Christmas Carols, Not! Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1857

"Jingle Bells" was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857. He created it to help celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving in Savannah, Georgia. All four verses of the song reference racing through the snow in a sleigh, but there are no mentions of Santa Claus or any other Christmas theme.

Answer: 1934

Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith wrote "Winter Wonderland" in 1934 as a fun song about some things that might happen in the winter. However, although Christmas may be fun for many, it isn't mentioned in the song at all. Instead, bluebirds leave town and a couple make a snowman in the image of Parson Brown. Christmas doesn't enter the picture in this one at all.

Answer: Tune: 1948; lyrics: 1950

Leroy Anderson wrote the original music for this tune in 1946, and Mitchell Parish wrote the lyrics in 1950. The song was actually written during a heat wave, and when the lyrics were added, there was mention of things like "lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you" and "gliding along with the song of a wintry fairy land", but there is no mention of Christmas or any holiday themes in the original lyrics. Later artists have changed the lyrics to include mentions of Christmas, but they were not in the 1950 version.

Answer: 1945

"Let it Snow" was penned by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne in 1945. Again, although this song is often associated with Christmas, there is no mention of the holidays in the song. Instead, we learn that "The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful", and the people in the song decide to stay in to stay warm while it snows outside.

There are no holiday traditions mentioned in this song even though it is often played and/or sung during the holiday season.

Answer: 1944

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" was written by Frank Loesser in 1944, but gained popularity when it appeared in the movie "Neptune's Daughter" in 1949. Despite winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 22nd Academy Awards, it did not mention anything to do with Christmas or the holidays.

Answer: 1949

Like many of the songs that are associated with Christmas, but don't mention the holiday, "Marshmallow World" is about winter weather. It was written in 1959 by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose. Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and others sang this one about how "the world is your snowball, see how it grows; That's how it goes whenever it snows". No mention of Christmas, just snow.

Answer: 1950

"Frosty the Snowman" was written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson in 1950. The lyrics in the song talk about a magical snowman that comes to life when a silk hat is placed on his head. He runs through town, not even stopping for a traffic cop, but there is no mention of Santa Claus or any other Christmas theme in this one.

A television show was created based on the song that is played every year during the holidays which may explain why so many associate this song with Christmas even though the lyrics don't support that notion.

Answer: 1957

This is a fun song that was written in 1957. Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe received credit for writing the song, but that authorship was disputed by two of the musicians who recorded the song. Regardless, the song lyrics encourage people to come out to the "jingle hop" and to go gliding in a "one horse sleigh", but listeners never hear any mention of anything to do with Christmas.

Answer: 1966

"You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" is sung on a Christmas show, but it does not mention the Christmas holidays. It describes the main character in the television show that is broadcast each year entitled "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas". The song was written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel (lyrics), and Albert Hague (music).

This song doesn't mention Christmas, but it does mention a special day in October with the line "Halloween come around and we ain't knocking on your door". The song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft in the original television cartoon special, the same man who played the original voice of Tony the Tiger, advertising Kellogg's Frosted Flakes - "They're Grrrreeat".

Answer: 1954

Despite having a title that is suggestive of Christmas, the lyrics of "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" do not mention that the holiday is Christmas. With music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman, this 1954 song could be about any holidays during the year - Thanksgiving, Easter, or even a summer vacation.

After all, the lyrics say that "you can't beat home, sweet home for the holidays" but they never say when those holidays might be.