Well That Ain't Right! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Winter Wonderland

The correct line is, of course, "later on, we'll conspire, as we dream by the fire.
I've also heard the line "in the meadow, we can build a snowman" mangled to "in the ghetto, we can build a snowman".

"Winter Wonderland" was written in 1934 by Richard B. Smith (lyrics) and Felix Bernard (music). It is widely thought of as a Christmas song, though the holiday is never mentioned.

Answer: A partridge in a pear tree

I'm really not sure what a bear tree is, but I'm fairly certain I don't want one!

The twelve days of Christmas aren't the twelve days leading up to December 25, but are the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, which falls on January 6. A lot of people believe that this song was written to help children learn their Catechism, but there is no known documentation to support that idea.

Answer: No

The correct lyrics are, of course, "good tidings we bring to you and your kin".
Another misheard lyric in this song is the request to "bring us some piggy pudding", rather than figgy pudding. I wonder what would go into a piggy pudding?

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is an English folk song that dates back to the 16th century.

Answer: I am a poor boy too

Poor little brother. He really thought he had it right!

"The Little Drummer Boy" was written in 1941 by Katherine Kennicott Davis and has been recorded many times over the years, including a 1955 recording by the Von Trapp family. It was originally titled "Carol of the Drum." It tells the story of a poor boy who had brought no gift to give the infant Jesus. Instead of giving the Christ child a gift, the boy played his drum.
Sometimes, the best gift we can give is the gift of ourselves!

Answer: The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes

Of course the cattle are lowing, or mooing.
Surely Mary & Joseph would have hustled the baby right out of that manger if the cattle had been blowing, bowling or glowing!

Martin Luther is sometimes credited with having written "Away in a Manger", but there is no documentation to support that. It is believed to have been first published in the late 19th century, long after Luther's death. There is speculation that the song was published to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Martin Luther's birth.

Answer: O come let us adore him

The hymnal says "O come let us adore him", but I'm not convinced. That hymnal shows different lyrics to several songs that I love to sing.

Originally known as "Adeste Fideles", this song has been attributed to various authors. The English translation "O Come All Ye Faithful" was written by Frederick Oakeley in 1841, and is the version best known today.
While I love the English version of this song, the Latin "Adeste Fideles" is my favorite.

Answer: Bells on bobtail ring

"Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!"

"Jingle Bells", while widely accepted as a Christmas song, was originally written for the American Thanksgiving holiday in 1857 by James L. Pierpont. It has become one of the most popular and widely recognized secular holiday songs in the world.

Answer: You'll go down in history

In our family, we frequently changed the lyrics to this song to try and make one another laugh.

The story of Rudolph was written by Robert May, an employee of Montgomery Ward department store. One story states that Mr. May wrote the story to comfort his daughter as she struggled to deal with her mother's death from cancer. Another tells that the story was written simply as an assignment from his employer.
Robert May's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, set the story to music. Gene Autry's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" hit number one on the U.S. charts in 1949.

Answer: Hark, the herald angels sing

Of course it's "Hark the Herald Angels Sing".
My little brother sings "Hark the haywire angels sing, lordy to the New York king. Pleas on earth and mercy mild, garden centers wrecked the child."
My brother's a bit twisted.

This song appears to be a group effort. The lyrics are widely credited to Charles Wesley, and he did lay down the bones of the song. Wesley composed a poem in 1739, which was changed around by George Whitefield. Felix Mendelssohn composed a tune called "Festgesang an die Kunstler" in 1840, which commemorated Johann Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. In 1855, English organist Dr. William Cummings married Mendelssohn's tune to Wesley and Whitefield's words, and the hymn we all know and love was born.

Answer: Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen

King Wenceslas was a real person, though not a king. He was a duke of Bohemia in the 10th century. He was a kind and generous man who attained sainthood, and is the patron saint of the Czech Republic. Holy Roman Emperor Otto I bestowed upon Wenceslas the regal title of king posthumously.

The song "Good King Wenceslas" is credited to John Mason Neale (lyrics) and Thomas Helmore (music) in 1853.
Now, how many of you are picturing a king backing his car over the feet of some poor guy named Steve?