Customs & World Traditions

31 questions · Answers revealed below each question · Print this set

1.What do Norwegians traditionally hide on Christmas Eve?
- A. Their brooms
- B. Their keys
- C. Their tools
- D. Their shoes
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Their brooms
Did you know? Brooms are hidden so spirits cannot steal them.
2.Which red-flowering tree is New Zealand's "Christmas tree"?
- A. The cabbage tree
- B. The pōhutukawa
- C. The kauri
- D. The kōwhai
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The pōhutukawa
Did you know? Pōhutukawa blooms red just before Christmas.
3.On which date is National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day marked in the US?
- A. The first Friday of December
- B. December 18
- C. The second Saturday of December
- D. The third Friday of December
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The third Friday of December
Did you know? National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day falls on the third Friday of December.
4.Which US city, literally named North Pole, lies near Fairbanks, Alaska?
- A. Christmas, Michigan
- B. Noel, Missouri
- C. North Pole, Alaska
- D. Santa Claus, Indiana
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North Pole, Alaska
Did you know? North Pole, Alaska is a real city near Fairbanks.
5.In which year did Christmas become a US federal holiday?
- A. 1920
- B. 1870
- C. 1898
- D. 1843
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1870
Did you know? Congress made Christmas a federal holiday in 1870.
6.In the Western count, between which dates do the Twelve Days of Christmas run?
- A. December 26 to January 6
- B. December 13 to 24
- C. December 25 to January 5
- D. December 1 to 12
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December 25 to January 5
Did you know? The Twelve Days run from Christmas Day to Epiphany Eve.
7.Which Indiana town renamed itself Santa Claus on Christmas Eve 1856?
- A. Santa Claus, Indiana
- B. Noel, Missouri
- C. Christmas, Michigan
- D. North Pole, Alaska
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Santa Claus, Indiana
Did you know? Santa Claus, Indiana took its festive name in 1856.
8.Which Oaxaca night is dedicated to carving giant radishes?
- A. Noche de los Rábanos
- B. Noche de Velitas
- C. Nochebuena
- D. Noche de Reyes
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Noche de los Rábanos
Did you know? Oaxaca's radish-carving night happens every December 23.
9.On which date is St. Nicholas Day observed?
- A. December 24
- B. December 5
- C. December 6
- D. December 13
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December 6
Did you know? St. Nicholas Day falls on December 6 in much of Europe.
10.Which US state first made Christmas a legal holiday, in 1836?
- A. Massachusetts
- B. Virginia
- C. Alabama
- D. New York
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Alabama
Did you know? Alabama passed the first state Christmas holiday law in 1836.
11.Ethiopian Christians celebrate Christmas, called Ganna, on which date?
- A. January 7
- B. December 7
- C. December 25
- D. January 6
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January 7
Did you know? Ganna falls on January 7 by the Julian calendar.
12.Which ornament do many American families hide in the tree for a luck prize?
- A. A pickle
- B. A walnut
- C. A coin
- D. A bell
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A pickle
Did you know? The Christmas-pickle hunt is a beloved American family game.
13.In which month does Sinterklaas arrive from Spain by steamboat in the Netherlands?
- A. October
- B. September
- C. December
- D. November
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November
Did you know? Sinterklaas sails in mid-November for his December 5 feast.
14.Italian-American families celebrate Christmas Eve with which fish-heavy meal?
- A. The Feast of the Nine Dishes
- B. The Feast of the Seven Fishes
- C. The Salt Cod Banquet
- D. The Twelve Course Supper
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The Feast of the Seven Fishes
Did you know? Seven fishes honor the Christmas Eve Vigilia.
15.Czech families traditionally keep their Christmas carp swimming where before the feast?
- A. In the garden pond
- B. In the river
- C. In a barrel
- D. In the bathtub
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In the bathtub
Did you know? Live carp bathe in Czech bathtubs before Christmas dinner.
16.Which parade marches down Hollywood Boulevard each December?
- A. The Thanksgiving Day Parade
- B. The Hollywood Christmas Parade
- C. The Macy's Parade
- D. The Rose Parade
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The Hollywood Christmas Parade
Did you know? The Hollywood Christmas Parade has marched since 1928.
17.Which Icelandic monster punishes those who get no new clothes before Christmas?
- A. The Yule Goat
- B. The Yule Cat
- C. Grýla
- D. The Yule Lads
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The Yule Cat
Did you know? The Yule Cat devours the clothesless in Icelandic folklore.
18.In which Indian state is Christmas a major festive season?
- A. Punjab
- B. Rajasthan
- C. Goa
- D. Gujarat
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Goa
Did you know? Goa's Portuguese heritage makes Christmas its own season.
19.In which capital do families roller-skate to early Christmas mass?
- A. Bogotá
- B. Lima
- C. Quito
- D. Caracas
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Caracas
Did you know? Caracas streets close for Christmas-mass skaters.
20.Which log "poops" presents in Catalan homes before Christmas?
- A. The Yule Log
- B. The Roscón
- C. The Advent Wreath
- D. The Tió de Nadal
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The Tió de Nadal
Did you know? Children beat the Tió de Nadal to make gifts fall out.
21.Which Australian city started "Carols by Candlelight" in 1938?
- A. Adelaide
- B. Brisbane
- C. Melbourne
- D. Sydney
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Melbourne
Did you know? Melbourne's candlelit carols began in 1938.
22.What is tucked under the Polish Christmas Eve tablecloth?
- A. Hay
- B. Coins
- C. Clover
- D. Salt
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Hay
Did you know? Hay under the cloth recalls the Bethlehem manger.
23.Which country greets midnight Christmas with sky lanterns over Buenos Aires?
- A. Chile
- B. Argentina
- C. Paraguay
- D. Uruguay
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Argentina
Did you know? Argentine "globos" float skyward at midnight.
24.Which Basque coal-worker figure brings children gifts on Christmas Eve?
- A. La Befana
- B. Knecht Ruprecht
- C. Olentzero
- D. Caganer
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Olentzero
Did you know? The Olentzero descends from Basque mountains each Christmas Eve.
25.The royal Christmas broadcast began in 1932 with which king on radio?
- A. Edward VIII
- B. Elizabeth II
- C. George VI
- D. George V
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George V
Did you know? George V read the first royal Christmas message in 1932.
26.In which Danish dessert does a hidden almond win a prize?
- A. Risalamande
- B. Glögg
- C. Æbleskiver
- D. Kransekage
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Risalamande
Did you know? Whoever finds the almond in the risalamande wins.
27.Which colony outlawed Christmas from 1659 to 1681?
- A. New York
- B. Virginia
- C. Massachusetts
- D. Pennsylvania
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Massachusetts
Did you know? The Massachusetts Bay Colony fined Christmas celebrants.
28.Which saint brings Greek children their gifts on New Year's Day?
- A. St. Nicholas
- B. St. George
- C. St. Andrew
- D. St. Basil
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St. Basil
Did you know? Agios Vasilis delivers on January 1 in Greece.
29.Which South American country's "Novena de Aguinaldos" counts nine days to Christmas?
- A. Ecuador
- B. Peru
- C. Colombia
- D. Venezuela
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Colombia
Did you know? Colombia's Novena runs December 16 to 24.
30.Which cake tops Japanese Christmas Eve?
- A. Yule log cake
- B. Fruitcake
- C. Black Forest cake
- D. Strawberry shortcake
Show answer
Strawberry shortcake
Did you know? Japanese Christmas Eve ends with strawberry-tipped white sponge cake.
31.Ukrainian families sometimes decorate trees with what, honoring a spider legend?
- A. Wheat sheaves
- B. Spider webs
- C. Poppy pods
- D. Sunflower seeds
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Spider webs
Did you know? The spider's web brought silver-and-gold magic in the legend.

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