supply at planting time and on a regular basis when development begins . put the bulbs in lovesome sunlight , and fertilize just before and during blooming . When flower begin to die , slenderize watering until the leaf have fade . Plant the bulb , or place them in a cool , dark , dry place until next year .
What is the History of the Wreath?
Wreaths have a farseeing history , go steady back to ancient Druids who believed that holly , a recurrent evergreen plant with lush , red berry , was a charming plant . wreath were first create when holly and other evergreen plant were arranged in a rotary soma , a shape with no offset or remnant , and therefore , synonymous with eternity .
This internal representation take on more meaning when Jesus Christ was crowned with a coronal of spine . In the day of Julius Caesar , wreaths were worn by aristocrats and used by Greeks to crown victorious athletes in the original Olympic game . It is believed that hang a wreath on a threshold became a tradition when Olympic athlete began to hang their wreaths on their doors conform to a triumph .
Although the Son wreath evokes thoughts of Christmas , these lovely medallion can beautify doorway and walls year - pear-shaped . They can be embellished with a vast compartmentalization of dried or artificial flower to fit any vacation or season .
What are some of the most popular Holiday World Records?
Some people love the holidays so much that they do out to break world records with their holiday cheerfulness . For example :
The largest Christmas stocking measure 35 feet 4 1/2 inch foresightful and 16 base 5 inches wide . Created by J. Terry Osborne and friends from King William County , Virginia , it was filled with giving to be circulate to impoverished children .
Jean - Guy Laquerre of Boucherville , Quebec , Canada , is an greedy Father Christmas collector , with more than 13,000 items collected since 1988 . The collect hemipterous insect bit when his aunt died and leave him a 12 - inch - mellow old-hat papier - mâché Santa Claus from the 1920s . Since then , he has tally object such as music boxes , yo - yos , exposure , candleholders , and pens .
What is the Origin of the Poinsettia?
Poinsettias accounting for 88 per centum of all industrial plant purchases at Christmastime . The most popular people of color is red , but they are also available in lily-white , ointment , pink , and yellow , and they can be bare , spotted , or marble .
spring up in Mexico , where they are known as the " Flower of the Holy Night , " the flowers were convey to the United States by Joel Poinsett in 1829 . In their native body politic , they grow as shrubs and can extend to heights up to ten feet tall .
In Mexico , a fondness - warming story explains the origin of the poinsettia :
On a Christmas Eve , long ago , a poor minuscule male child give out to church service in slap-up sadness because he had no gift to bring the Holy Child . He dared not enter the church , and , kneeling meekly on the ground outside the business firm of God , he prayed fervently and control our Lord , with weeping , how much he hope to provide him some lovely present –“But I am very poor and dread to approach you with empty hand . " When he finally arise from his stifle , he see springing up at his feet a green plant with gorgeous bloom of dazzling red .
What is Holly?
For century , holly has been synonymous with the vacation time of year . In ancient Rome , holly subdivision were given as a gesture of friendship during Saturnalia , the winter solstice festival . Druids would beautify their home with holly during Britain ’s gloomy winters , believing that the Sunday always shine on this sacred tree . Likewise , pagans would wreak holly and other evergreens at heart to assure that Nature would bring back in the spring .
There are hundreds of specie of holly that can be trot and used in seasonal medal . Perhaps the most well known is American holly , which features bristly , sheeny leaves and bright red Chuck Berry . Inkberry holly , named for its deep majestic - black berry , and variegated holly , with stripy leaf , are striking choice to the standard holiday holly .
What is the Origin of the Traditional Mistletoe Kiss?
Who does n’t love hang mistletoe ? Although most mistletoe is parasitic , and , therefore , harmful to the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on which it develop , the Celts thought it had magical big businessman for healing wound and increasing rankness , so they placed it throughout their homes for good luck and to guard off evil spirits .
In ancient Britain , mistletoe was considered so consecrated that it could only be cut with a aureate sickle . Today , Americans dress doorframe with this plant in hopes of catching a smack from a stunner while endure under its leaf . This tradition is credited to Frigga , the Scandinavian goddess of love and beaut , and is said to day of the month back to the 8th century .
What is America’s National Christmas Tree?
America ’s prescribed national Christmas tree is not located at the White House , but rather in King ’s Canyon National Park near Sanger , California . The tree , a giant redwood known as the General Grant Tree , was designated the " Nation ’s Christmas Tree " in 1925 .
It is 267 feet eminent , 40 foundation across its home , and is estimated to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years sure-enough . In 1956 , the tree was declared a national shrine to honour the men and women of the U.S. military . As a memorial , park fire warden place a wreath at the base of the tree during the Christmas observance , which has been held every year since 1925 .
As you may see , there were many engaging fact to discover about everything from Christmas trees to chaplet . In the next section , take your Christmas trivia skills to the next horizontal surface as you unveil fact about Christmas song .
Christmas Song Trivia
Did you know that carol can be traced back to as early as 1350 , but most of today ’s Christmas carols were written during the eighteenth 100 ? you may discover entertaining facts like this and more as you try your Christmas song trivia noesis with the tidbits below .
What is the Origin of Holiday Carols?
In 1847 , the music for " O Holy Night " was written by French composer Adolphe - Charles Adam , who also wrote the concert dance Giselle . Now a mainstay for church celebrations and carolers , the song was first denounced by church service authorities for its " deficiency of melodious taste and total absence of the look of organized religion . " The English words to the strain were interpret from French by American clergyman John Sullivan Dwight .
In 1857 , James Pierpont , musical director at his comrade ’s Unitarian church , was revolutionise to write a song about the lark sleigh races he watch as a young man . " Jingle Bells " was first published as " One Horse Open Sleigh , " and though it was well liked from the beginning , it really assume off when the Hayden Quartet recorded it in 1902 .
Pastor Phillips Brooks wrote the discussion to " O Little Town of Bethlehem " in 1867 , recalling the vista of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine at night . His church organist , Lewis Redner , add the music so that the children ’s consort could sing the Sung dynasty . The song " Jolly Old St. Nicholas " is usually considered anon. , but some people take that it was write by Wilf Carter , also bang as nation singer Montana Slim .
What is the Biggest Selling Christmas Song of all time?
According to the Guinness Book of World Records , " White Christmas " has sold more than 100 million copy around the world . The song was written by Irving Berlin and recorded by Bing Crosby for the 1942 melodic Holiday Inn .
Released annually since 1942 , the strain ’s last chart appearance was in 1998 , when it reached number 29 in the United Kingdom .
Released in 1957 , " Jingle Bell Rock " has been a favorite of recording artist for nearly 50 year . Who has record this melodic phrase ?
In what year did the World’s Largest Caroling Service take place?
The world ’s enceinte caroling service took place December 20 , 2003 , as recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records . Organized by the City of Cambridge in Ontario , Canada , 1,175 carolers sang Christmas songs in the Civic Square for 28 second .
What is The Vienna Boys' Choir?
Giving vocalism to the holidays , the Vienna Boys ' Choir is one of the oldest boys ' choir in the world . According to founding documents , the choir has root word as far back as 1498 , when Maximilian I brought a 12 boy together to organize the court music band .
As gestate , the consort has produced many instrumentalist that shaped the musical account of the 19th and twentieth centuries , let in composer Joseph and Michael Haydn . Franz Schubert wrote his first compositions as a motor hotel choirboy , and although he was considered a melodious mastermind , he was not a pet of his teachers since he was more concerned in writing music than in getting good grades for his schoolwork .
In 1924 , the choir set about scorch in concert halls around the world . Since then , the Vienna Boys ' Choir has performed concerts under many capital conductors , including Leonard Bernstein . Yet , in keep with a custom dating back to 1498 , the consort sings solemn flock in Vienna ’s Hofburg Chapel every Sunday .
What is the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular?
Since 1933 , the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular has been a mainstay for the holiday in New York City . in the beginning performed before movie screenings , the Christmas Spectacular blow up to its current 90 - minute bouncy stagecoach production in 1979 .
For eight weeks each year , the show attracts more than a million people to its Big Apple carrying out , and thousands more catch its holiday tour to major metropolis around the United States . It is the act one bouncy show in the land . Part of the allure of the show is its over - the - top presentation :
What are the Top 20 Christmas Songs?
According to ASCAP , these are the most - perform vacation songs from 2000 to 2005 :
If you thought your Christmas song trivia cognition was middling practiced , then you may do very well with our next discussion section . allow ’s go along in the area of art and entertainment and detect out how much you know about Christmas amusement .
Christmas Entertainment Trivia
There are more classic motion-picture show , productions , and song played during Christmas than any other time of the year . Can you name five Hellenic holiday movies ? Theater productions ? you could determine out answer to these questions and more as you try your Christmas entertainment trivia knowledge with the quick fact below .
What are titles of some of the Classic Holiday Movies?
Do you know the history of Holidays at Rockefeller Center?
In New York , it ’s not officially Christmastime until the tree is lit at Rockefeller Center . The first tree appear in 1931 , during the Great Depression , when prole lay a tree in the grunge of a construction website . That year , the tree symbolized Christmas as much as it did hope and the unbeatable human tone .
In 1933 , the current custom start with a tree decorated with 700 spark send in front of the newly completed RCA Building . The Rockefeller Plaza Outdoor Ice - Skating Pond opened in 1936 .
The decorating theme and festivities have varied from year to yr . In 1941 , two reindeer take up from the Bronx Zoo were housed in cages beside the Prometheus Fountain . In 1942 , during World War II , three living trees ornament the Center .
In an act of nationalism , one tree diagram was grace in red , another in white , and the other in blue . However , because of wartime restrictions on electricity , the trees were not well-lighted .
In 1949 , the tree was painted silver . In 1951 , the entire nation witnessed the tree - light ceremony when it was televised onThe Kate Smith Show . And by 1964 , the ceremony had become an annual upshot , with celebrities such as Johnny Carson , Hugh Downs , Ed McMahon , Barbara Walters , Debbie Reynolds , Marlo Thomas , and Phil Donahue hosting the show .
Today , the one-year Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is typically adorned with more than 25,000 visible radiation but no other ornamentation except for the adept on top .
Who is Rankin - Bass ?
Rudolph , Frosty , and Kris Kringle were all brought to life on television , thanks to the work of Rankin - Bass . The television production company found by Arthur Rankin , Jr. , and Jules Bass achieved renown in 1964 when they create an animated adaptation of the song " Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer . "
recite by Burl Ives , with an original orchestral score by Johnny Marks , Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer was an clamant strike and today is one of the longest - lam Christmas special in television story .
Rudolph ’s success was soon followed by several other holiday bang produced by Rankin - Bass :
Rankin-Bass Trivia: What animated shows did Rankin-Bass create in the 1970s?
What is The Nutcracker?
In 1890 , following the success of the Russian balletsSwan LakeandSleeping Beauty , composer Peter Tchaikovsky , choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov , and set designer Ivan Vsevolozhsky created what would become one of the well - loved ballet of all time .
The Nutcracker , a full - length ballet , was based onThe Nutcracker of Nuremberg , by Alexandre Dumas , which he adapted fromThe Nutcracker and the Mouse King , by German author E.T.A. Hoffman . In December 1892 , the ballet opened at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia to motley critique .
It was n’t until 1944 that an American concert dance company perform the chef-d’oeuvre . Choreographed by W. Christensen , the San Francisco Opera Ballet produce the first full - length American production , with Jocelyn Vollmar dancing as the Snow Queen .
So you ’ve had your fill of Christmas entertainment trifle , and you ’re athirst for more . stay to the next plane section to screen your Christmas food knowledge with our sport Christmas food for thought trivia questions .
Christmas Food Trivia
Besides Thanksgiving , Christmas is the only other sentence of the year where it ’s absolutely ok for people around the creation to overindulge . There are so many delicious Christmas foods and desserts to choose from , its no wonder the fair American use up 17 Pound of turkey each yr !
larn all about Christmas food as you test your Christmas nutrient trivia noesis with the choice morsel below .
What’s for Christmas Dinner in America?
How many Turkeys are Consumed at Christmas each Year?
What is Figgy Pudding?
Before you peach , " Now bring us some figgy pudding , " it might be helpful to know exactly what you are requesting . Figgy pudding is an English dish similar to bread pudding . Made from common fig tree , breadstuff crumbs , cinnamon , nutmeg tree , and Milk River , the pudding is baked , then topped with a scrumptious brandied hard sauce , custard icing , powdered sugar , or whipped ointment .
The dish was eternalize in the songWe Wish You a Merry Christmasand was served by Mrs. Cratchit in the Charles Dickens classicA Christmas Carol .
What is fruitcake?
Fruitcake früt - k¯ak n ( 1848 ) 1 : a rich cake moderate Nut , dried or candied fruit , and spices ; 2 : a dopy , eccentric , or unbalanced person .
What is Christmas without fruitcake ? Indeed , this chewy , deep sweet is a staple of the holiday , but what , exactly , is it ? It is called a bar , but because it is chock - full of nuts and glaze fruits , it resemble a candy bar . When slice , pieces can be run off as cookies .
In ancient time , fruitcake was made with raisin , pomegranate seed , and pine nuts mixed together with barley mash . Later , dear , spices , and candy fruit were added . Because of fruitcake ’s consistence and longevity , former warriors and hunters carried it with them on foresightful journeys .
In the 1700s , Europeans baked ceremonial nut at the end of the ballock harvest , make unnecessary them , and then ate them at the beginning of the next year ’s harvest time . This was done with the Bob Hope that it would take another successful crop .
Also , throughout Europe during this clip , the consumption of crackpot ( also called plum tree bar ) was restricted to special affair because of its " sinfully robust " taste . Those laws were afterwards rescinded , and screwball became an essential of the prudish tea earned run average .
In 18th - hundred England , it was conceive that unmarried hymeneals guest who put a gash of crank under their pillow at dark would woolgather of the individual they were destined to wed .
What is The Legend of Bûche de Noël?
A classic French dessert , Bûche de Noël is a scrumptious sweet of umber cake and full-bodied pastry dough ointment wave into the form of a log . The cake symbolizes the belief that a big log should burn continuously on Christmas night .
If it goes out , it means bad luck in the coming yr . The next morning , the ashes from the logarithm are scooped up and kept as a good fortune spell to heal unwellness , bring on demand rainwater , and guarantee winner in business .
What is Gingerbread?
Whether baked into delicious spiced cakes or crunchy , bland cookies , or used to build a " house , " gingerbread has been a European delicacy for century . As the dessert spread throughout Western Europe , gingerroot - pelf became a part of local custom . In England , single cleaning woman would deplete gingerbread " hubby " for fortune in meeting the real affair .
On festival days , images of saints would be stereotype in gingerbread and sometimes iced . Today , gingerbread is often connect with Germany and its holiday traditions . Gingerbread hearts are ordinarily notice at fall fair , adorn with bleached icing and tied with medal .
In December in Nuremburg , the " gingerbread cap of the man , " the Christkindlmarkt features the renowned lebkuchen , which is considered to be the best gingerbread in the mankind .
Can you name the most Popular Holiday Treats?
So you ’ve learned about everything from figgy pudding and fruitcake to interesting fact about turkey . Are you quick to exchange some strange facts about Christmas gifts ? Continue to the next section to test your Christmas gift trivia knowledge .
Christmas Gift Trivia
For many American family , gift giving at Christmas is a big magnet of the sidereal day . Where did this tradition start ? What are some classical vacation toys ?
Find out everything you wanted to know about Christmas gifts as you expand your Christmas talent trivia with the merriment fact below .
What is the Origin of Gift Giving?
The first endowment given at Christmas were from the Magi ( Wise Men ) to Baby Jesus . later on , in Roman meter , endowment gift was popular during Saturnalia , a wintertime solstice celebration . The tradition as we know it today is derived from St. Nicholas , a bishop who was make out for giving children present .
His long flowing scarlet and white bishop ’s robes were the inspiration for Santa ’s modern - Clarence Day costume . St. Nicholas Day , celebrate on December 6 , marks a day for gift giving throughout Europe .
Did You Know?
Can you Name Five Classic Holiday Toys?
Ca n’t decide what to get the little tyke ? correspond out this list of America ’s favorite toys over the year , compile by the Toy Industry Association .
What are America’s Favorite Stocking Stuffers?
What is Toys for Tots?
In 1947 Diane Hendricks asked her husband , Bill , a major with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in Los Angeles to drive home a dame she had made to an way that pass toys to impoverished children at Christmastime . He soon expose that no such agency survive , so Diane boost him to start one . That Christmas , Bill and a group of Marine reservist delivered 5,000 toys .
The project was so successful that , in 1948 , the Marine Corps adopted the Toys for Tots program and extended it across the nation . And so the legendary vacation charity was born . For the first national campaign , Walt Disney designed a poster for the plan , as well as the Toys for Tots logotype that is still used today . Through the years , celebrities have continued to lend their stature to the computer programme .
In 1956 , Nat " King " Cole , Peggy Lee , and Vic Damone recorded a Toys for Tots theme song written by Sammy Fain and Paul Webster . Bob Hope , John Wayne , Tim Allen , and Billy Ray Cyrus are among those who have volunteer their sentence and talent .
Since 1947 , more than 335 million toy have been deliver to near 160 million child in approximately 500 communities across the United States and Puerto Rico . Without a doubt , the U.S. Marines recreate a major function in fetch joy to America ’s destitute children at Christmastime .
Toys for Tots continues to be a popular charity with celebrities . In 2003 , the New Jersey Nets Dance Team pitch in to support the Marines in their toy crusade .
In 1914 , to boost sales for his new invention , Charles Pajeau hired piffling the great unwashed , dressed them as elves , and had them bet with his Tinkertoys ® set in the exhibit windowpane of a Chicago department store . The merchandising ploy was overwhelmingly successful . Over the next twelvemonth , more than a million set of Tinkertoys ® were sell .
Toy Trivia: What American Toy was Banned in Japan in the late 1950’s?
What Types of Materials were used to Wrap Gifts in the 1900s?
consider it or not , Christmas gifts have n’t always been pose wrapped in pretty newspaper . In the early days , toys and confect were swing from the Christmas tree .
In the early 1900s , nowadays were wrap in white tissue paper paper and red satin medal , with a bit of Charles Hardin Holley or impudent pine tucked into the typewriter ribbon . square pins were used to hold the newspaper together until tape became the standard .
By now , you should have more than enough Christmas trivia to sway you through the vacation time of year . lease ’s wrap things up with a final trivia trial . Take a Christmas triviality quiz in our last section .
Christmas Trivia Quiz
Just when you thought you fuck everything about Christmas , we ’ve uncovered more Christmas trivia fun facts . Learn more about Christmas with our Christmas trivium quiz and merriment facts below .
