Christmas Quiz

Answer: Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra, was known for his generosity to children. In the United States, the Dutch 'Sinterklaas' became 'Santa Claus'.

Answer: The Grinch. In 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' (1957), the Grinch steals the Whos' presents, before his heart grows three sizes.

Answer: Père Fouettard. Dressed in black and armed with a whip or birch rods, Père Fouettard ('Father Whipper') follows Saint Nicholas in the 6 December parades in Lorraine and Alsace.

Answer: Saint Lucy. On Saint Lucy's Day, a girl dressed in white and wearing a crown of candles leads a singing procession: a festival of light in the heart of the Scandinavian winter.

Answer: Rockefeller Center. The tradition began in 1931, during the Depression, with a tree decorated by construction workers. It is often over 20 metres tall and carries tens of thousands of lights.

Answer: Mulled wine. Germans call it 'Glühwein', 'glowing wine'. The Romans already drank wine warmed with spices. In moderation: the alcohol does not fully evaporate when heated!

Answer: Hugh Grant. The film interweaves about ten love stories in the weeks before Christmas in London. Hugh Grant admits he dreaded the dance scene to 'Jump (For My Love)'.

Answer: France. France produces about two-thirds of the world's foie gras, mainly in the south-west. French law lists it as part of the country's gastronomic heritage.

Answer: 6 January. Epiphany, from the Greek for ‘manifestation’, falls twelve days after Christmas. In France it is now often celebrated on the first Sunday of January with a king cake. In Spain it is the big day for children's presents.

Answer: 6 December. On that day, Saint Nicholas, protector of children, hands out sweets and gingerbread, often accompanied by Père Fouettard. In Lorraine, of which he is the patron saint, big parades are held, notably in Nancy.

Answer: Alsace. An account book from Sélestat, in Alsace, mentions in 1521 guards paid to watch over fir trees cut for Christmas.

Answer: The orange. Imported from distant lands, the orange was a luxury in the early 20th century. Children found it in their shoes or stockings on Christmas morning.

Answer: Football. In December 1914, on the Flanders front, enemy soldiers spontaneously fraternised: exchanging gifts, singing carols and, according to several letters, playing impromptu football matches in no man's land.

Answer: Mexico. It is named after Joel Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, who brought it back in 1828. Its red 'petals' are actually leaves, the flowers being tiny and yellow.

Answer: Christmas Island. Roads are closed and special bridges built to let this living red carpet reach the sea to breed. A natural spectacle unique in the world.

Answer: H0H 0H0. Since Canadian codes alternate letters and digits, it reads 'HO HO HO'. Canada Post answers over a million letters every year, in dozens of languages.

Answer: Minced meat. They mixed meat, dried fruit and spices. Today, 'mincemeat' filling contains only dried fruit, spices and fat. Children leave one out for Father Christmas.

Answer: Naples. All year round, dozens of workshops there make incredibly detailed figurines, or ‘pastori’. The Neapolitan nativity scene mixes the birth of Jesus with scenes of everyday life… and even figurines of footballers or celebrities of the moment.

Answer: The monarch's Christmas message. King George V started the tradition on the radio in 1932; Elizabeth II moved it to television in 1957. Millions of Britons still listen to this short speech between the turkey and the pudding.

Answer: Apollo 8. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders were the first humans to orbit the Moon. Their message, broadcast on 24 December, was one of the most watched broadcasts of its time. The famous ‘Earthrise’ photograph was also taken on this mission.