Right …
It’s beginning to look a lot like Xmas.
At least, it’s beginning to look a lot like Xmas …
Metaphorically … !
This mean’s several things.
The weather’s playing up.
Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, somewhere.
And I’m in a rush: present wrapping to be done, and all that!
~≈®≈~
Here’s this week’s: covered by the usual Creative Commons License*
ROUND ONE: XMAS KNOWLEDGE.
Q1) Christmas celebrates the birth of which religious figure: Jesus, Muhammed or Buddha?
A1) Jesus.
Q2) In the abbreviation, Xmas, the X is short for which Greek letter: Pi, Chi or Omega?
Q2) Ch. (In other words, it’s the first letter of the word, Christmas … in Greek.)
Q3) In which year of the 1950s did Queen Elizabeth II deliver her first televised Christmas message: 1952, 1955 or 1957?
A3) 1957. (She’d started in 1952: but her first five were audio only.)
Q4) If you were born on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, what would your star sign be?
A4) Capricorn.
Q5) What’s Hollywood’s Christmassy nickname?
A5) Tinseltown.
Q6) The Three Wise Men are also called the Three Kings. And what else?
A6) Magi.
Q7) Christmas Island is has lots of Phosphate mines. As a result of being covered in what: guano, guava or Guyana?
A7) Guano: manure from seabirds, basically.
Q8) In parts of Ireland, you’d celebrate Little Christmas: on which date?
A8) 6th January.
Q9) Who’s generally credited with introducing the Christmas Tree to the UK?
A9) Prince Albert, the Prince Consort: and husband to Queen Victoria.
Q10) Poinsettia are usually displayed at Christmas. Which American country is it from?
A10) Mexico.
ROUND TWO: Christmas TV Dinners
Q11) The Mystery Of Little-Under-Standing was a Christmas special: with which pair of brothers … ?
Q12) Which UK TV channel airs an Alternative Christmas Message?
A12) Channel 4.
Q13) Rock and Chips and The Green, Green Grass had Christmas specials: as did the comedy they were spin-offs of. What was that comedy: Birds of a Feather, Only Fools and Horses or To Death Do Us Part?
A13) Only Fools and Horses.
Q14) Which scientific body airs the Christmas Lectures, on the BBC?
Q15) The Boswell family featured in the Christmas, and regular, episodes of Bread. Name any of the the kids.
A15) Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy.
Q16) 2009 and 2013 saw Christmas specials with which Catherine Tate character?
A16) Nan.
Q17) Strictly Come Dancing has aired a Christmas Special: since 2004. What’s the name of Strictly Come Dancing’s US version?
A17) Dancing With The Stars.
Q18) The Santa Simulation, The Cooper Extraction and The Clean Room Infiltration were — or are — Christmas episodes of which US comedy?
A18) The Big Bang Theory.
Q19) US tv franchise, CSI, has shown several Christmas specials. What does CSI stand for?
Q20) Mammy’s Ass was a Christmas episode of which comedy?
A20) Mrs Brown’s Boys.
ROUND THREE: Christmas Popcorn
Q21) The 90s version of Miracle on 34th Street starred which actor/director?
A21) Sir Richard Attenborough.
Q22) Which Yuletide classic was first sung by Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn?
A22) White Xmas.
Q23) What Californian politician played the lead in the 1996 film Jingle All The Way?
A23) Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Q24) Which Christmas film has a record 159 uses of the F word?
A24) Bad Santa. (It’s know — in the Czech Republic — as Santa Is A Pervert.)
Q25) The first documented appearance of Mrs Claus is in which B movie?
Q26) Which 1983, prisoner of war film stars David Bowie and Ryûichi Sakamoto?
Q27) What’s the name of the 2010 Christmas horror film is set in Finland: Rare Exports, Evil Elf or Vodka Galore?
Q28) What’s the name of the 2011 animated film: with James McAvoy as Santa’s youngest son, Arthur?
A28) Arthur Claus.
Q29) Which films sees Tom Hanks playing Santa, a conductor, the hero, a tramp, AND the film’s Narrator?
A29) The Polar Express.
Q30) Who plays the central character in 1988’s Scrooged?
A30) Bill Murray.
ROUND FOUR: CHRISTMAS STUFFING
Q31) The Bunte Brothers — a pair of sweet makers from Chicago — are one of the earliest people to make what: Christmas Crackers, candy canes or Christmas pudding?
A31) Candy canes.
Q32) Stir-up Sunday is the traditional day that we’re supposed to make what?
A32) Christmas pudding.
Q33) Christmas Pudding is sometimes called Plum pudding. Do traditional recipes include plums?
A33) No: ‘plums’ was a Victorian term for raisins. (Makes you think …)
Q34) Jouluateria — sometimes called Joulupäivällinen†, or Joulupöytä — is Christmas dinner: in which European country?
A34) Finland.
Q35) Assorted marzipan sweets get handed out at Christmas: in various parts of the world. Which nut goes in marzipan?
A35) Almonds. (Although, strictly, it’s a type of berry, rather than a nut. )
Q36) During 2011, UK bakers, Greggs, reportedly sold seven and a half million what?
A36) Mince pies.
Q37) In which Dickens novel does the main character buy his lone employee a turkey, on Christmas morning?
A37) A Christmas Carol.
Q38) Many in the UK will eat pigs in blankets as part of their Christmas dinner. These are small sausages: wrapped in what?
A38) Bacon.
Q39) Christmas is coming, and — according to the old song — the goose is getting … what … ?
A39) Fat.
Q40) If you’re eating Hangikjöt you’re having a traditional Christmas dinner, where: Iceland, Greenland or Denmark?
ROUND FIVE: YOU MUST BE CRACKERS!
Q41) World War Two saw Operation Crackers: an operation to destroy an observation post in which Nazi occupied where: Norway, France or Belgium?
A41) Norway.
Q42) In the TV series, Cracker, who plays the central character, Fitz?
A42) Robbie Coltrane.
Q43) More To the point, who plays Fitz’s son in the US remake of Cracker: Ashton Kutcher, Josh Hartnett or Jim Sturgess?
A43) Josh Hartnett.
Q44) Which glam rock band released Crackers — The Christmas Party Album: Slade, Mud or Sweet?
A44) Slade.
Q45) If you were a scientist who’s cracking, you’re involved in what: chemistry, physics or biology?
A45) Chemistry. (It’s the process of breaking down oil, to make various different petrochemicals.)
Q46) A cracker is a computer hacker that does what: hacks illegally, hacks for political purposes or hacks for a security company?
A46) Hacks illegally: usually for personal gain.
Q47) Cracker — the comic — eventually merged with which other comic: The Beezer, the Beano or Buster?
A47) The Beezer.
Q48) Which type of butterfly are known as crackers: hamadryas, fritillaries or tortoiseshells?
A48) Hamadryas.
Q49) The Atlanta Crackers were a team from Atlanta, Georgia. Which sport did they play?
A49) Baseball.
Q50) Tom Smith, the man who invented the Christmas Cracker, has a fountain named after him. Where: Berkeley Square, Finsbury Square or Regent Square?
A50) Finsbury Square. (During the 18th Century, the south side of Finsbury Square was known as Sodomites Walk. Okaaaaaaaaaay … )
ROUND SIX: XMAS IGNORANCE.
Q51) Saint Basil is the traditional Christmas-time gift bringer: in which European country: Greece, Italy or Portugal?
A51) Greece.
Q52) Père Noël is the version of Father Christmas: in countries that speak which language?
A52) French.
Q53) The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days from Christmas Day. Until which feast: Advent, Epiphany or Easter?
A53) Epiphany.
Q54) Christmas Day, 2014, is a Thursday. When was it last on a Thursday?
A54) 2008.
Q55) What are you expected to kiss under, over Christmas: holly, mistletoe or ivy?
A55) Mistletoe.
Q56) Jacob’s, Cream, Animal and and Saltine are all types of what?
A56) Crackers.
Q57) What’s the name of the ship’s computer, in the TV series, Red Dwarf?
A57) Holly.
Q58) 2014 saw many in the UK do their Christmas shopping on what’s been called Black Friday: a US import. In the US, the day is the Friday after what?
A58) Thanksgiving.
Q59) What do many Western Christian churches call the four weeks leading up to Christmas?
A59) Advent.
Q60) The Christmas Price Index is a tongue-in-cheek effort: tracking The prices of the items in which Christmas carol?
A60) The Twelve Days Of Christmas. (Apparently, this year’s is up 1% on last year’s …)
Enjoy those.
Happy Xmas!
* All that means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets. All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license. A link back to the site — and to the Gazette’s, if that’s where you’ve found these — would be appreciated: as would pressing my donate button, here. Every penny is gratefully received.
† It’s pronounced like this‡ …
‡ Pronunciation guide courtesy of Nina Haglünd.
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