A tableau

Here we go, this week’s teasingly teasing table round; – and, given the current pork crisis, there’s an immediately spottable theme, here …

Q1) This week sees the withdrawal of pork  products from which European country?

Q2) What has that meat been poisoned with?

Q3) What’s the preferred type of sausage meat, in Scotland?

Q4) If you’re a Ham, it means you’re some who overdoes things.   But in which profession?

Q5) The chorizo sausage comes from which European country?   Bonus for telling us what it’s flavoured  with.

And if that’s not an easy table round, I’m 6’ 5”!!

And, just to be helpful, here’s last year’s Christmas questions

ROUND ONE.   XMAS KNOWLEDGE.

 Q1) What item of Office equipment gets the most abused at office Christmas parties?

 A1) The photocopier.

 Q2) Which of Shakespeare’s plays had it’s 1st performance on Boxing Day; – “King Lear,” “Romeo and Juliet,” or “MacBeth?”

 Q2) King Lear.

 Q3) Who wrote “How the Grinch Stole Christmas?”   (Bonus point for telling who played the Grinch on film.)

 A3) Dr Seuss.   (Michael Myers.)

 Q4) ‘Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents’ is the first line from which literary classic by Louisa May Alcott?

 A4) Little Women

 Q5) On what did Marley's ghostly face first appear to Scrooge in Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,”; – the door knocker, the kitchen cupboard, or the fireplace?

 A5) The door knocker

 Q6) In which European country were the first Xmas postage stamps issued?

 A6) Austria

 Q7) In which year of the 1950’s was the Queen’s Speech first televised?

 A7) 1957

 Q8) Grandfather Frost is the name given to Santa, in which European country?

 A8) Russia.   (The Russian name is Dedushka Moroz)

 Q9) Which famous author published “The Father Christmas Letters,” in 1976?

 A9) J.R.R Tolkien.

 Q10) Picea Abies is the scientific name for which type of Christmas tree?

 A10) The Norwegian Spruce.

ROUND TWO.   MUSIC AND CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

Q11) Which band had the Christmas number 1, in 2002?

A11) Girls Aloud.   (With “Sound of the Underground.”)

Q12) “Christmas is All Around,” was released in 2003.   But by which British actor?    (Bonus point for naming the film it was from.)

A12) Bill Nighy.   (“Love, Actually.”)

Q13) “Stop the Cavalry” was a Xmas hit for which British artist?

A13) Jonah Louis.

Q14) Which Xmas hit has been the 3rd biggest selling record of all time?

A14)  “I’m Dreaming of A White Xmas,” by Bing Crosby

Q15) Which Beatle, and his wife had a Xmas hit with “Happy Xmas.   (War Is Over.)”?

A15) John and Yoko Lennon.

Q16) Which Frankie Goes to Hollywood song had a Nativity themed video; – “The Power of Love,” “Relax,” or “Two Tribes?”

A16) “The Power Of Love.”

Q17) Paul McCartney had a Christmas hit with “Pipes of Peace.”    In which world war was the video set? 

A17) World War One.

Q18) In which year of this century did a version Band Aid release a version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”?

A18) 2004. 

Q19) Liz Mitchell had a Xmas hit with Mary’s Boy Child.   But as part of which 70’s band; – Boney M, Rose Royce, or Earth Wind and Fire?

A19) Boney M

Q20) Which X-Factor winner had the Xmas number, in 2006?

A20) Leona Lewis.   (With a cover of “A Moment Like This.”)

ROUND THREE.   TV CHRISTMAS DINNERS.

Q21) How many Christmas specials did the late Ronnie Barker appear in?

A21) Nine.   (Seven “The Two Ronnies,” and two “Porridge” specials.)

Q22) What’s the 2007 “Doctor Who,” Xmas Special called?   (Bonus point for telling us which Australian singer’s to make an appearance in it.)

A22) “The Voyage of the Damned.”   (Kylie Minogue.)

Q23) How many “Morecambe & Wise Christmas Specials’” were there?

A23) Fourteen.   (The first in 1969, and last in 1983.)

Q24) “If They Could See Us Now,” “Strangers on the Shore,” and “Sleepless in Peckham,” were the most recent Christmas episodes of which British sitcom?

A24) “Only Fools and Horses.”

Q25) “The Vicar in White,” is this year’s Christmas special for which TV show?

A25) “The Vicar Of Dibley.”

Q26) “Dear Dad,”, “Death Takes a Holiday,” and “’Twas the Day After Christmas,” were Xmas episodes of which wartime American medical comedy?

A26) “M*A*S*H.”

Q27) In which year of the 1960’s was the first “Dad’s Army” Christmas special shown on the BBC?

A27) 1969.

Q28) What Christmassy Terry Pratchett novel did Sky TV show as a Christmas TV special?

A28) “The Hogfather.”

Q29) According to the characters, in TV show “South Park,” who else visits, on Christmas Day, apart from Santa?

A29) Mr Hanky, the Christmas Poo.

Q30) Which long running character is died on in the 2006 “EastEnders” Xmas special?   (Bonus point for telling us the name of the actor who played the character.)

A30) Pauline Fowler.   (Wendy Richards.)

ROUND FOUR.   CHRISTMAS STUFFING.

Q31) Tamales, pozoles, and menudo are tradition Xmas dishes in which Central American country?

A31) Mexico.

Q32) What’s the North American term for stuffing?

A32) Dressing.

Q33) Fried Carp is a common Xmas meal in Lithuania, and two other European countries.    Name either.

A33) Austria and Germany.

Q34) Révellion is the term for Christmas dinner, in which European language?

A34) French.

Q35) What sauce is the traditional accompaniment to roast turkey?

A35) Cranberry.

Q36) Pigs in a blanket are common parts of the UK’s Christmas dinner; – name either of the ingredients.   (Bonus point for naming both.)

A36) Bacon, sausages

Q37) Gløgg is a mulled wine drunk where, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, or Finland?

A37) All of them.

Q38) What bird did Queen Elizabeth I decree should be eaten as Christmas?

A38) The Goose

Q39) What part of a candy cane represents the blood Christ shed, at Easter?

A39) The large red stripe

Q40) Panettone is the Christmas cake eaten in which European country?

A40) Italy

ROUND FIVE.   AT THE XMAS MOVIES.

Q41) The 1954 film, “White Christmas” is  a remake of which Bing Crosby classic?

A41) “Holiday Inn.”

Q42) Who was the lead in “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation,” Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray, or Chevy Chase?

A42) Chevy Chase.

Q43) Who plays the lead in the 2003 comedy “Bad Santa?”

A43) Billy-Bob Thornton.

Q44) In which film does Tom Hanks play Scrooge and Santa?

A44) “Polar Express.”

Q45) Which of this year’s Xmas films features Santa’s brother?

A45) “Fred Clause.”

Q46) In which movie does Billy Peltzer recieve an unusual pet as a Christmas gift?

A46) “Gremlins.” (Gizmo, a mogwai.)

Q47) Who played Scrooge in “A Muppets Christmas Carol?”

A47) Michael Caine.

Q48) Who plays the elf 'Patch' in “Santa Claus the Movie?”

A48) Dudley Moore.

Q49) What is the first name of Macauley Culkins character who’s left “Home Alone” at Christmas?   (Bonus point for telling us his surname.)

A49) Kevin McCallister.

Q50) Who made his directorial dèbut with the 1992 remake of “Christmas in Connecticut?”

A50) Arnold Schwarzenegger

ROUND SIX.  CHRISTMAS GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which English king restored Xmas, after Oliver Cromwell banned it?

A51) Charles 2nd.

Q52) A three ton Christmas cake was made and eaten, this year.   But in which German city?

A52) Dresden

Q53) According to Dutch and Belgian tradition, Santa Clause lives in which European country?

A53) Spain.   (And he travels around by steam boat.)

Q54) In which century were fake Xmas trees first used?

A54) The Nineteenth.

Q55) True or false: Traditionally German children are not allowed to see the Christmas tree until Christmas Day.

A55) True.   (They celebrate it on the 24th of December).

Q56) Which word, associated with Christmas, comes from a Greek word meaning “We can act anything?”

A56) Pantomime.

Q57) Who, in traditional English panto, is Aladdin’s Mother?

A57) Widow Twankey.

Q58) In which London Lake is it traditional to swim, on Xmas Day?   (Bonus point for telling us in which Park it’s in.)

A58) The Serpentine

Q59) On which night is it said that animals can speak and evil spirits loose their powers?

A59) Christmas Eve.

Q60) Noted scientist, and atheist, Professor Richard Dawkins, enjoys doing what at Xmas?

A60) Singing carols.

And, yes, I know that’s a tough one to chew, about Richard Dawkins, but …

And, as a pointless fact about him, for all you Dr Who fans out there, you do know he’s married to Lalla Ward: — Romana Mark Two.

Who say’s nepotism doesn’t work?