Why I Hate Christmas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Belgium

Brussels sprouts are a member of the Brassica family and look like small cabbages. Their scientific name is Brassica oleracea, gemmifera group, and an early version of sprouts has been found to date back to ancient Roman times. The modern version has been confirmed to have existed in the 16th century, although they possibly originated three centuries earlier in the country now called Belgium.

The unpleasant smell and taste of sprouts is caused by overcooking, which probably explains my aversion, particularly from school dinners, but I'm still not tempted to try them.

Answer: Poinsettia

The poinsettia is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the United States minister to Mexico and brought the plant to the USA. The scientific name is Euphorbia pulcherrima and it has different names in other parts of the world. The red parts of the plant are not flowers, as they appear to be, but highly coloured bracts (modified leaves).

The flowers themselves are very small and yellow. In addition to the red bracts commonly seen, other shades including pink, cream and orange can be found. As I am the 'kiss of death' to all plants, my poinsettias rarely last more than two or three months, but it's not a problem as I'm sure to get another one next Christmas.

Answer: O Come, All Ye Faithful

Most young carol singers seem to believe that a quick chorus of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year' will be enough to make me part with my money, but they are sadly mistaken. I expect at least two carols for my ten pence. The words I've quoted are from the first verse of the carol also known as 'Adeste Fideles' - 'O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, o come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold Him, born the King of angels. O come, let us adore him' and so on. I actually like carols and go to the annual concert at my local church, but I do hate carol singers who don't know any carols.

Answer: Turkey

Saint Nicholas, or Nikolaos of Myra, lived in the 4th century and was known for his generosity. One of the stories told about him tells how he left money to enable the three daughters of a poor man to get married. In some versions, the money was left in stockings hung up to dry by the fire from which the tradition of hanging up Christmas stockings was created.

The feast day of St. Nicholas is 6th December and many European countries exchange presents on that day in commemoration. You may not be surprised to know that I don't like mince pies, so have to buy some especially to be able to leave one out for Father Christmas.

Answer: Meteor

The poem is believed to have been written by Clement Clarke Moore, although this is certainly not proven, and is also known by its first line 'Twas the night before Christmas'. When it was first published in 1823 the author was given as the prolific 'anon'.

The lines giving the reindeer names are 'Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder and Blitzen', although Donder is often now changed to Donner. Rudolph does not appear in the poem and made his debut in 1939, created by Robert L. May, with his story being put to music in the 1940s. I'm going to have that song stuck in my mind all day, now, which gives me another reason to hate it.

Answer: The Snowman

The film was based on the Raymond Briggs book of the same name. The book came out in 1978 and was made into a short animated film in 1982. It shows the snowman coming to life and flying to the North Pole with a small boy, where they meet Father Christmas.

In the film, the song was sung by Peter Auty but was recorded by Aled Jones, another chorister, who took it into the UK Singles chart in 1985. Since Aled turned forty in 2010, he may be as sick of hearing it as I am, although he has built a reasonably successful career, based on his childhood success, for himself. I could list all the Christmas songs I hate hearing, but that would take a long time, so I'll just mention that 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl is the one song that I actually enjoy listening to.

Answer: Viscum

The mistletoe found in the UK is called Viscum album and is also called the European or Common mistletoe. It is a parasitic plant growing on other trees. According to theholidayspot.com the tradition of kissing under mistletoe dates to the festival of Saturnalia, possibly relating to a belief in its fertility.

Another explanation is that the tradition came from Scandinavia where mistletoe was a symbol of peace symbolised by a kiss. Either way, being caught under mistletoe means that you have to submit to being kissed and no-one seems to remove a berry for each kiss any more, which is what I was brought up to believe was correct. Ilex is the genus for holly and Hedera is ivy.

Helleborus niger, or black hellebore, is the Christmas rose.

Answer: Chocolate buttercream

The tradition of the wooden Yule log may have come from Germany or Scandinavia, and involved a large log being brought in to the house on Christmas Eve and being kept alight until Twelfth Night, 6 January, to ensure good luck for the coming year. Since most houses no longer have fireplaces, the expression often now refers to a cake made to look like a log, covered in chocolate buttercream which is scored to look like wood and sprinkled with icing sugar to represent snow.

It's just what everyone needs after a huge Christmas lunch, complete with Christmas pudding (I don't like that, either).

Answer: Crackers

The standard of joke in a Christmas cracker is usually pretty low. For example: 'What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?' (I'll give you the answer at the end, if you really want to know). The hats are usually pretty flimsy and fall apart and the 'gifts' are often made of plastic and not worth having, unless you buy your crackers from Harrods.

Their 'Silver Bling' crackers are 'only' £299.00 for six in 2011 and even they include socks as one of the gifts. I think I'll give them a miss, thanks all the same. Oh, and the joke answer? 'A Christmas Quacker' - don't say I didn't warn you.

Answer: Glass

The best known version of the story describes Cinderella as having two ugly stepsisters, played by men in the pantomime, who refuse to allow her to go to a ball held by Prince Charming. The Fairy Godmother comes to the rescue, turning a pumpkin into a coach and mice into horses although the spell will last only until midnight. Cinderella loses one of her shoes in her rush to leave before the spell is broken and marries her prince when hers is the only foot on which the shoe will fit. Pantomimes traditionally have the leading male role played by a woman, known as 'the principal boy', and women's roles, such as a 'Dame', played by men. All that shouting 'he's behind you' and deliberate overacting leaves me cold.