Andrew Baker The Christmas family quiz

This week’s special festive Family Quiz consists of 15 Christmas-related conundrums. Some questions are suitable for younger quizzers, but really it’s a freefor-all. Enjoy – and have yourselves… well, you know the rest

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Good question for younger quizzers 1

Which Oscar-winning actor played Scrooge in A Muppet Christmas Carol? (a) Ben Kingsley

? (b) Michael Caine

(c) Dustin Hoffman

2

According to the traditional words of the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, how many French hens did my true love send to me?

(a) Two

(b) Three

(c) Five

3

Which day is the feast day of St Stephen, mentioned in the Carol

“Good King Wenceslas”?

(a) December 24

(b) December 25

(c) December 26

4

Who plays Buddy, the human raised by elves, in the film Elf?

(a) Will Smith

(b) Will Ferrell

(c) Will Young

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What does Father Christmas traditionally deliver instead of presents to children who have been wicked?

(a) Reindeer poop

(b) Maths homework

(c) A lump of coal

6

Good King Wenceslas, the man mentioned in the carol, was in real life not a King, but a Duke. Of where?

(a) Bohemia

(b) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

(c) Burgundy

7

The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is a gift to the people of Britain from a nation grateful for our support during the Second World War. Which nation? (a) Sweden

(b) Norway

(c) Finland

8

The “traditional” service of nine lessons and carols is a fairly recent invention, first held at Christmas in 1880… where?

(a) A shed in Truro, Cornwall

(b) Westminster Abbey

(c) Windsor Castle 9

“Jingle Bells” was not written with Christmas in mind at all. Nor was it originally called ‘Jingle Bells’. What was it called when first printed, in 1857? (a) “Jingle All the Way” (b) “One Horse Open Sleigh” (c) “Oh What Fun!” 10 What is the name of the snowman in the film Frozen?

(a) Otto

? (b) Igor (c) Olaf 11 Where does the Royal Family usually attend the Christmas Day church service?

(a) St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham (b) St George’s Chapel, Windsor

(c) Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral

12

Fairytale of New York is a favourite alternative Christmas song by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. The song’s co-author and co-singer, Shane MacGowan, who passed away recently, was educated at an English public school – and expelled from it, for selling drugs. Which one?

(a) Eton

(b) Harrow

(c) Westminster* 13

And what was MacGowan’s special qualification as a Christmas singer? (a) Born on Boxing Day

(b) Born on Christmas Day

(c) Born on Christmas Eve

14

Mr Christmas Humphreys was an Old Bailey judge who also became a leading exponent of, and author on… (a) Buddhism

(b) Humanism

(c) Socialism

15

The usual roll-call of Santa’s nine reindeer comprises Rudolph, of course, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Donner, Blitzen… and which other?

(a) Smasher

(b) Cupid

(c) Bambi

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12

11

4

8

1

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