Merry Christmas Everybody! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Norway

Norway has been gifting the Christmas tree as thanks to the UK for their assistance in WW2. This tradition was started in 1947.

BillMcC

Answer: 1840s

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert decorated their Christmas tree with an Angel in 1841 and started a new trend which is still popular today.

The angel represented the one that visited the shepherds about the birth of Jesus. However, British fairies have a history of pilfering food, so if you have one on your tree watch out for your mince pies!

Question by Retiredangel

Answer: 1957

Queen Elizabeth II has delivered a televised Christmas message every year since 1957 with the exception of 1969. That year there was a TV special about HRH Prince Charles' inauguration as the Prince of Wales so it was decided not to broadcast a Christmas message. She did however release a written message that year.

The tradition of a Christmas message delivered by a reigning monarch in the UK was started in 1932 when King George V did a broadcast on BBC Radio.

BillMcC

Answer: Ladies dancing

The 12 days of Christmas is traditionally the period starting 25 December and going on until the 5th of January. At least in the UK, the 5th of January, also known as Twelfth Night, is sometimes said to be the traditional date by which Christmas trees should be taken down, or bad luck will befall for the coming year.

BillMcC

Answer: Mull of Kintyre

Written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine and performed by the band Wings, "Mull of Kintyre" was the first single to sell over two million copies nationwide. The single was recorded in the McCartney's studio at High Park Farm and members of the local Campbeltown Pipe Band are featured in the video

Question by Ceitidh.

Answer: Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells became associated with Christmas in the late 1860s, but originally was called "The One-Horse Open Sleigh" and was actually written for Thanksgiving by American James Lord Pierpont in 1857. Nowhere in the lyrics does it mention Christmas.

BillMcC

Answer: Australia

The island is situated south of Indonesia. It is closer to Java (220 miles) than Australia (960) miles.

The island was given its name by William Mynors who was the captain of the East India Ship Company ship, Royal Mary. He named the island when he spotted it on Christmas Day, 25th December, 1643. It wasn't until 1688 that a ship named Cygnet actually landed there with the explorer William Dampier on board.

Bill McC

Answer: The song "Merry Christmas Everybody"

"Merry Christmas Everybody" was a UK number 1 hit for Slade in 1973. It's a perennial Christmas song, played frequently on radio and in shops during the festive period.

Noddy Holder, the lead singer and co-writer, calls it his pension scheme. It earns him around half a million pounds in royalties every year.

The question refers to a chorus near the end of the track when Noddy screams out "It's Christmaaasssss!" Many people don't think Christmas has started until they hear that track. When you hear it, you've been told...

Answer: Mao Zedong

Chairman Mao Zedong was born on Boxing Day (December 26) in 1893. He is infamous for starting the brutal cultural revolution in China. He became the leader of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and led the country until his death in 1976.

Answer: It was first sighted on Christmas Day 1643

Not to be confused with the island of Kiritimati, which is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean also known as Christmas Island, its name is derived from the English word Christmas.
Kiritimati was used for nuclear tests by the USA and UK in the mid 20th century.

Author. Tedbhoy

Answer: Paul McCartney

He had 4 hits with the Beatles;
'I Want To Hold Your Hand' 1963
'I Feel Fine' 1964
'Day Tripper/ We Can Work It Out' 1965
'Hello, Goodbye' 1967
and also Mull of Kintyre with Wings 1977

Author Tedbhoy

Answer: Samoa

Until 2011, New Zealand was the first. But then Samoa, which was close to the International Date Line boundary, decided to move from one side to the other, losing a whole day (December 30th) in the process.

Teejay1504

Answer: Holly

'The Holly and the Ivy' is a very old traditional English carol that is still popular today.

Holly leaves are often jaggy. The tree produces berries and these berries are toxic. Eating in excess of 20 can be fatal to small children and some animals.


question by Retiredangel

Answer: The Daft Days

"And thou, great god of Aqua Vitae!
Wha sways the empire of this city,
When fou we're sometimes capernoity,
Be thou prepar'd
To hedge us frae that black banditti,
The City Guard." (last verse).

Tragically, Robert Fergusson died aged only 24 in 1774.

In Scotland, the period of festivities running from Christmas to Hansel or Handsel Monday, including Hogmanay and Ne'erday, (New Year's Day) is known as the Daft Days.

Answer: Nicolas Ceausescu

Ceausescu was overthrown in 1989. He was executed on December 25, 1989, alongside his wife, after they were both convicted of genocide in what was effectively a kangaroo court.

The "revolution" in Romania was the only one of many regime changes in 1989 at the fall of communism that had a violent conclusion.