The usual random selection of subjects and difficulties.
And if you get stuck you can find the answers waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but please NO cheating!
Enjoy and good luck.
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Q. 1: What does ‘VSOP’ stand for on a bottle of Brandy?
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Q. 2: What country has not fought in a war since 1815?
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Q. 3: What ethnic group was largely responsible for building most of the early railways in the U.S. West?
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Q. 4: What animal is the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund?
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Q. 5: Which is the only country in the world which has the Bible on its national flag?
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Q. 6: What is the total if you add the number of months with thirty-one days to the number of months that have twenty-eight days?
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Q. 7: What does the term ‘Prima Donna’ mean in Opera?
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Q. 8: What is a ‘Portuguese Man o’ War’?
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Q. 9: What color is orange blossom?
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Q. 10: People who are ‘color blind’ cab detect some colors but have difficulty distinguishing between two in particular, what are they?
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Q. 11: What is the three dimensional image created by laser beams called?
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Q. 12: Who was the first U.S. President to adopt the informal version of his first name?
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Q. 13: Organic chemistry is the study of materials that must contain which element?
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Q. 14: What famous and influential Theologian claimed he could drive away the devil with a fart?
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Q. 15: What is the liquid inside a coconut called?
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Q. 16: In which month is the ‘October Revolution’ celebrated in Russia?
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Q. 17: What are the next three prime numbers after 37?
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Q. 18: This one is the name of a flower and the colored part of the eye, what is it?
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Q. 19: What bird features in the poem, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge?
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Q. 20: Named after the characters in the Tin Tin cartoon series, how many people were in the band The Thompson Twins?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: What does ‘VSOP’ stand for on a bottle of Brandy?
A. 1: Very Superior Old Pale.
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Q. 2: What country has not fought in a war since 1815?
A. 2: Switzerland.
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Q. 3: What ethnic group was largely responsible for building most of the early railways in the U.S. West?
A. 3: The Chinese.
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Q. 4: What animal is the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund?
A. 4: Giant Panda.
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Q. 5: Which is the only country in the world which has the Bible on its national flag?
A. 5: Dominican Republic.
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Q. 6: What is the total if you add the number of months with thirty-one days to the number of months that have twenty-eight days?
A. 6: The answer is 19. Seven months have 31 days (January, March, May, July, August, October and December) and of course all twelve months have 28 days!
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Q. 7: What does the term ‘Prima Donna’ mean in Opera?
A. 7: Leading Female Opera Singer.
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Q. 8: What is a ‘Portuguese Man o’ War’?
A. 8: It is a sea-dwelling jellyfish-like invertebrate. Strangely though, the Portuguese never had a warship called a Man o’ War, and the Portuguese name for the jellyfish-like creature is Caravela Portuguesa, referring to an earlier Portuguese sailing ship design used for exploration in the 15-16th Centuries.
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Q. 9: What color is orange blossom?
A. 9: White.
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Q. 10: People who are ‘color blind’ cab detect some colors but have difficulty distinguishing between two in particular, what are they?
A. 10: They are the primary colors Red & Green.
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Q. 11: What is the three dimensional image created by laser beams called?
A. 11: A Hologram.
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Q. 12: Who was the first U.S. President to adopt the informal version of his first name?
A. 12: Jimmy Carter.
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Q. 13: Organic chemistry is the study of materials that must contain which element?
A. 13: Carbon.
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Q. 14: What famous and influential Theologian claimed he could drive away the devil with a fart?
A. 14: Martin Luther.
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Q. 15: What is the liquid inside a coconut called?
A. 15: It is called Coconut water. (Coconut milk, popularly thought to be the liquid inside a coconut, is made from the flesh of the coconut.)
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Q. 16: In which month is the ‘October Revolution’ celebrated in Russia?
A. 16: November. (Come on, it was never going to be that obvious!)
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Q. 17: What are the next three prime numbers after 37?
A. 17: They are all in the forties 41, 43 and 47.
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Q. 18: This one is the name of a flower and the colored part of the eye, what is it?
A. 18: Iris.
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Q. 19: What bird features in the poem, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge?
A. 19: An Albatross.
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Q. 20: Named after the characters in the Tin Tin cartoon series, how many people were in the band The Thompson Twins?
Welcome to the start of another week and to another quiz.
Quite a tough selection this time, I think, but if you enjoy a challenge give them a go.
No point if they were all too easy 🙂
As always if you get stuck you can find the answers waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but please NO cheating!
Enjoy and good luck.
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Q. 1: Which is farther south, New York City or Rome, Italy?
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Q. 2: What is the ball on top of a flagpole called?
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Q. 3: Which are there more of in the United States of America, public libraries or McDonald’s fast food outlets?
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Q. 4: Apart from wanting to be US President what did all three major 1996 Presidential candidates, Clinton, Dole and Perot, have in common.
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Q. 5: Where was chocolate milk was invented?
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Q. 6: If you’re in Detroit and you walk south, what is the first country you’ll enter?
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Q. 7: Where did the ever popular trousers called ‘Jeans’ get their name?
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Q. 8: And what was the origin of ‘Denim’ the material that jeans are made from?
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Q. 9: What is the most filmed story of all time? (Bonus points if you can name second and third aswell.)
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Q. 10: When ocean tides are at their highest, they are called ‘spring tides’. What are they called when they are at their lowest?
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Q. 11: Which of these kills the most humans on average every year?
a) crocodiles b) hippopotamus c) mosquitos d) tigers
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Q. 12: What do you call a scholar who studies the works of the Marquis de Sade?
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Q. 13: What are ‘second unit’ movie shots?
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Q. 14: Which well known American writer was born on a day in 1835 when Haley’s Comet came into view and died on a day in 1910 when Haley’s Comet came into view again? (Will accept either his real name or pen name, a bonus point if you know both.)
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Q. 15: Which of these is the oldest?
a) The Aztec Empire b) The Inca Empire c) Cambridge University
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Q. 16: What is the only state of the USA whose name is just one syllable? (Hint: the answer is not California.)
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Q. 17: You’ve seen it many times and on lots of things, but what does the name ‘NABISCO’ mean?
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Q. 18: Which side of a woman’s blouse are the buttons on?
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Q. 19: He was a Spanish hero who, before he was 20, led a Spanish force against the Moors and drove them out of Spain. He is celebrated in poem and romance. Who was he?
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Q. 20: In 1972 who didn’t want Ruby to take her love to town?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: Which is farther south, New York City or Rome, Italy?
A. 1: New York City is further south than Rome, Italy.
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Q. 2: What is the ball on top of a flagpole called?
A. 2: The ball on top of a flagpole is called the truck.
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Q. 3: Which are there more of in the United States of America, public libraries or McDonald’s fast food outlets?
A. 3: There are more public libraries than McDonald’s in the U.S.
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Q. 4: Apart from wanting to be US President what did all three major 1996 Presidential candidates, Clinton, Dole and Perot, have in common.
A. 4: All three major 1996 Presidential candidates, Clinton, Dole and Perot, are left-handed.
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Q. 5: Where was chocolate milk was invented?
A. 5: Chocolate milk was invented in Ireland.
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Q. 6: If you’re in Detroit and you walk south, what is the first country you’ll enter?
A. 6: Understandable if you said Mexico, but If you’re in Detroit and you walk south, the first country you’ll enter will be Canada.
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Q. 7: Where did the ever popular trousers called ‘Jeans’ get their name?
A. 7: ‘Jeans’ were named after their place of origin, Genoa, Italy.
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Q. 8: And what was the origin of ‘Denim’ the material that jeans are made from?
A. 8: ‘Denim’ also takes its name from its place of origin, Nimes, in France. It was originally called ‘serge de Nimes’ or ‘fabric from Nimes’. The ‘serge’ soon disappeared and left us with ‘de Nimes’ or ‘denim’.
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Q. 9: What is the most filmed story of all time? (Bonus points if you can name second and third aswell.)
A. 9: Dracula is the most filmed story of all time, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is second and Oliver Twist is third.
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Q. 10: When ocean tides are at their highest, they are called ‘spring tides’. What are they called when they are at their lowest?
A. 10: When ocean tides are at their lowest, they are call ‘neep tides’.
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Q. 11: Which of these kills the most humans on average every year?
a) crocodiles b) hippopotamus c) mosquitos d) tigers
A. 11: The correct answer is c) Mosquitos. They kill as many as 1,000,000 people per year from Malaria. Although it appears quite docile, the Hippopotamus is considered the most dangerous animal in Africa, killing 3,000 people per year. Crocodiles kill between 1500 and 2500 people per year. And Tigers are estimated to kill around 100 humans per year.
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Q. 12: What do you call a scholar who studies the works of the Marquis de Sade?
A. 12: A scholar who studies the works of the Marquis de Sade is called a ‘Sadian’, not a ‘Sadist’.
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Q. 13: What are ‘second unit’ movie shots?
A. 13: ‘Second unit’ movie shots do not require the presence of actors.
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Q. 14: Which well known American writer was born on a day in 1835 when Haley’s Comet came into view and died on a day in 1910 when Haley’s Comet came into view again? (Will accept either his real name or pen name, a bonus point if you know both.)
A. 14: Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain was born on a day in 1835 when Haley’s Comet came into view and died on a day in 1910 when Haley’s Comet came into view again.
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Q. 15: Which of these is the oldest?
a) The Aztec Empire b) The Inca Empire c) Cambridge University
A. 15: The correct answer is c) Cambridge University in England is older than both the Aztec and Inca empires.
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Q. 16: What is the only state of the USA whose name is just one syllable? (Hint: the answer is not California.)
A. 16: Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
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Q. 17: You’ve seen it many times and on lots of things, but what does the name ‘NABISCO’ mean?
A. 17: ‘NABISCO’ simply means NAtional BIScuit COmpany.
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Q. 18: Which side of a woman’s blouse are the buttons on?
A. 18: The left.
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Q. 19: He was a Spanish hero who, before he was 20, led a Spanish force against the Moors and drove them out of Spain. He is celebrated in poem and romance. Who was he?
A. 19: El Cid.
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Q. 20: In 1972 who didn’t want Ruby to take her love to town?
One or two unusual questions today as well as the randomness of other weeks, so be on your toes.
As always if you do get stuck you can find the answers waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay dow below, but please NO cheating!
Enjoy and good luck.
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Q. 1: How many cellos are involved in a typical string quartet?
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Q. 2: Since the late 1970s ‘Superman’ has been portrayed in movies and on TV by five different actors, can you name them? (A point for each correct answer.)
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Q. 3: This one is the name of a robot and a mobile device operating system, what is it?
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Q. 4: Why would it be right to say that Hollande is now in charge of France?
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Q. 5: In the epic poem ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, what was shot with a crossbow?
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Q. 6: For what is Wynkyn de Worde (who died about 1534) famous?
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Q. 7: How many independent ‘Baltic states’ are there? (A point for the correct number and bonus points for each one you can name).
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Q. 8: Who had three UK Top Ten hits duetting with Ronald Reagan’s first wife, Princess Grace of Monaco and David Bowie?
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Q. 9: In which city was Joan of Arc burnt to death for being a witch?
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Q. 10: Who was the ‘Omega Man’ in the movie of the same name?
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Q. 11: What is the United States of America’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty?
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Q. 12: And for which war was the United States of America’s highest military honor created?
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Q. 13: Which leader’s statue was pulled down in Red Square in 1991?
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Q. 14: What word links Britain’s King Arthur and America’s Kennedy clan?
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Q. 15: In which country was the liberator Simon Bolivar born and which country is named after him?
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Q. 16: What animal is on the cover of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album?
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Q. 17: What is the well known word for ‘sailor of the stars’?
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Q. 18: Which solo performer and high flyer was selected as the first Time magazine Man of the Year in 1927?
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Q. 19: The answer is the number that links Charlton Heston and Bo Derek.
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Q. 20: With which instrument would you associate the jazz musicians Theolonius Monk and Art Tatum?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: How many cellos are involved in a typical string quartet?
A. 1: One.
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Q. 2: Since the late 1970s ‘Superman’ has been portrayed in movies and on TV by five different actors, can you name them? (A point for each correct answer.)
A. 2: (a) Christopher Reeve (1978–1987) in ‘Superman: The Movie’, ‘Superman II’, ‘Superman III’, and ‘Superman IV: The Quest For Peace’.
(b) Dean Cain (1993–1997) in the television series ‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’.
(c) Tom Welling (2001–2011) in the television series ‘Smallville’.
(d) Brandon Routh (2006) in the movie ‘Superman Returns’.
And (e) Henry Cavill (2013) in the movie ‘Man of Steel’.
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Q. 3: This one is the name of a robot and a mobile device operating system, what is it?
A. 3: Android.
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Q. 4: Why would it be right to say that Hollande is now in charge of France?
A. 4: Because Francois Hollande was elected President on France in 2012.
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Q. 5: In the epic poem ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, what was shot with a crossbow?
A. 5: An Albatross.
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Q. 6: For what is Wynkyn de Worde (who died about 1534) famous?
A. 6: The clue was in his name, Wynkyn de Worde (originally Jan van Wynkyn) (pronounced: “Winkin dee Werd”) was a printer and publisher in London known for his work with William Caxton, and is recognized as the first to popularize the products of the printing press in England.
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Q. 7: How many independent ‘Baltic states’ are there? (A point for the correct number and bonus points for each one you can name).
A. 7: There are three Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.
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Q. 8: Who had three UK Top Ten hits duetting with Ronald Reagan’s first wife, Princess Grace of Monaco and David Bowie?
A. 8: Bing Crosby.
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Q. 9: In which city was Joan of Arc burnt to death for being a witch?
A. 9: Rouen.
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Q. 10: Who was the ‘Omega Man’ in the movie of the same name?
A. 10: Charlton Heston.
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Q. 11: What is the United States of America’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty?
A. 11: The Medal of Honor.
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Q. 12: And for which war was the United States of America’s highest military honor created?
A. 12: The Medal of Honor was created in 1861, early in the American Civil War, to give recognition to men who distinguished themselves “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity” in combat with an enemy of the United States.
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Q. 13: Which leader’s statue was pulled down in Red Square in 1991?
A. 13: Lenin’s.
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Q. 14: What word links Britain’s King Arthur and America’s Kennedy clan?
A. 14: Camelot.
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Q. 15: In which country was the liberator Simon Bolivar born and which country is named after him?
A. 15: He was born in Venezuela and the country of Bolivia is named after him.
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Q. 16: What animal is on the cover of The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album?
A. 16: Goats.
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Q. 17: What is the well known word for ‘sailor of the stars’?
A. 17: Astronaut is ‘sailor of the stars’.
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Q. 18: Which solo performer and high flyer was selected as the first Time magazine Man of the Year in 1927?
A. 18: Charles Lindbergh.
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Q. 19: The answer is the number that links Charlton Heston and Bo Derek.
A. 19: The number is ‘10’, Charlton Heston starring in the movie ‘The Ten Commandments’ and Bo Derek in the movie ‘10’.
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Q. 20: With which instrument would you associate the jazz musicians Theolonius Monk and Art Tatum?
Yes folks, this being Christmas week we have a bumper Christmassy edition of the quiz.
All the questions have a Christmas theme and there are plenty of them this week, so this quiz should keep you going over the holidays.
As usual, if you get stuck, you can find the answers waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but NO cheating please!
Merry Christmas and enjoy.
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Q. 1: If you were born on Christmas day, what would be your Zodiac sign?
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Q. 2: In which century was Christmas first celebrated?
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Q. 3: What significance is holly in celebrating Christmas?
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Q. 4: In the familiar song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, what is the gift on the fourth day?
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Q. 5: In the 1998 movie what actor whilst out Christmas shopping suddenly finds himself an “Enemy of the State”?
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Q. 6: Who discovered Christmas Island in 1777?
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Q. 7: Who wrote the song “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”?
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Q. 8: Plus or minus one year, how long does it take a Scotch Pine Christmas tree to reach a typical retail height of 6 to 7 feet?
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Q. 9: One of the most popular floral gifts at Christmas is the Poinsetta, but what country did Poinsettias originally come from?
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Q. 10: At the end of the war in Vietnam, when Saigon fell, the signal for all Americans to evacuate was what song by Bing Crosby being played on the radio?
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Q. 11: What was Scrooge’s business partner called?
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Q. 12: When exactly is ‘The Twelfth Night’?
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Q. 13: Why was Boxing Day so named?
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Q. 14: Who composed the music for the festive season ballet ‘The Nutcracker’?
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Q. 15: Which Italian cake, popular at Christmas, belongs to Tony?
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Q. 16: What job was first taken by James Edgar in 1890?
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Q. 17: In which celebrated movie does James Stewart attempt suicide one Christmas?
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Q. 18: The Bible doesn’t say when Jesus was born. Pope Julius I made this decision in which year?
a) 50 AD b) 350 AD c) 750 AD d) 1250 AD
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Q. 19: Mr and Mrs Hilton had a little boy who was born on Christmas Day 1887, and went on to found of one of the world’s largest Hotel chains, but what was his first name?
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Q. 20: The names of which two reindeer mean ‘Thunder’ and ‘Lightning’?
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Q. 21: What is the name of the fruit sauce which is a traditional accompaniment to the Christmas Turkey?
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Q. 22: The American ad writer Robert L. May invented which colorful Christmas character in 1939?
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Q. 23: The German Christmas song ‘Tannebaum’ is translated into English as what?
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Q. 24: What does the word ‘Bethlehem’ mean?
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Q. 25: Before Pope Julius I decided that December 25th was the day Jesus was born, on which day did early Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus?
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Q. 26: Coca Cola made our modern Father Christmas for an advertising campaign, but prior to that, what color robes did he wear?
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Q. 27: Which ‘Christmas’ word means ‘turning of the sun’?
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Q. 28: Complete the title of each of the following Christmas movies.
a) Holiday… b) We’re No… c) The Bells of… d) It’s A Wonderful…
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Q. 29: What was the name of Scrooge’s clerk in a Christmas Carol?
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Q. 30: Advent candles are a popular Christmas tradition in many cultures. What does the word advent mean?
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Q. 31: Which nickname for Hollywood sounds Christmassy?
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Q. 32: Which pudding with a misleading name was banned by English Puritans because it was deemed to be ‘sinfully rich’?
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Q. 33: The Greek word for ‘Messiah’ was ‘Xristos’(Christ). What do all of these words mean translated?
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Q. 34: In the movie ‘Die Hard 2’, which airport did the terrorist take over on Christmas Eve?
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Q. 35: Many people claim that the first unofficial football (soccer) international between Germany and a Scotland-England side was played on a Christmas Day. The pitch or playing field was found between what?
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Q. 36: In which country does an ugly old witch named ‘Bafana’ deliver presents on the 6th of December?
a) Australia b) Austria c) Italy d) Mexico
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Q. 37: There are two ‘Christmas islands’, in which oceans are they located?
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Q. 38: In which city is Kevin left ‘Home Alone’ at Christmas? (the first Home Alone)
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Q. 39: “Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephan”. What is the name of the country where Wenceslas was king? (Will accept either the ‘old’ or ‘modern’ name of the country.)
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Q. 40: Which Christmas tradition, said to have originated in Germany, was banned in the Soviet Union until 1935?
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Q. 41: In which country is St. Nick called ‘Sinterklaas’?
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Q. 42: Which Christmas gift of the very highest quality, also known as ‘Oil of Lebanon’, comes from Oman?
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Q. 43: Why was December 25th chosen as Christmas Day?
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Q. 44: Who said, “You’ll want all day tomorrow, I suppose “?
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Q. 45: Which popular poem did Clement Clark Moore write for his six children in 1822?
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Q. 46: The following all mean ‘Merry Christmas’ in which language? (A point for each!)
a) Hyvaa joulua b) sung tan chuk ha c) froehliche weihnacten
d) mele kalikimaka e) god jul f) boas festas g) kala christouyenna
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Q. 47: Superstition dictates that when making mince pies for Christmas one should always stir in which direction?
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Q. 48: Which Christmas tradition did the very busy Sir Henry Cole introduce in 1843?
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Q. 49: The Christmas movie ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ has been remade many times. Who won a best supporting actor Oscar for the role of Kris Kringle in the original 1947 movie and which two time Oscar winner played Kris in the 1994 remake?
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Q. 50: Which song begins with “Are you hanging up your stocking on the wall”?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: If you were born on Christmas day, what would be your Zodiac sign?
A. 1: Capricorn.
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Q. 2: In which century was Christmas first celebrated?
A. 2: In the 4th century.
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Q. 3: What significance is holly in celebrating Christmas?
A. 3: The early church banned mistletoe, so holly was substituted.
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Q. 4: In the familiar song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, what is the gift on the fourth day?
A. 4: 4 Calling Birds.
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Q. 5: In the 1998 movie what actor whilst out Christmas shopping suddenly finds himself an “Enemy of the State”?
A. 5: Will Smith
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Q. 6: Who discovered Christmas Island in 1777?
A. 6: Captain Cook.
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Q. 7: Who wrote the song “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”?
A. 7: Irving Berlin.
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Q. 8: Plus or minus one year, how long does it take a Scotch Pine Christmas tree to reach a typical retail height of 6 to 7 feet?
A. 8: 7 years.
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Q. 9: One of the most popular floral gifts at Christmas is the Poinsetta, but what country did Poinsettias originally come from?
A. 9: Mexico.
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Q. 10: At the end of the war in Vietnam, when Saigon fell, the signal for all Americans to evacuate was what song by Bing Crosby being played on the radio?
A. 10: White Christmas.
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Q. 11: What was Scrooge’s business partner called?
A. 11: Jacob Marley.
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Q. 12: When exactly is ‘The Twelfth Night’?
A. 12: The evening of the 5th of January.
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Q. 13: Why was Boxing Day so named?
A. 13: After the custom of giving Christmas Boxes/Tips to workmen/tradesmen.
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Q. 14: Who composed the music for the festive season ballet ‘The Nutcracker’?
A. 14: Tchaikovsky.
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Q. 15: Which Italian cake, popular at Christmas, belongs to Tony?
A. 15: Panettone. (Anthony or Tone’s bread).
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Q. 16: What job was first taken by James Edgar in 1890?
A. 16: He was the first department store Santa.
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Q. 17: In which celebrated movie does James Stewart attempt suicide one Christmas?
A. 17: It’s A Wonderful Life.
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Q. 18: The Bible doesn’t say when Jesus was born. Pope Julius I made this decision in which year?
a) 50 AD b) 350 AD c) 750 AD d) 1250 AD
A. 18: Answer b) 350 AD.
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Q. 19: Mr and Mrs Hilton had a little boy who was born on Christmas Day 1887, and went on to found of one of the world’s largest Hotel chains, but what was his first name?
A. 19: Conrad.
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Q. 20: The names of which two reindeer mean ‘Thunder’ and ‘Lightning’?
A. 20: Donner and Blitzen.
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Q. 21: What is the name of the fruit sauce which is a traditional accompaniment to the Christmas Turkey?
A. 21: Cranberry.
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Q. 22: The American ad writer Robert L. May invented which colorful Christmas character in 1939?
A. 22: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
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Q. 23: The German Christmas song ‘Tannebaum’ is translated into English as what?
A. 23: Christmas Tree.
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Q. 24: What does the word ‘Bethlehem’ mean?
A. 24: House of meat (Arabic) or House of bread (Hebraic)
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Q. 25: Before Pope Julius I decided that December 25th was the day Jesus was born, on which day did early Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus?
A. 25: The 6th of January or feast of the epiphany. (Greek for appearance or revelation).
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Q. 26: Coca Cola made our modern Father Christmas for an advertising campaign, but prior to that, what color robes did he wear?
A. 26: Green. (As a sign of the returning Spring.)
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Q. 27: Which ‘Christmas’ word means ‘turning of the sun’?
A. 27: Yuletide (Yule means wheel in old Norse language).
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Q. 28: Complete the title of each of the following Christmas movies.
a) Holiday… b) We’re No… c) The Bells of… d) It’s A Wonderful…
A. 28: a) …Inn b) …Angels c) …St. Marys d) …Life
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Q. 29: What was the name of Scrooge’s clerk in a Christmas Carol?
A. 29: Bob Cratchit.
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Q. 30: Advent candles are a popular Christmas tradition in many cultures. What does the word advent mean?
A. 30: Arrival.
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Q. 31: Which nickname for Hollywood sounds Christmassy?
A. 31: Tinseltown.
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Q. 32: Which pudding with a misleading name was banned by English Puritans because it was deemed to be ‘sinfully rich’?
A. 32: Plum pudding. (Incidentally, there are no plums in plum pudding, just sugar, raisons, suet, flour and various spices boiled in a bag till ‘plum’)
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Q. 33: The Greek word for ‘Messiah’ was ‘Xristos’(Christ). What do all of these words mean translated?
A. 33: The ‘annointed’ one.
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Q. 34: In the movie ‘Die Hard 2’, which airport did the terrorist take over on Christmas Eve?
A. 34: Dulles International Airport (Washington DC).
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Q. 35: Many people claim that the first unofficial football (soccer) international between Germany and a Scotland-England side was played on a Christmas Day. The pitch or playing field was found between what?
A. 35: Between the trenches in no mans land, Christmas 1914. (No match report is available but it seems the Germans won 3-2.)
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Q. 36: In which country does an ugly old witch named ‘Bafana’ deliver presents on the 6th of December?
a) Australia b) Austria c) Italy d) Mexico
A. 36: Answer c) Italy.
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Q. 37: There are two ‘Christmas islands’, in which oceans are they located?
A. 37: The Pacific and Indian oceans.
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Q. 38: In which city is Kevin left ‘Home Alone’ at Christmas? (the first Home Alone)
A. 38: Chicago.
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Q. 39: “Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephan”. What is the name of the country where Wenceslas was king? (Will accept either the ‘old’ or ‘modern’ name of the country.)
A. 39: Bohemia, now known as the Czech Republic.
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Q. 40: Which Christmas tradition, said to have originated in Germany, was banned in the Soviet Union until 1935?
A. 40: Christmas trees.
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Q. 41: In which country is St. Nick called ‘Sinterklaas’?
A. 41: Holland.
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Q. 42: Which Christmas gift of the very highest quality, also known as ‘Oil of Lebanon’, comes from Oman?
A. 42: Frankincense.
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Q. 43: Why was December 25th chosen as Christmas Day?
A. 43: To compete with a pagan celebration.
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Q. 44: Who said, “You’ll want all day tomorrow, I suppose “?
A. 44: Scrooge to Bob Cratchit in Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’.
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Q. 45: Which popular poem did Clement Clark Moore write for his six children in 1822?
A. 45: A visit from St. Nicholas (The night before Christmas) “It twas the night before Christmas when all through the house……”
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Q. 46: The following all mean ‘Merry Christmas’ in which language? (A point for each!)
a) Hyvaa joulua b) sung tan chuk ha c) froehliche weihnacten
d) mele kalikimaka e) god jul f) boas festas g) kala christouyenna
A. 46: Answers a) Finnish b) Korean c) German d) Hawaiian e) Norwegian
f) Portugese and, g) Greek
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Q. 47: Superstition dictates that when making mince pies for Christmas one should always stir in which direction?
A. 47: In a clockwise direction.
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Q. 48: Which Christmas tradition did the very busy Sir Henry Cole introduce in 1843?
A. 48: The sending of Christmas wishes on mass produced Christmas cards. The first cards depicted a family toasting an absent friend with the words “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you”.
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Q. 49: The Christmas movie ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ has been remade many times. Who won a best supporting actor Oscar for the role of Kris Kringle in the original 1947 movie and which two time Oscar winner played Kris in the 1994 remake?
A. 49: Edmund Gwenn and Richard Attenborough.
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Q. 50: Which song begins with “Are you hanging up your stocking on the wall”?
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