Phoenix Rising's Really BIG Zoom Christmas Party Quiz

Answer: Iceland

Each of the 13 'jólasveinar' (Yule Boys) has his own personality trait / job description including: Doorway-Sniffer, Spoon-Licker, Sausage-Swiper, Candle-Stealer, Curd-Gobbler, and the creepily named Window-Peeper.
Each troll takes turns visiting Icelandic children who have left shoes in their bedroom window awaiting gifts.

Question contributed by Phoenix Rising Team member 1nn1 who must remember to check his shoes for rotten potatoes over the festive season.

Answer: Clarence

The movie stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up on life, and Henry Travers as Clarence the probationary angel sent to earth to restore George's faith in life. Over the course of the movie, George's faith IS restored and Clarence earns his wings and becomes a fully-fledged angel.

This question comes flying into your quiz from Phoenix Rising's Angel JAM6430.

Answer: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

The UK Christmas single was for me a highlight of the year, starting in 1953 the single that tops the chart in the week that contains Christmas Day. The chart has been topped by some wonderful singles and a fair number of novelty tunes. Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody achieved this honour on its first release, and then when it was re-released following Freddie Mercury's death in 1991, as a double A side with "These Are the Days of Our Lives", it topped the chart for the second time.

Phoenix Rising's singing star smpdit has spent many happy hours attempting to sing-a-long with Queen to this fabulous tune, but fails miserably because she can't sing a consistent note. It doesn't stop her though!

This question brought to you by Phoenix Rising team member smpdit, know for her enthusiastic but tuneless Christmas carol singing.

Answer: Nativity scene

"Presepio", or "presepe", is the name given in Italian to the Nativity scenes that are traditionally set up and displayed during the Christmas season. St Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first of these scenes in 1223, in the village of Greccio in Central Italy, with living people and animals interpreting the Biblical roles (based on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke). In the following centuries, "presepi" became increasingly popular throughout Italy and other Christian (especially Catholic) countries, with statues of varying sizes replacing humans and animals, and elaborate backgrounds.

The Neapolitan "presepi" of the 18th century are outstanding examples of the "presepio as an art form". The tradition is alive and well in Italy and other Catholic countries; the vast majority of churches build their own "presepio" during Advent, and the scene is generally unveiled during the midnight Mass on Christmas night. Many families also set up a "presepio" in their homes, sometimes utilizing small spaces to great effect.

This question was provided by Phoenix Rising team member LadyNym, who has loved "presepi" since childhood.

Answer: 3

The sixth full-length film in the "Home Alone" franchise, "Home Sweet Home Alone" was produced in 2021. In 2018 the advertising short, "Home Alone Again with the Google Assistant" also featured Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin).

Three films include Kevin McCallister, with the relevant actors in parentheses:
"Home Alone", 1990 (Macaulay Culkin)
"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York", 1992 (Macaulay Culkin)
"Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House", 2002 (Mike Weinberg)

Phoenix Rising team member psnz hopes that you will not be "Home Alone" at Christmas.

Answer: Jingle Bells

Just before they re-entered Earth's atmosphere on December 16th 1965, Stafford made a radio announcement: "We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in polar orbit....very low, looks like he might be going to re-enter soon....Standby one, you might just let me try to pick up that thing."
They then played "Jingle Bells" with Schirra on harmonica and Stafford jingling the bells, intimating the UFO they'd reported was actually Santa's sleigh.

The idea had been Schirra's and the pair practiced a few times before lifting off for their mission. The reason there were no vocals was because Stafford felt he couldn't sing.

This question was brought to you by Phoenix Rising's leith90 who, like Stafford, cannot hold a note.

Answer: Dunno

This poem is better known as "The Night Before Christmas" and, when Moore originally wrote it, he'd named Donner as Dunder.
"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem"
No, I didn't misspell Blitzen, that is how he appeared in the original poem. In New York colloquial Dutch, the names Dunder and Blixem mean Thunder and Lightning. Moore would change the names of these two a number of times. Evidence of this appears in a variation of the poem that he'd sent to a friend in 1860, where Dunder and Blixem become Donder and Blitzen.

In his book "Christmas Traditions: A Celebration of Christmas Lore" (2019), George Goodwin indicates that the use of Donner instead of Donder became popular in the early part of the twentieth century, well after Moore's death.

This question has been endeared by Phoenix Rising's own stag (because he staggers, nothing more grandiose than that), pollucci19.

Answer: First performance of "Silent Night"

"Silent Night" was first performed in German (as "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht") on Christmas Eve, 1818 at the parish church of St Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria. The lyrics came from a poem by the church's priest, Joseph Mohr, while the tune was composed by Franz Gruber, a local organist. The church was destroyed by flooding in the late 19th century and replaced by the Silent-Night-Chapel in the 1930s.

William the Conqueror was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066; Christopher Columbus's ship the Santa Maria ran aground on Christmas Day 1492; and George Washington led his troops across the Delaware river on Christmas Day night 1776.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81 who prefers to spend Christmas Day doing less historically interesting things - like eating turkey and drinking wine

Answer: Holiday Cheer

The holidays are a time to relax and enjoy yourself. Cheer is a feeling of cheerfulness or mirth. The phrase "holiday cheer" is not used as a greeting like "merry Christmas", but rather describes this feeling of cheerfulness around the holiday period, particularly in the United States with reference to Christmas ("Christmas cheer" is commonly used as well).

Hoarding lychees is not advisable, because they don't keep well (2-3 days at room temperature, a few days longer refrigerated).

This question was unwrapped by Phoenix Rising member JCSon.

Answer: San Antonio

The Riverwalk meanders for about two and half miles along the San Antonio River. The waterway is lined with hotels, restaurants and shops. A recently added spur reaches the former Pearl brewery that now hosts several other shops and restaurants, and is the site of the Sunday Farmer's Market. Christmas time is special along the Riverwalk, with colorful lights and the traditional luminaria. I recently saw a video of a Hannukah celebration there as well, complete with a mariachi band playing the dreidel song. That's Texas.

Team Phoenix Rising's pusdoc who wrote this question whilst listening to Mariachi carols, is not a Texan but has spent a lot of time there.

Answer: Japan

Christmas is celebrated in Japan but as a non-religious occasion.
A highly successful KFC advertising campaign in the early 70s started a tradition of families feasting on buckets of fried chicken on December 25. They equated KFC with Kentucky Fried Christmas. This ad campaign was highly successful, so successful in fact that restaurant reservations and Christmas-packaged delivery orders are placed months before the big day.

Question contributed by Phoenix Rising Team member 1nn1 who has never eaten KFC on Christmas Day.

Answer: Happy Birthday

"Frosty the Snowman" was a Christmas song written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson. Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys recorded the song in 1950 and subsequently Jimmy Durante. In the 1969 animated TV series of the same name, Jimmy Durante was the narrator. In the show, Frosty could speak once the children who built him, placed the magician's top hat on his snowy head.
Not portrayed as very bright Frosty surprised everyone when he uttered, "Happy Birthday".

This question appeared by magic from the pen of Phoenix Rising team member JAM6430

Brought by the magic from Phoenix Rising's magician JAM

Answer: Epiphany - Jan 6th

Unlike some other countries in Europe, the UK traditionally remove their Christmas decoration on Epiphany - January 6th also known as Twelfth Night. Christmas day is considered to be the First day of Christmas. Following Jewish tradition, he would have been circumcised on the eighth day following birth. The forefeast of the theophany occurs on the day prior to Christ being visited by the Magi, when his godship was announced. Candlemas is the 40th day after birth when Jesus was presented to temple and when Mary was ritually purified. Some European countries such as Germany and Italy consider this to be the day when the decorations come down.

smpdit likes the decorations before Christmas but is happy to claim back the space by January 6th.

Answer: Shortened from (Roman Catholic) mass

The 'mas' is a shortening of "mass", specifically the Roman Catholic mass. Hence Christmas is the mass service celebrating the birth of Christ, with the term first being used in the 14th century CE. The celebration, which has partially morphed into a secular holiday in many countries in modern times, was preceded by the pagan Yule festival in the northern hemisphere. Yule was associated with the winter solstice.

This question was wrapped and presented for your enjoyment by MikeMaster99, who has never thought about the ending of this word until researching this question!

Answer: Good King Wenceslas

"Good King Wenceslas" was written in the mid-1850s by John Mason Neale, an English hymnwriter, but set to the tune of a much older spring carol. It is based around a legend of the piety and altruism of Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, who was declared a saint and a martyr after being assassinated in the 10th century. The carol is set on the "Feast of Stephen" (December 26th) and tells a story of the king and his loyal page trekking through a snowy night to take alms to a poor peasant.

Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81 wrote this question while dreaming of a white Christmas...

Answer: Lentils

One of the world's oldest crops, lentils were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent over 10,000 years ago. A staple in the cuisines of Ethiopia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East, they have been eaten in Italy at least since Roman times. Because of their resemblance to coins, lentils have been traditionally associated with wealth and prosperity: on New Year's Day, they are eaten together with a highly seasoned pork sausage called "cotechino", a Northern Italian speciality - a double whammy of good luck for the new year. Vegetarians and vegan can just enjoy the lentils, which are cooked without bacon or any other foods of animal origin.

Phoenix Rising team member LadyNym, who always cooks lentils for New Year's Eve, was glad to bring you this question, with all her best wishes for the coming year.

Answer: Isaiah

"Major prophets" refers to a group of Old Testament books, authored by prophets including Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel. Rather than relating to the importance of these prophets, "major" in this context concerns the length of these books.

The quote from Isaiah 7:13-14 reads in full: "Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" [NIV]. "Immanuel" means "God with us."

At this time of the year, Phoenix Rising team member psnz likes to remember the reason for the season.

Answer: 364

The first published version of the rhyme "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was in England in 1780. English composer Frederic Austin set it to music in 1909.

The correct answer of 364 lies in the actual words of the song where each day you are given a new gift plus whatever had been given the day before. So on the second day of Christmas you would receive two turtle doves AND another partridge in a pear tree.

By the end of the twelve days you would be overrun with 12 drummers drumming, 22 pipers piping, 30 lords a-leaping, 36 ladies dancing, 40 maids a-milking, 42 swans a-swimming, 42 geese a-laying, 40 golden rings, 36 calling birds, 30 French hens, 22 turtle doves and 12 partridges in 12 pear trees. This is assuming the 40 maids a-milking didn't bring along 40 cows a-mooing and it's also not counting any eggs laid by the geese.

Worth reading is "My Dearest Darling John- The Funny 12 Days of Christmas Letter".

This question was gifted to the quiz by Phoenix Rising's leith90 who would like to point out that the partridge in the pear tree is a bird, not David Cassidy or Shirley Jones.

Answer: Oogie Boogie

Jack Skellington had gotten bored with the same old routines in Halloween Town when he stumbled into an alternate universe called Christmas Town. He is blown away by their celebrations and customs. Despite not fully comprehending what is going on and what the true meaning of Christmas is he decides that he should now bring Christmas to Halloween Town and he should run it. As part of the plan he kidnaps Santa and leaves him in the care of Lock, Shock and Barrel, the town's trick-or-treaters. They, inadvertently, hand him over to Oogie Boogie who decides to play a high stakes game, which puts Santa's life on the line. Meanwhile, Jacks good intentions go awry and, rather than making Halloween Town residents happy, he scares the daylights out of them. Eventually, he manages to rescue Santa who, in turn, saves Halloween Town's Christmas.

The premise for this movie came from a poem Tim Burton had written some ten years prior. The film is a stop motion animated musical which was released in 1993 and became a box office success.

Pollucci19, he's Phoenix Rising's own little nightmare but he did manage to write this question.

Answer: Tamales

Tamales are a traditional holiday food. The masa is spread on a corn husk, filling added and rolled up. Most Texans have a tamale source - they are sold by the dozen, usually tied with twine. At the holiday season, families work together to produce them by the score. They are cooked by steaming. The traditional filling is shredded pork, but all sorts of options are available including vegetarian and vegan varieties. They are usually spicy, but more mild flavors are offered.

Team Phoenix Rising's pusdoc who wrote this question does not mind a tamale or two at the festive season whether in Texas or not.

Answer: A reindeer named Rudolph

Born into a secular Jewish family in New York, Robert Lewis May (1905-1976) spent a large portion of his career working for the large retailer, Montgomery-Ward, as an advertising copywriter. In 1939 has was asked to write a 'cheery, Christmas book', even though life was very difficult for him at that time. He conceived the idea of Rudolph, a kind-hearted reindeer, who would win over Santa's favour. The story, 'Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer', was written quickly and critically, won the approval of his young daughter. The soft cover version of the poem book was extremely popular and over 2 million copies were distributed. After World War II, the company gave May rights to his book. It then further gained in popularity, and led to Gene Autry recording his musical version in 1949.

This question guided into the quiz by MikeMaster99 who wonders about the origins of the red nose and considers it most likely a result of rosacea!

Answer: Mopane worms

Mopane worms are the large edible caterpillars of a species of Emperor moth (Gonimbrasia belina) native to southern Africa. They are packed with nutritional value and therefore are a common feature in the diets of people groups in certain parts of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. They are an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc, and pack a healthy serving of essential amino acids, fiber, magnesium, and calcium (especially if the entire insect is consumed). They breed between August and November and caterpillars are harvested from the ground, trunks, and leaves of the mopane tree from whence their name is derived. They are best served dried or fried (often with some combination of salt, tomato, onions, and chilis).

Selyodka pod shuboy (translated "herring under a fur coat") is a Russian dish consisting of diced pickled herring under layers of diced potato, carrot, beetroot, onion, and mayonnaise topped off with a chopped boiled egg. It's a favorite around the holidays, particularly Christmas. The Feast of the Seven Fishes has its origins in Italy but lives on as an Italian American tradition in certain parts of the United States. It consists of multiple different fish and seafood dishes served on Christmas Eve. Fruit bat soup is considered a delicacy in Palau and other Pacific Rim countries.

This question served up by Phoenix Rising team member JCSon, who was very familiar with mopane worms growing up in South Africa, but never once considered trying one.

Answer: False

"A Christmas Carol" is a novella that Dickens published in 1843 and it tells the story of the change in heart of Ebenezer Scrooge, originally presented as a miserly man.

There are four ghosts (not three) that appear in this tale. The first is that of Jacob Marley, Scrooge's former business partner, who'd passed away several years beforehand. Marley is bound in chains and advises Scrooge that this is the manner he has been forced to walk this earth in, due to his selfishness and his greed. He warns Scrooge that a similar fate awaits him if he doesn't change his ways and that he should listen to the visitors that he is due to receive that night. That evening Scrooge is called upon by three other ghosts; The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come.

This question was ghost-written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19.

Answer: Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a 630 nautical mile race from Sydney Harbour across the notoriously difficult to navigate Bass Strait and up the Derwent River to the Tasmanian capital. The annual event first took place in 1945 where 'Rani' won in a time of 6 days 14 hours. In 2016 "Perpetual Loyal' was the first yacht bo beat the Holy Grail Time of 40 hours with a time of 1 day 13 hr 31 minutes. The next year "Comanche" took a further 4hr 16 minutes off that time.

The Boxing Day Test match has been played annually in Melbourne every year since 1980 (except 1989). This cricket match usually commenced its first of five days on Boxing Day at the MCG. The match on Boxing Day usually attracts the largest one day attendance over the entire summer season. In 2013, the one day attendance passed 90,000 for the first time.

Question submitted by Phoenix Rising member 1nn1 who gets the day off on Boxing Day (after the cooking marathon of Christmas Day) so gets to watch the Melbourne test match (and the start of the Sydney to Hobart) from the swimming pool on a rigged up television set up on the veranda.

Answer: Verona

The name of "golden bread" is quite fitting for pandoro, which owes its colour to massive amounts of butter and eggs. This soft-crumbed, sweet bread is baked in a tall mould with an eight-pointed star section, and served with a dusting of vanilla-scented icing sugar - resembling the snow on Alpine peaks. The origins of this delicious Christmas treat are believed to go back to 13th-century Venice, when a similar sweet bread was served in the houses of noble families. The modern recipe, however, developed in Verona at the end of the 19th century from a local Christmas bread called "nadalin". Together with panettone (which is of Milanese origin), pandoro is one of the traditional desserts eaten in Italy during the Christmas season. It can be bought in every supermarket and food store: as it is extremely time-consuming, hardly anyone bakes it at home. The mention of Shakespeare refers to his two plays set in Verona, "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Two Gentlemen of Verona".

This question was written by LadyNym, who would definitely not object to a slice or two of pandoro.