Christmas Trivia

December 25 — Christmas Day falls on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar.

Rudolph the reindeer — Rudolph's nose is the star of the 1949 song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

Stockings — Stockings are filled with small gifts and treats on Christmas Eve.

The North Pole — The North Pole is the traditional home of Santa and his workshop.

A star or angel — Many trees are topped with a star, an angel or another special ornament.

The Grinch — The Grinch is the grumpy hero of Dr. Seuss's 1957 book.

Ho ho ho — "Ho ho ho" is Santa's classic jolly laugh.

Milk and cookies — Milk and cookies is a popular treat to thank Santa.

Eight — "A Visit from St. Nicholas" names eight reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.

Red — Santa's suit is red with white fur trim.

Candy cane — Candy canes are shaped like a shepherd's crook or a letter J.

Fir or pine — Evergreens such as fir, spruce and pine are popular Christmas trees.

Decorate the tree — They are hung on Christmas trees to make them sparkle.

A partridge in a pear tree — The first gift in "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a partridge in a pear tree.

Frosty the Snowman — Frosty comes alive when a magic silk hat is placed on his head.

The North Pole — The train carries children to the North Pole to meet Santa.

Elves — Elves are Santa's cheerful toy-making assistants.

Wrapping paper — Gifts are wrapped in festive wrapping paper.

A wreath — A circular wreath of evergreens is a classic Christmas door decoration.

A Visit from St. Nicholas — The poem is also known by its first line, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Christmas Eve — December 24 is Christmas Eve.

Home Alone — Home Alone (1990) stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister.

A reindeer — Rudolph is one of Santa's reindeer.

A carol — Carols are traditional Christmas songs.

Hot cocoa — Hot cocoa is a cozy winter favorite.

Mistletoe — Hanging mistletoe is a Christmas custom for kissing.

A gingerbread house — Gingerbread houses and gingerbread men are popular Christmas treats.

Jingle all the way — The chorus continues "Jingle all the way!"

Santa Claus — Father Christmas is the British name for Santa.

Pull them with another person — Crackers are pulled apart with a bang, revealing a toy, joke and paper crown.

A paper crown — Cracker paper crowns are a UK tradition.

Baubles — Baubles, or ornaments, are glass or plastic balls.

Red — Holly's bright red berries stand out against its green leaves.

Mrs. Claus — Mrs. Claus is Santa's wife in popular stories.

Dasher — Dasher leads the list: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.

Advent — Advent is the season of preparation before Christmas.

A letter — Children send wish-list letters to Santa.

Christmas — "Merry Christmas" is the traditional greeting.

Olaf — Olaf is the cheerful snowman who dreams of summer.

Buddy — Buddy is the human raised by elves, played by Will Ferrell.

Candles — Advent wreaths hold four candles lit one at a time.

Water and fake snow — Shaking a snow globe swirls the white flakes in water.

Reindeer — Both male and female reindeer typically grow antlers.

Ebenezer Scrooge — Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character of Charles Dickens's story.

Tiny Tim — Tiny Tim famously says, "God bless us, every one!"

Orange — Oranges studded with cloves smell festive and are called pomanders.

The Nutcracker — Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" is a holiday ballet favorite.

Carols — Caroling is a tradition of singing from house to house.

An orange or small treats — Tiny gifts, candy and sometimes an orange fill the toe.

Winter — December 25 is in winter in the north.

A sleigh — Santa rides a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.

Down the chimney — Santa is said to slide down the chimney.

Christmas sweaters — Ugly Christmas sweaters are a fun tradition.

Twelve — The song counts twelve days of gifts.

Yule log — The bûche de Noël is a log-shaped sponge cake.

Poinsettia — The poinsettia comes from Mexico and is popular at Christmas.

Snow — Snowmen are built from packed snow.

Gifts — Christmas gifts are exchanged by family and friends.

Christmas dinner — Families gather for a big Christmas dinner.

Holy night — The next line is "holy night, all is calm, all is bright.

Charles Dickens — Charles Dickens published the novella in 1843.

Germany — Decorated fir trees became popular in Germany in the 1500s.

Prince Albert — Prince Albert, born in Germany, popularized the tree after an 1848 illustration of the royal family.

Max — Max is the loyal dog who pulls the Grinch's sleigh.

Cindy Lou Who — Cindy Lou Who is the kind little girl who questions the Grinch.

A Christmas Story — Ralphie Parker hears this line in "A Christmas Story" (1983).

George Bailey — George Bailey is played by James Stewart in the 1946 film.

Clarence — Clarence Odbody is George's guardian angel.

Irving Berlin — Irving Berlin wrote it in 1940, and Bing Crosby's version became a classic.

Bing Crosby — Bing Crosby's 1942 recording sold tens of millions of copies.

Jingle Bells — It was later renamed "Jingle Bells."

German — "Stille Nacht" was written in Austria in 1818 with lyrics by Joseph Mohr.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — The stop-motion special first aired in 1964.

Candy — Buddy says the four main food groups are candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.

Joe Pesci — Joe Pesci played Harry, and Daniel Stern played his partner Marv.

New York City — Kevin ends up in New York City after boarding the wrong plane.

The Nightmare Before Christmas — Jack is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who discovers Christmas Town.

Gold, frankincense and myrrh — The Gospel of Matthew mentions gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Bethlehem — The Gospels of Matthew and Luke place his birth in Bethlehem.

Gabriel — Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth in the Annunciation.

Joseph — Joseph was the carpenter betrothed to Mary.

Shepherds — Angels announced the birth to shepherds watching their flocks.

1843 — Henry Cole commissioned the first commercial card in 1843.

A hot spiced drink — Wassail is a warm spiced cider or ale linked with caroling.

Ginger — Ginger is the main spice in gingerbread.

December 26 — Boxing Day is the day after Christmas.

Christmas pudding — The pudding is flamed with brandy before serving.

Norway — Norway sends a tree annually as thanks for British help in WWII.

Rockefeller Center — The Rockefeller Center tree lighting is a yearly tradition.

A sleigh bell — Santa gives the boy a silver bell from his sleigh, which only believers can hear ring.

A piñata — Posadas often feature piñatas filled with sweets.

December — St. Nicholas Day falls on December 6.

The Alps — Krampus legends come from Alpine countries such as Austria and Bavaria.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! — The Whos celebrate Christmas despite the Grinch.

Mariah Carey — Mariah Carey co-wrote and recorded it for her 1994 album.

Clement Clarke Moore — Moore is traditionally credited with the 1823 poem.

Donner — Donner is German for thunder; Blitzen means lightning.

Rudolph — May wrote the story for the Montgomery Ward store chain.

Kermit the Frog — Kermit plays Bob Cratchit, and Miss Piggy is Emily Cratchit.

Edmund Gwenn — Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for playing Kris Kringle.

Kris Kringle — Kris Kringle claims to be the real Santa.

The Santa Clause — Scott Calvin puts on the suit in "The Santa Clause" (1994).

The Polar Express — The Polar Express is based on the 1985 picture book.

Raymond Briggs — Raymond Briggs's wordless book became a 1982 animated film.

A little lamb — The carol opens with the night wind saying something to a little lamb.

Tchaikovsky — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky premiered it in 1892.

Almonds — Marzipan is made from ground almonds and sugar.

Milk, cream, sugar and eggs — Eggnog is a creamy drink with eggs, often with nutmeg.

Christkindlmarkt — German Christmas markets are also called Weihnachtsmärkte.

La Befana — La Befana flies on a broomstick delivering sweets.

January 6 — Epiphany, January 6, is the big gift day in Spain.

Coca-Cola — Artist Haddon Sundblom painted Santa for Coca-Cola starting in 1931.

Turbo Man — Arnold Schwarzenegger's character hunts for a Turbo Man doll.

Put on the suit — The card says if you put on the suit, the wearer accepts the responsibilities of Santa.

Germany — German Protestants made early Advent calendars in the 1800s.

Coca-Cola — The "Holidays Are Coming" ad has aired since 1995.

Jacob Marley — Marley's ghost warns Scrooge before the three spirits arrive.

Wigilia — Wigilia is a meatless supper that starts when the first star appears.

Saint Lucy — Lucia processions celebrate light in the darkest time of year.

A Red Ryder BB gun — Ralphie dreams of a Red Ryder carbine-action BB gun.

Boris Karloff — Boris Karloff narrated and voiced the Grinch.

Franz Xaver Gruber — Gruber wrote the melody in 1818, to words by Joseph Mohr.

1843 — Charles Dickens's novella came out on December 19, 1843.

Mr. Fezziwig — Fezziwig hosts a cheerful Christmas party when Scrooge was his apprentice.

Fred — Fred invites Scrooge to Christmas dinner each year.

E. T. A. Hoffmann — Hoffmann wrote it in 1816.

1914 — Soldiers on the Western Front paused fighting on Christmas 1914.

Charlemagne — Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne in Rome.

William the Conqueror — William was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

1870 — Congress made it a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.

1647 — The Puritan-led Parliament banned it in 1647, and the ban ended with the Restoration in 1660.

Thomas Nast — Thomas Nast drew Santa as a jolly, bearded man at the North Pole.

Myra — Myra was in the area of modern Turkey.

Henry Cole — Cole hired artist John Callcott Horsley to illustrate it.

Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne — They reportedly wrote it during a Hollywood heat wave in July.

Felix Mendelssohn — Charles Wesley's words were later set to Mendelssohn's tune.

Charles Wesley — Wesley's original opening was "Hark how all the welkin rings."

Jingle Bells — Gemini 6 astronauts played "Jingle Bells" on a harmonica.

Brenda Lee — Brenda Lee was 13 when she recorded it.

Elvis Presley — Elvis included it on his 1957 Christmas album.

Mel Tormé and Robert Wells — Mel Tormé co-wrote it in 1945.

Johnny Marks — Johnny Marks wrote it in 1949, and Gene Autry made it a hit.

José Feliciano — José Feliciano released it in 1970.

Meredith Willson — Meredith Willson wrote it in 1951.

Leroy Anderson — Anderson completed the instrumental in 1948.

Bob Geldof and Midge Ure — Band Aid recorded it in 1984.

Wham! — George Michael wrote and performed it.

Adeste Fideles — "Adeste fideles" means "be present, faithful ones."

Shchedryk — Mykola Leontovych arranged it from a folk chant.

Seven swans a-swimming — Swans are the seventh gift, with lords leaping on the tenth.

Five gold rings — Five gold rings is the song's famous line; the birds belong to other days.

364 — The totals add up to 364, one for each day of the year but one.

Saturnalia — Saturnalia involved gift giving and feasting.

336 — A Roman calendar from 354 AD lists a December 25 celebration in 336.

The Greek letter Chi — Chi is the first letter of "Christos" in Greek.

Latin for birth — It comes from Latin "natalis," meaning birth.

Augustus — Luke writes that Caesar Augustus decreed a census.

Matthew — Only Matthew tells of the visit of the Magi.

Herod — Herod the Great ruled when the Magi arrived.

God with us — "Immanuel" is translated "God with us."

Elizabeth — Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist.

An angel of the Lord — The angel said, "Do not be afraid," and announced good news.

December 25 — They run from Christmas Day until January 5.

Epiphany — Epiphany celebrates the visit of the Magi.

King George V — George V's broadcast started the tradition.

1957 — It was broadcast on TV for the first time in 1957.

Calvin Coolidge — Coolidge lit it near the White House.

Real silver — It was first made in 1610 in Nuremberg.

Lauscha, Germany — Hans Greiner is credited with making them.

Edward H. Johnson — Johnson was an Edison associate in New York City.

Joel Roberts Poinsett — Poinsett was the first US ambassador to Mexico.

Flor de Nochebuena — It is the Mexican name for the plant.

13 — Thirteen Yule Lads leave small gifts, one each night.

Jólabókaflóð — The "Christmas Book Flood" is a beloved tradition.

KFC — "Kentucky for Christmas" became a tradition after a 1974 campaign.

Korvatunturi — Korvatunturi, a fell in Lapland, is the traditional home.

Venezuela — Caracas closes some streets so people can skate to early Mass.

Tió de Nadal — Children sing to the Tió and hit it with sticks so it will leave treats.

Brooms — Tradition says witches may steal brooms.

Kiritimati — Kiritimati in Kiribati lies in UTC+14, among the earliest time zones.

Stollen — Dresden stollen is famous.

Panettone — Panettone is a Milanese Christmas bread.

A dentist — Hermey is the elf who dreams of being a dentist.

Burl Ives — Burl Ives sings "A Holly Jolly Christmas" in the special.

Snow Miser and Heat Miser — The brothers have a famous musical rivalry.

Vince Guaraldi — Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" is a holiday standard.

Linus — Linus walks onto the stage to explain the true meaning.

Michael Caine — Michael Caine took the role seriously.

Jon Favreau — Jon Favreau directed it, with Will Ferrell as Buddy.

Macy's — The story features Macy's and its Thanksgiving Day parade.

Chris Columbus — Hughes wrote and produced it, while Columbus directed.