Going Postal’s Monster Christmas Quiz

What do you or your family know about Christmas, and how it’s been celebrated and portrayed over the years? 120 Christmas questions!

Doing the whole quiz in one go might be a bit much for Christmas booze-befuddled brains, so the questions have been divided into 5 sections:

‘General’ Christmas questions – numbers 1-45
Christmas Tradition questions – numbers 46-71
Christmas Book questions – numbers 72-75
Christmas Movie questions – numbers 76-101
Christmas Music questions – numbers 102-120

Quizmasters (and mistresses) should feel free to allow contestants some leeway where dates are concerned – i.e. to the nearest decade, or century, if you’re feeling particularly generous.

Complaints about duplicated questions, incorrect or incomplete answers etc., should be addressed to Santa Claus at the North Pole, but leave it for a little while, because Santa has been very busy recently, and is probably a bit tired!

Enjoy!

Questions

In what type of building was Jesus born?
According to the Christmas carol, what were shepherds doing when the Angel of the Lord came from Heaven to give them news of the birth of Christ?
Who travelled from afar to worship the new-born Messiah, bearing gifts?
What is ‘The City of David’, where Jesus was born, better known as?
What was the reaction of Herod, the King of Judea, on learning of the birth of Christ?
What colour are mistletoe berries?
What Christmas decoration was originally made from strands of silver?
What type of tree is most commonly used for Christmas trees?
What plant is sometimes known as the ‘Christmas flower’?
How many tips do traditional snowflakes have?
What is the most popular vegetarian alternative to a roast turkey?
Australia has a dessert called ‘White Christmas’. What is it made of?
Which ornament is typically placed on the top of the Christmas tree?
What is Santa known as in Italian?
Who invented the Christmas wreath?
Which Christmas decoration do the Royal Family not have on their trees?
In 2009 IKEA made the largest gingerbread man. To the nearest kilogram, how much did it weigh?
What fruit is used to make a christingle?
When were Christmas crackers invented?
What kind of Christmas is Elvis going to have?
Which British monarch delivered the first ever Christmas message?
Who played the Doctor in the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special?
Boxing Day is also known by another name celebrating a saint. Who is the saint?
Doing which Christmas activity sends roughly 18,000 Americans to A&E every year?
Mistletoe literally translates from Anglo Saxon as what on a stick?
Who wrote, “Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more?”
Which country has donated a Christmas tree to the people of Scotland every year since 1949?
If you’re born on Christmas day, what is your star sign?
How do you say “Merry Christmas” in Spanish?
According to the folklore of Austria, what horned figure punishes naughty children at Christmastime?
In which modern-day country was Saint Nicholas, on whom Santa Claus is based, born?
Name the YouTube personality who won five consecutive UK Christmas number 1s between 2018 and 2022.
Which Christmas beverage is also known as ‘Milk Punch’?
Which royal first delivered the Royal Christmas Message?
What gift did the Little Drummer Boy give to the new-born Christ?
A Roman holiday held between December 17th to the 23rd had an influence on how Christmas was celebrated. Which God did it celebrate?
The German Nazi regime replaced Santa Claus with which figure?
The official record for the tallest snowman is held by the US town of Bethel, Maine. To the nearest 10ft, how tall was it?
The residents of which country are known to enjoy the popular fast food KFC on Christmas Day?
When was the first televised Christmas address by the Royal family?
By what name is Santa Claus commonly known in Germany?
In which year were Christmas festitivies outlawed in England?
Who was the female TV chef, famous for Christmas recipes and others, who was popular on TV between the 1950s and 1970s, who was assisted by her husband?
Which residence does the Royal Family usually spend Christmas at?
In which century were the first commercial Christmas cards produced?
What is traditionally hidden inside a Christmas pudding?
Which city has been donating a Christmas tree to London for Trafalgar Square every year since 1947?
Where do many people in Japan go for their traditional Christmas dinner?
In which country did eggnog originate?
What time is the Monarch’s speech traditionally broadcast on Christmas Day?
How many days of Christmas are there traditionally?
What colour suit did Santa wear until Coca Cola rebranded him in red?
What decoration do elves traditionally have on their shoes?
What fruit is traditionally put inside a Christmas stocking?
According to tradition, when should you remove all your Christmas decorations?
Traditionally, when should you start making a Christmas pudding?
Which U.S. state was the first to declare Christmas Day an official holiday?
Stollen is a traditional fruit cake in which country?
When were gingerbread houses believed to have been originated?
When making mince pies which way should you stir your mincemeat for good luck?
What do children in Sweden leave out for Santa?
In Spain, when do you typically exchange Christmas gifts?
The custom of erecting a Christmas tree originated from which country?
In Catalonia, the Caga Tió, a cheery festive log, is fed treats until it does what?
Swedes traditionally celebrate Christmas Eve by watching which famous cartoon?
Who first introduced the turkey to Europe?
Which plant associated with Christmas has the Latin name ‘Viscum Album’?
When do the 12 days of Christmas start?
In Ireland, what colour are the tall candles some place in their windows as a symbol of warmth and shelter for the holiday season?
What fish do people in the Czech Republic traditionally eat on Christmas Eve?
How do people get to church on Christmas Eve in Caracas, Venezuela?
How many ghosts show up in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol?
What gift did Harry Potter receive from the Dursleys during his first Christmas at Hogwarts?
In Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, what was the first name of Scrooge?
Which food danced in children’s heads in the poem ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’?
In ‘Home Alone’, how many siblings does Kevin have?
In which Christmas movie does Tom Hanks play 6 of the characters?
In the movie ‘Love Actually’, which character sang ‘Christmas Is All Around’?
In ‘Mean Girls’, which Christmas song do the Plastics get up on stage to perform?
Which famous American personality had a cameo appearance in the movie ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ removed?
Which Christmassy song plays at the end of the 1988 Film ‘Die Hard’?
According to Buddy the Elf, what are the four food groups elves can eat?
In ‘Elf’, what’s the first rule in the Code of The Elves?
What is the Grinch’s dog called?
In the 2006 film ‘Deck The Halls’, what does Matthew Broderick’s character (Steve Finch) do for a living?
What is Iris’s job in ‘The Holiday’?
Who is Jeronicus Jangle in the film ‘Jingle Jangle’?
What is the name of the snowman in ‘Frozen’?
Who plays Santa in ‘The Santa Clause’?
In ‘Love Actually’, which boy band is Billy Mack up against for Christmas number one?
Which Iron Man film takes place at Christmas?
The film ‘Last Christmas’ starring Emilia Clarke, is a musical inspired by the music of who?
Who played Scrooge in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’?
In the movie ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, what happened every time a bell rang?
What’s the name of the main villain in ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’?
What is the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time?
In ‘The Holiday’, which English county is Iris’ (played by Kate Winslet) cottage located in?
Where are the McCallisters going on holiday when they leave Kevin behind in ‘Home Alone’?
Which actor plays the Prime Minister in the romantic comedy ‘Love Actually’?
How many full-length films are in the Santa Clause franchise starring Tim Allen?
The 2000 film ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ was based on a children’s book by which author?
Which Christmas song contains the lyric “Everyone dancing merrily in the new old-fashioned way?”
In what year did Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ come out?
What was Frosty the Snowman’s nose made of?
What is the best-selling Christmas single of all time?
What is the opening line to Shakin’ Stevens’ ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’?
What was the UK Christmas number one in 2010?
How many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh (including Rudolph)?
What is the name of the ballet that takes place at Christmas?
When was the first version of ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town’ released?
‘Jingle Bells’ was originally a song for what other holiday?
Who is widely considered the King of Christmas popular music?
Astronauts broadcast which Christmas song from space in 1965?
In the Christmas carol ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’, what gift is offered on the seventh day?
Which pop song has been the Christmas Singles Chart Number One twice?
What words follow “Silent Night” in the carol?
According to her festive hit song ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, what will Mariah Carey be waiting underneath?
What are the names of Santa’s reindeer in the song ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?
What is the name of the snowman in the song ‘Winter Wonderland’?
How many gifts in total were given in ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ song?

Happy Christmas to all!

Swiss Bob: Email your answers to the usual address subject ‘Christmas 2023 quiz’ before 10 pm tonight. At 10 pm I will update the post with the answers. Once you’ve checked your score and if you think you’re a winner email me subject ‘Winner Christmas 2023 quiz’ with your total number of correct answers. The prize will be a GP mug plus something else I will decide on later. NeverUpToTheJob is responsible for any screw-ups. No liability is accepted for anything!

Answers

A stable
Watching their flocks.
The Three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings, or Three Magi.
Bethlehem, although in the Old Testament, the term refers to an area of Jerusalem.
He ordered the execution of all male children aged two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
White
Tinsel
Nordmann Fir
Poinsettia
Six
A nut roast
Coconut oil, dried fruit, desiccated coconut and rice bubbles.
A star or angel
Babbo Natale
Johann Hinrich Wichern, a German pastor.
Tinsel
651 kg
An orange
In 1847 by a man named Tom Smith
A ‘Blue Christmas’
King George V in 1932
Ncuti Gatwa
St. Stephen
Putting up and taking down Christmas decorations.
Dung
Dr. Seuss
Norway
Capricorn
Feliz Navidad
Krampus
Turkey
LadBaby
Eggnog
George V
He played a song for him on his drums
Saturn
Odin
120 feet or 6.1 metres
Japan
1957
Der Weihnachtsmann
1647
Fanny Craddock (Phyllis Nan Sortain Pechey)
Sandringham House, Norfolk
19th Century (1843 by Sir Henry Cole in London)
A coin
Oslo, Norway
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
Britain
3pm
12
Green
Bells
Orange or tangerine
January 5th (Twelfth Night)
On a Sunday, 5 weeks before Christmas.
Oklahoma
Germany
The 16th century
Clockwise
A cup of coffee so he doesn’t get tired
6th January
Germany
Poos gifts or sweets.
Donald Duck
Spain
Mistletoe
Christmas Day
Red
Carp
On roller skates
Four: former business partner Jacob Marley, and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
A 50-pence piece
Ebenezer
Sugar plums
Four – Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff.
The Polar Express. He plays Hero Boy, Father, Conductor, Hobo, Scrooge and Santa Claus.
Billy Mack, played by Bill Nighy.
Bobby Helms – ‘Jingle Bell Rock’.
Donald Trump
Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne – ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’
Candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.
Treat every day like Christmas.
Max
Optometrist
Journalist
A toymaker
Olaf
Tim Allen
Blue
Iron Man 3
George Michael and Wham!
Michael Caine
An angel got their wings
Oogie Boogie
The Grinch (2018)
Surrey
Paris
Hugh Grant
Three – The Santa Clause (1994), The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
Dr. Seuss
Rocking Around The Christmas Tree
1994
A button
Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
“Snow is falling, all around me”
‘When We Collide’ by Matt Cardle
Nine
The Nutcracker
1934
Thanksgiving
Michael Buble
Jingle Bells
Seven swans-a-swimming
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen
Holy night
Mistletoe
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph
Parson Brown
364