A Christmas Quiz - The Tudor Society

As it's Christmas week, I thought it would be fun to do a quiz on Christmas traditions and the history of Christmas. I hope you enjoy it! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Quiz

Q1) On what date was it traditional for a Boy Bishop to be elected?

9th December

1st December

12th December

6th December

Correct! It was the feast of St Nicholas.

Wrong! It was 6th December, the feast of St Nicholas.

Q2) What was leech (leach)?

A sweet made from milk, sugar and rose-water, which was cut into cubes

A drink similar to mulled wine

An almond paste

A hot milk drink flavoured with rum or wine and spices

Correct!

Wrong! It was a sweet made from milk, sugar and rose-water, which was cut into cubes.

Q3) According to the popular Christmas carol, what did "my true love" give on the ninth day of Christmas?

9 maids a milking

9 pipers piping

9 lords a-leaping

9 ladies dancing

Correct!

Wrong! It was nine ladies dancing.

Q4) How many weeks is Advent?

Correct!

Wrong! It's four weeks.

Q5) Advent Sunday is the Sunday nearest to which feast day?

The feast of St Nicholas

The feast of St Hilary

The feast of St Andrew

The feast of St Erkenwald

Correct!

Wrong! It's the Sunday nearest to St Andrew's Day (30th November).

Q6) What does the Old English word "wassail" actually mean?

Be you healthy

Good ale

A chant or song

A group of people

Correct!

Wrong! It means "be you healthy" or "good health".

Q7) According to the Glastonbury Thorn Legend, whose staff took root and began to grow into a thorn bush while he was sleeping?

St Bede's

St Dunstan's

Joseph of Arimathea's

King Arthur's

Correct! "When Joseph landed on the island of Avalon, he set foot on Wearyall Hill - just below the Tor. Exhausted, he thrust his staff into the ground, and rested. By morning, his staff had taken root - leaving a strange oriental thorn bush - the sacred Glastonbury Thorn." from www.glastonburyabbey.com/joseph_of_arimathea.php

Wrong! It was Joseph of Arimathea. "When Joseph landed on the island of Avalon, he set foot on Wearyall Hill - just below the Tor. Exhausted, he thrust his staff into the ground, and rested. By morning, his staff had taken root - leaving a strange oriental thorn bush - the sacred Glastonbury Thorn." from www.glastonburyabbey.com/joseph_of_arimathea.php

Q8) Some of the traditions of which pagan festival were incorporated in Christmas by Roman Christians?

Saturnalia

Samhain

Matronalia

Festival of Bacchus

Correct!

Wrong! It was Saturnalia

Q9) What is the word "Xmas" derived from?

Nothing, it is an abbreviation of "Christmas"

The X is derived from the Greek word "Christos", or Christ.

The X refers to the cross Christ was crucified on

It is a reference to the Pagan festival of Saturnalia.

Correct! X in Greek is "chi" and is the first letter of "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" (Christos) the Greek word for Christ.

Wrong! The X is derived from "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ" (Christos) the Greek word for Christ.

Q10) What is the evergreen plant ivy a symbol for?

Remembrance

Sorrow

Eternal life

Love

Correct!

Wrong! It's eternal life.

Q11) 26th December is the feast day of which saint?

St Nicholas

St Stephen

St Andrew

St Michael the Archangel

Correct!

Wrong! It is St Stephen's Day.

Q12) In the carol "Good King Wenceslas", what was the poor man doing?

Collecting alms

Dying

Drinking wine

Collecting firewood

Correct. "Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel, When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel."

Wrong! He was gathering winter fuel. "Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel, When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel."