The Tudor Society

A Christmas Quiz

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

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

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

Q4) How many weeks is Advent?

3

4

6

2

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

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

Be you healthy

Good ale

A chant or song

A group of people

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

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

Saturnalia

Samhain

Matronalia

Festival of Bacchus

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.

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

Remembrance

Sorrow

Eternal life

Love

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

St Nicholas

St Stephen

St Andrew

St Michael the Archangel

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

Collecting alms

Dying

Drinking wine

Collecting firewood

Only 1 comment so far Go To Comment

  1. L

    The pagan festival of Christmas is Yule, and Yule day is the 21st of December. The celebration of the Holly King, whose time is coming to an end. The Oak King will take over the job of looking after the earth until Mother nature wakes from her winter slumber, and then together, the circle of life begins again. With coming of the Summer Soltice, the Holly King returns to earth, and the Oak King sleeps until Yule.
    The tradition of the Yule log comes from Pagan times.
    Christmas pudding was not the sweet pudding it is now, it was in fact a mixture of nuts fruits and meat and eaten in slices, as one would a meatloaf. It does sound as if it was horrible, but do we not eat Duck with cherry or orange sauce? Turkey is eaten (by some) with Cranberry sauce too.

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A Christmas Quiz