It's Christmas Time Again! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra, a popular actor known for his voice, vocals, and talent in the 1940s and 1950s, died in 1998 without ever playing an acting role as Jesus for a motion picture.

Christian Bale, known for his role in "Batman Begins" (2005), played Jesus in "Mary, Mother of Jesus" (1999).

Jim Caviezel played Jesus in "The Passion of Christ", a Mel Gibson movie produced in 2004.

Bruce Marchiano played Jesus in "The Gospel According To Matthew: The Visual Bible" (1993).

Answer: He was riding a horse in a Los Angeles Christmas parade.

In 1946, Gene Autry was riding his horse in the Santa Claus Lane parade in Los Angeles. He was inspired to write the words to a song, by the crowds of children watching the parade and chanting "Here comes Santa!". Oakley Haldeman helped him compose the music.

In a demo recording, ice cubes were used to mimic the sound effects of jingle bells, which inspired Autry to keep it as part of the song when he released it on record in 1947. It topped the charts that year as number five in country music lists.

Answer: Santa's Christmas Chaos

In 1984, the 8-bit game "Santa's Christmas Chaos", featured Santa unprepared to do his job on Christmas Eve. Santa had overslept on the night of his big event and had five hours to deliver presents to the entire world. Santa Claus had to hurry to collect presents dropped by angels while avoiding those dropped by demons. If his night wasn't bad enough, to accomplish his mission, Santa also had to avoid killer children who could make him explode in a single touch.

The game was made for Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Atari 8-Bit.

Answer: Charles Dickens

"A Christmas Carol" was first published in London, December 1843. During this time the traditions of Christmas trees and Christmas cards, were becoming popular. Dickens focused many of his writings and stories on social injustice and poverty. As a child, he had a father that was imprisoned, forcing him to work in a factory and live under many of the conditions his fictional characters went through. Christmas and the season of Christian charity, provided a perfect opportunity for Charles to share his viewpoint in the form of a story.

The book was an immediate hit among London critics and editors. It became a tale that continued to spread its message through decades of generations.

Answer: The Grinch

Mr. Grinch was a mean creature who lived in a cave in the mountain overlooking Whoville. Disgusted by all the Whos celebrating Christmas, Mr. Grinch decided to disguise himself as Santa and take their Christmas joy away. He used his dog Max as a reindeer to help him steal all the presents, lights, and Christmas festivities. He waited to hear the Whos cry with sadness, but when he heard their Christmas song, he had a change of heart. He returns everything he took and becomes a very nice creature in the end.

The children's story was made into a movie in 2000, featuring Jim Carrey as the Grinch.

Answer: The Penguin

Tucker and Esther Cobblepot, a highly respected and wealthy couple, are horrified when their newborn child is born disfigured. Considering their son a monster, they throw him in the sewer. Years later, he returns as "The Penguin" and tries to run for mayor of Gotham City. Behind the scenes he is involved in a scheme to kill Batman and a scheme with Max Shreck to drain Gotham City of its electrical supply. Batman has to foil both schemes along with a kidnapping attempt of all the city's male babies.

Answer: Ben Weaver

Sheriff Taylor is forced by the local department store owner, Ben Weaver, to arrest Jim Muggins, a moonshiner on Christmas Eve. In order to keep the Muggins family together, Sheriff Taylor arrests them all claiming they had knowledge of Jim's bad habit. Later the Taylor family bring a Christmas party to the family in jail. Ben Weaver watches from the outside and is touched by their joyful time. He then tries to get himself arrested so he can join the fun. He brings presents from his store and is welcomed in by the Taylors and the Muggins to celebrate the Christmas night with them.

The episode first aired on December 19, 1960.

Answer: violin music and some passages in the Bible

Reginald Fessenden is credited with broadcasting the first radio program on Christmas Eve in 1906. His broadcast consisted of some violin music and some readings from Bible passages.

As time passed, radio became a source of entertainment that families would gather around for different shows. In the Golden Age of radio (from the 1920's until the 1950's when television became popular), during the Christmas season many stations broadcasted Christmas stories and plays such as "Miracle on 34th Street", "A Christmas Carol", and "It's a Wonderful Life".

Focus on the Family, a Christian based organization, broadcasted many Christmas dramas on their program focused on family values, plays, and Christmas classics.

Answer: O. Henry

O Henry was the pen name for William Sydney Porter. He became known for his short stories, but during his lifetime, many of them received attention only as newspaper or magazine articles. "The Gift of the Magi" was initially a short story published in The New York Sunday World newspaper in December 1905.

In the story, a young couple struggles to buy Christmas presents in secret for their spouse. The couple's two most prized possessions are her long flowing hair and his grandfather's watch. The husband Jim, sells his beloved family heirloom of a watch to buy his wife some very expensive combs for her hair. Della, his wife, cuts and sells her hair to buy him a chain for his watch. The two are both surprised to find that their presents no longer have value when they find out the other person's sacrificial giving. Instead of gifts, the couple realizes how valuable their love for each other is.

Answer: Johnny Marks

Burl Ives popularized many Christmas songs with his role as Sam the Snowman on animated Christmas television series, featured on the NBC network in the 1960's.

Jewish songwriter, Johnny Marks composed "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". He also wrote "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

Felix Bernard, another Jewish songwriter, composed "Winter Wonderland".

Irving Berlin composed "White Christmas".

Ray Evans wrote the lyrics to "Silver Bells" along with Jewish composer, Jay Livingston.