All These Things And More Trivia Quiz

Answer: Candy canes

In 1670, a German choirmaster had simple sugar sticks bent to resemble shepherd staffs and the sweet treats were passed out to children to quiet them during church ceremonies. And so the candy cane was born. The red and white stripes and peppermint flavor were not added to the canes until the 19th century. Candy canes are now a Christmas tradition, they come in an array of colors and flavors, with more than 1.76 billion canes made annually for the holiday season.

Answer: Santa Claus

Predecessors of Santa Claus include the mythic god Odin, who gave gifts to the children who left food for his flying horse, and Saint Nicolas, a 4th century saint, who was an anonymous gift giver. The name Santa Claus is derived from Sinterklaas, which is a translation of Saint Nicolas. Details of Santa Claus, such as his sleigh and gift giving are detailed in Clement C. Moore's 1821 book "A New-Year's Present, To the Little Ones From Five to Twelve".

In 1862, illustrator Thomas Nast's depiction of Santa Claus in Harper's magazine detailed Santa's workshop, home at the North Pole, and the nice and naughty list.

The story of Santa Claus has grown over time, he is the spirit of Christmas, and lives in the hearts of believers around the world.

Answer: Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on its own using sunlight and water or it can grow on the life source of other trees by penetrating its roots into a tree and taking up nutrients. In European folklore, mistletoe is considered a sacred, life bestowing plant, and an aphrodisiac.

The tradition of kissing under mistletoe is associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia. In modern times, two lovers or even strangers standing under mistletoe are obliged to kiss. In ancient times, the tradition was more of a ceremonial celebration, and whenever a kiss was shared, the man had to pluck a berry from the mistletoe.

Answer: Nutcrackers

Before the invention of nutcrackers, early civilization used stones to crack open nuts. The first known metal nutcracker dates back to 4th century BC, and is displayed in a museum in Tarent, Italy. Carved wooden nutcrackers in the shape of royalty and soldiers were created in the 15th century.

These worked like modern nutcrackers, a hand lever on the back of the figure lifted and closed to crack the nuts. In 1872, Wilhelm Füchtner created the first commercial production of the nutcracker using a machine to achieve the uniformed design of a crowned king.

The nutcracker figures served as an inspiration to E. T. A. Hoffmann in 1816 when he wrote "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", which inspired "The Nutcracker" ballet, that was first performed in 1892, and is still popular today.

Answer: Snowman

"The History of the Snowman", author Bob Eckstein's research traced the existence of the snowman back to 1380, in the religious manuscript "Book of Hours". The most popular snowman is Frosty the Snowman, who was created in the song "Frosty the Snowman" written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson in 1950.

The song inspired the 1969 animated television special "Frosty the Snowman" starring Jackie Vernon.

Answer: Wreath

Eastern Europeans used to illuminate evergreen wreaths on cold winter evenings as a sign of hope for an early spring. In the Catholic observance, Advent, a circular evergreen wreath with five candles symbolize the birth of Christ and omnipotence of God. Christmas wreaths are usually made of natural materials, such as twigs, leaves, and berries.

The Christmas wreath is often seen as a simple holiday decoration but the origin of the tradition is still alive as a symbol of celebration.

Answer: Holiday greeting cards

Giving greeting cards is an ancient tradition that can be traced as far back as the Egyptians, who exchanged greetings written on papyrus scrolls, and the Chinese, who exchanged greetings of good cheer for the New Year.

By the 15th century, handmade greeting cards were popular in Europe and Germany. In the summer of 1843, British businessman and inventor, Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a Christmas card he could send to family and friends. The card was produced in London the same year and it featured pictures of good Samaritans feeding and clothing the poor, and a family enjoying a Christmas feast. The inscription read "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New to You".

In 1875, German printer, Louis Prang became the first manufacturer to produce cards in America. Prang's cards were costly and led to the downfall of his business, but despite all this, the American greeting card industry was born and has thrived ever since.

Answer: Rudolph

The first mention of Santa's reindeer was in 1823 in Clement Clarke Moore's poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("The Night Before Christmas"). Moore wrote about eight tiny reindeer named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, who pulled Santa's sleigh. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 by Robert L. May, when retailer Montgomery Ward hired him to make a book the store could give away at Christmas.

In May's story Rudolph is Santa's ninth reindeer, he has a bright red nose, and guides Santa's sleigh.

In the first year of publication, Montgomery Ward distributed 2.4 million copies of the book. The character Rudolph went on to inspire the 1949 song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and the 1964 NBC television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".

Answer: Christmas stocking

In myth, the god Odin would give treats to the children who left food in their boots for his flying horse. With Odin being a predecessor of the figure Santa Claus, the custom became part of the Christmas tradition. Similarly, in Dutch tradition, children would fill clogs with straw for Sinterklass' reindeer and he, in turn would leave treats for them. Sinterklass is the Dutch translation of Saint Nicolas, who was also a predecessor of Santa Claus.

In today's custom, children traditionally hang stockings by the chimney and wake on Christmas morning to find treats left by Santa Claus.

Answer: Tree

The Romans, in the celebration of Saturnalia, decorated their homes with leaves and lights, and they gave gifts. The tradition of placing gifts under the tree is believed to have been influenced by this celebration. The Germans brought paradise trees into their homes as part of their observance of the feast day of Adam and Eve.

The Christmas tree custom came to Canada and the United States in the 1700s. By the 19th century, parts of Europe and England adopted the custom, and by the 20th century, Christmas trees were displayed everywhere from department stores to the White House.