GIANT PUB QUIZ

Complete the quiz then take all of the letters corresponding to the answers to the highlighted questions and rearrange them to give something important to Santa Claus. The solution will be published on December 27.

AT CHRISTMAS

1 Which of these musicians, all born on Christmas Day, has not featured on a UK No .1 single? a. Annie Lennox (Eurythmics) b. Dido c. Robin Campbell (UB40) d. Shane MacGowan (The Pogues)

2 What event of Christmas

Day 1776 was commemorated in a famous 1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze? a. Birth of Queen Victoria b. Boston Tea Party c. George Washington crossing the Delaware d. Execution of Louis XVI

3 Charlie Chaplin died on Christmas Day – in which year? a. 1947 b. 1957 c. 1967 d. 1977

4 What was stolen from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day in 1950? a. Stone of Scone b. Charles Darwin’s remains c. Some of the Crown Jewels d. The organ

5 Which of these celebrities was not born on Christmas Day or St Stephen’s Day? a. Kit Harington (N) b. Christy Moore (H) c. Annie Lennox (U) d. Humphrey Bogart (L)

6 The Czech writer Karel Čapek, who died on Christmas Day in 1938, coined what word for a 1920 play? a. Computer b. Robot c. Satellite d. Internet

7 On Christmas Day in 2003, scientists lost contact with the Beagle 2 spacecraft as it entered the atmosphere of which planet? a. Venus b. Mars c. Mercury d. Pluto

MUSIC

1 Alexandra Burke’s 2008 Christmas No.1, Hallelujah, was a cover of a song written originally by which artist? a. Bob Dylan (R) b. Dolly Parton (G) c. Leonard Cohen (C) d. Van

Morrison (M)

2 The lyrics to the carol

In The Bleak Midwinter are from a poem by which author? a. Christina Rossetti b. Virginia Woolf c. Muriel Spark d. Sylvia Plath

3 Whitney Houston’s cover of I Will Always Love You spent the longest at the top of the chart of any UK Christmas No .1 – for how many weeks did it top the singles chart? a. Five b. 10 c. 15 d. 20

4 Thanks to its streaming figures, Clean Bandit’s Rockabye beat which single by Rag’n’Bone Man to the top spot at Christmas 2016? a. Nobody b. Human c. Giant d. Broken People

5 Which country is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition? a. Finland b. Austria c. Switzerland d. Germany

6 Mary’s Boy Child was a 1978 Christmas No. 1 for Boney M, 21 years after which artist’s version also topped the seasonal charts? a. Harry Belafonte (M) b. Cliff Richard (T) c. Bing Crosby (A) d. Val Doonican (E)

7 Adeste Fideles is the original Latin title of which carol? a. I Saw Three Ships b. Joy To The World c. O Come, All Ye Faithful d. Once In Royal David’s City

WINTER

1 Ilex aquifolium is the scientific name for which seasonal plant? a. Holly b. Mistletoe c. Poinsettia d. d Snowdrop

2 In Greek mythology, winter occurred during the six months that which goddess spent in the Underworld U with her husband? a. Hera b. Persephone c. Hecate d d. Penelope

3 Flocks of what colourful birds of the genus Bombycilla visit Ireland from northern Europe in ‘irruptions’, to feed on winter berries? a. Waxwing b. Hoopoe c. Great bustard d. Whimbrel

4 Fimbulwinter is a triple-length winter that was believed would precede which mythological event? a. The Mayan apocalypse b. The death of Fionn Mac Cumhail c. Ragnarok d. The death of Beowulf

5 In Ireland, which are the only animals apart from hedgehogs that undergo true hibernation? a. Squirrels (W) b. Mice (I) c. Badgers (V) d. Bats (Y)

6 The 2017 novel Winter was the second book in which novelist’s Seasonal Quartet? a. Ali Smith b. A.S. Byatt c. Hilary Mantel d. Sally Rooney

7 How many ghosts show up in A Christmas Carol? a. Three b. Two c. Five d. Four

TV & FILM

1 Which comedian’s Christmas specials included All-Day Breakfast, With All The Trimmings and Mid-Life Christmas? a. Tommy Cooper b. Lenny Henry c. Victoria Wood d. Jo Brand

2 Of the five Die Hard films, which ones take place at Christmas? a a. The first and second (N) b. All of them (F) c. The first and third (O) d. The first, second and fourth (A)

3 This Christmas Bradley Walsh will host a one-off special of which gameshow, whose previous hosts include Terry Wogan, Les Dawson and Paul O’Grady? a. The Generation Game b. Pot Black c. Family Fortunes d. Blankety Blank

4 In The Muppet Christmas Carol, which actor plays Ebenezer Scrooge? a. Colm Meaney b. Michael Caine c. Patrick Stewart d. Ian McKellen

5 What onscreen reason will be given in this year’s Birds Of A Feather special for the absence of Sharon (Pauline Quirke)? a. Taken a job with Joe Biden’s transition team b. Stuck on a Covid-quarantined cruise ship c. Imprisoned for breaking lockdown restrictions d. Retired to the Bahamas after securing a government PPE contract

6 The song White Christmas was originally written for which 1942 Irving Berlin musical film? a. Summer Holiday (Q) b. Roman Holiday (I) c. Holiday Inn (E) d. Holiday Affair (S)

7 Future US President Donald Trump makes a cameo in which seasonal film? a. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York b. How The Grinch Stole Christmas c. It’s A Wonderful Life d. Love Actually

LUCKY DIP

1 The American state of Maryland was named for the wife of which British king? a. Henry VIII b. Charles I c. George III d. George VI

2 In The Expendables film franchise, the character Lee Christmas is played by which actor? a. Jason Statham b. Chuck Norris c. Bruce Willis d. Brendan Gleeson

3 What nationality is Manchester City player Gabriel Jesus? a. Portuguese (P) b. Brazilian (I) c. Argentine (E) d. Spanish (D)

4 St Stephen’s Day or Lá Fhéile

Stiofáin is also known as Lá an Dreoilín, after which bird? a. Robin b. Pigeon c. Thrush d. Wren

5 What was the name of the band with which Buddy Holly recorded his first album in 1957? a. The Turkeys b. The Cranberries c. The Animals d. The

Crickets

6 Lloyd Christmas, played by Jim Carrey, is a leading character in which film franchise? a. Dumb And Dumber b. The Mask c. Sonic The Hedgehog d. Lemony Snicket’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events

7 What is the capital of Turkey? a. Istanbul b. Ankara c. Izmir d. Van