Multicultural Christmas quiz

Answers

1.

In which country is 6th January more important than 25th December?

6th January is more important in Spain. Children believe that presents come from the
Three Wise Men (rather than Santa Claus). Shoes are left outside filled with straw
for the tired camels. In the morning the straw has disappeared and has been
replaced by presents!

2.

In which American state does Christmas start with the arrival of the Christmas Tree
Ship?
The Christmas Tree Ship arrives in Hawaii in mid to late November, bringing
Christmas trees and festive goodies.

3.

In which country is Nikolaustag celebrated?

Nikolaustag is celebrated in Germany on 5th/6th December. Children leave boots or
shoes outside their bedroom door. St Nikolaus will leave gifts for children who have
been good. However, if they havent been good, they may find a bunch of twigs!
Traditional presents include apples, oranges, biscuits, sweets and small toys.

4.

Where do people traditionally eat Sonhos (pumpkin fritters) at Christmas?

These are traditionally eaten in Portugal, for dinner on 24th December, along with
boiled cod with sprouts, rice pudding with cinnamon and Bolo Rei (Kings cake a
wreath-like rich fuit cake with crystallised fruits and pine nuts). The Bolo Rei contains
a charm and whoever finds this has to provide the Bolo Rei next year!

5.

Il carbone is traditionally given to naughty children in which country?

In Italy children hang out la calza (stocking) and it may get filled with sweets if they
have been good or il carbone (coal) if they have been naughty. La Befana (the
kind witch) traditionally brought gifts on Christmas Day although Babbo Natale
(Father Christmas) is now common in Italy too.

6.

In Poland, the traditional meal on Christmas Eve has what as its centrepiece?
Carp is usually served at Wigilia on Christmas Eve. Traditionally there would also
be borscht (beetroot soup) pierogi (stuffed dumplings) and herring dishes. Pudding
would usually be makowiec (noodles with poppy seeds).

7.

Eerste Kerstdag and Tweede Kerstdag are the names for Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day in which language?
These are the Dutch names. The Finnish names are Jouluaatto and Joulupiv.
Most people in Turkey dont celebrate Christmas (today the country is 99% Muslim),
but the legend of Santa Claus actually started in Turkey, with the archbishop
Nicholas.

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Multicultural Christmas quiz

8.

In which country is watching Donald Duck and his friends wish you all a Merry
Christmas a tradition?
At 3.00pm on Christmas Eve everything stops in Sweden for Donald Duck and his
friends wish you all a Merry Christmas! This 1958 Walt Disney Christmas special has
become a huge part of the Christmas festivities in Sweden. Kalle Anka och hans
vnner nskar God Jul has been shown every year without exception since 1959.

9.

The carol Silent Night was first sung in 1818 in which country?
Silent Night was first sung in Oberndorf in Austria in 1818. On Christmas Eve, the
priest found that the church organ wasnt working. There was no way that there
couldnt be music at Christmas! The priest showed the organist a new Christmas
hymn he had written and Franz composed a tune that could be played on a guitar.

10. Hyv Joulua is Merry Christmas in which language?

Its Finnish. In Portuguese its Feliz Natal. In Polish its Wesolych wit.
11. Carol singing on Christmas Eve is a tradition for children in which country?
On Christmas Eve children in Romania go out for Colindat (carol singing). They are
given fruit, nuts and traditional Christmas bread called cozonac.
12. Where would you eat rice pudding on Christmas Eve?
In Denmark it is traditional to eat risalamande' (rice pudding made from milk, rice,
vanilla, almonds and whipped cream). All but one of the almonds are chopped into
pieces. The person who finds the whole almond gets a present. The name comes
from the French, ris lamande.
13. Six white boomers' is a popular Christmas song in which country?
Six white boomers is a popular Christmas song in Australia. Santa abandons his
reindeer by the time he gets to Australia and replaces them with kangaroos
(boomers)!
14. Yule logs cut from cherry wood are commonly burned in which country?
Cherry wood Yule logs are often burned in France. The log is carried into the home
on Christmas Eve and is sometimes sprinkled with red wine to make it smell nice.
Traditionally the log is left to burn all night.
15. In Greece you are likely to get which meat for your Christmas meal?
Either turkey or pork. Turkey is called gallopoula in Greece, meaning French bird.

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Multicultural Christmas quiz

16. In which country does the TV stop between 5.00pm and 10.00pm on Christmas Eve?
In Iceland the TV stops at about 5.00pm and restarts at 10.00pm. This time is
traditionally when the Christmas Eve meal would be eaten and festivities begin!
17. In which country do some Christians fast for 40 days before Christmas?
Egypt. Only around 15% of the Egyptian population is Christian, with most of these
belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church. The fasting involves not eating any meat
products apart from fish.
18. In Norway and Finland, what is left out for birds to eat over Christmas?
Traditionally in both countries, a sheaf (big bunch) of wheat is left out for birds over
Christmas. NB Suet is white animal fat.
19. A meal called Kios is eaten on Christmas Eve in which European country?
The Kios meal is eaten in Lithuania on Christmas Eve and normally has 12
dishes one for each of Jesus's followers. Meat is not served and some people
serve vegan meals. Traditional dishes include fish, kiukai (small sweet pastries),
kisielius (a cranberry drink), boiled or baked potatoes and sauerkraut. Homemade
cider is sometimes served with the meal. A stewed fruit compote is often served for
pudding.
20. Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit and Gldelig Jul are official ways of saying Merry
Christmas in which country?
These are two official languages in Greenland. Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit is
Inuit/Greenlandic and Gldelig Jul is Danish.

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1. In which country is 6th January

more important than 25th
December?

a.
x b.
x c.

What do you know

about Christmas
around the world?

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2. In which American state does

Christmas start with the arrival
of the Christmas Tree Ship?

x a.
x b.
c.
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California
Hawaii
3

4. Where do people traditionally

eat Sonhos (pumpkin fritters)
at Christmas?

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Italy
Germany
Greece
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a.
x b.
x c.

Russia
Portugal
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5. Il carbone is traditionally
given to naughty children in
which country?

China

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x a.
b.
x c.
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Germany
USA

3. In which country is
Nikolaustag celebrated?

Florida

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x a.
x b.
c.

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Spain

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Italy
Spain
Holland
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7. Eerste Kerstdag and Tweede

Kerstdag are the names for
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
in which language?

6. In Poland, the traditional meal

on Christmas Eve has what
as its centrepiece?

x a.
b.
x c.
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x a.
x b.
c.

Trout
Carp
Salmon
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8. In which country is watching

Donald Duck and his friends
wish you all a Merry Christmas a
tradition?

x a.
b.
x c.
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Sweden
France
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Finnish
Polish
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Scotland
Spain
Austria
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a.
x b.
x c.

Portuguese

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10

11. Carol singing on Christmas

Eve is a tradition for children in
which country?

10. Hyv Joulua is Merry

Christmas in which language?

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x a.
x b.
c.
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Finnish
Dutch

9. The carol Silent Night was

first sung in 1818 in which
country?

Germany

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x a.
b.
x c.

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Turkish

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Romania
Austria
Belgium
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13. Six white boomers' is a

popular Christmas song in which
country?

12. Where would you eat rice

pudding on Christmas Eve?

x a.
x b.
c.
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x a.
b.
x c.

USA
Ireland
Denmark
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14. Yule logs cut from cherry

wood are commonly burned in
which country?

a.
x b.
x c.
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Spain
Germany
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Iceland
Norway
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Turkey
Lamb
Beef
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a.
x b.
x c.

Greenland

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16

17. In which country do some

Christians fast for 40 days
before Christmas?

16. In which country does the

TV stop between 5.00pm and
10.00pm on Christmas Eve?

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a.
x b.
x c.
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Australia
New Zealand

15. In Greece you are likely to

get which meat for your
Christmas meal?

France

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x a.
b.
x c.

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USA

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Egypt
Brazil
Costa Rica
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19. A meal called Kios is

eaten on Christmas Eve in which
European country?

18. In Norway and Finland, what

is left out for birds to eat over
Christmas?

x a.
x b.
c.
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a.
x b.
x c.

Peanuts
Suet balls
Wheat
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Belgium
Switzerland
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20

Well done, and

Merry Christmas!

Greenland

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Latvia
Estonia

Nollaig Shona Dhuit!

Vrolijk Kerstfeest!

20. Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit

and Gldelig Jul are official ways of
saying Merry Christmas in which
country?

a.
x b.
x c.

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Lithuania

Frohe Weihnachten!
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Gleileg jl!
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