1. Due to new laws in most western countries, why would the St Nick in the poem 'A visit from Saint Nicholas(T'was the night before Christmas.......) be breaking the law when delivering gifts in most public places ?

2. Why were Joseph and the expectant Mary on the road to Bethleham in the first place ?

3. Which country's equivalent to Santa delivers gifts on Christmas Eve in the company of a not so very nice butcher who had previously tried (without success) to pickle children alive in brine barrels ?
   a. Italy 
   b. France
   c. Russia
   d. Spain

4. What does the word Christ mean ?

5. What name is given to the event, 9 months before the birth of Jesus, in which an angel tells Mary "Fear not, for thou shalt bring forth a son" ?

6. Due to an Act of Parliament Christmas was effectively banned in England for 16 long years. This included all festivities, even the attendance of Mass or a church service. Plus or minus 25 years, when did this Scrooge or Grinch like catastrope take place ?

7. Which plant did the Celt's refer to as 'all healer'?

8. The original St. Nicholas (born around 280 AD) was the bishop of Myra, or modern day Demre. In which country is Demre located ? 

9. On which festive day do the French eat Galette des Rois?

10. Who sang the following Christmas songs? Choose six
     a. Snoopy's Christmas
     b. I believe in Father Christmas
     c. Reggae Christmas
     d. Merry Xmas Baby
     e. Lonely this Christmas
     f. Where did my snowman go
     g. December will be magic again
     h. Insanity over Christmas
     i. Christmas Bop
     j. Christmas wont be the same this year
     k. Run Rudolph Run

ANSWERS

1. Most public places now have strict anti smoking rules. The St Nick in the poem smokes on the job.
     "The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, 
    And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath"

2. To pay tax (and take part in a census)

3. Answer b. France    Pere Noel is accompanied by the bad butcher Pere Fouettard. 

4. 'Annointed'    from the Greek Xristo 

5. The Annunciation.

6. 1644

7. Mistletoe 

8. Turkey

9. On the 6th of January. The Epiphany or 'kings day'.  Galette des Rois is 'Cake of Kings'

10. Eleven Answers
    a. The Royal Gaurdsmen
    b. Greg Lake
    c. Bryan Adams
    d. Bruce Springsteen
    e. Mud
    f. Petula Clark
    g. Kate Bush
    h. Madness
    i. Marc Bolan
    j. Jackson 5
    k. Chuck Berry

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