History and Traditions of Winter Holidays Around the World

Question 1

What elements did Dr. Karenga combine together to form the celebration of Kwanzaa?

Accepted Answer

He included elements from both the Ashanti and the Zulu., He included different parts of African harvest celebrations.

Question 2

In Spain, people eat 12 ____ right before midnight. One for each bell strike.

Accepted Answer

grapes

Question 3

True/False: China celebrates Chinese New Year on the 1st of January.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

In earlier centuries, which other tradition involving light was widely celebrated in the Nordics in December?

Accepted Answer

Winter solstice

Question 5

Why is Diwali celebrated?

Accepted Answer

To celebrate the triumph of good over evil, The return of deities Rama and Sita to Ayodhya, To mark the start of the Hindu year, To honor the Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi

Question 6

Which religious groups celebrate Diwali outside of the majority of Hindus?

Accepted Answer

Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs

Question 7

In the Czech Republic, what is a Christmas tradition held by single women hoping to be married?

Accepted Answer

They throw a shoe over their shoulder.

Question 8

Which precious metal do Indians buy during the festival of Dhanteras, 2 days before Diwali?

Accepted Answer

Gold

Question 9

What are these kids doing? NB: You can choose multiple answers.

Accepted Answer

Singing, Celebrating Lucia, Participating in a Lucia procession

Question 10

Which day is considered to be the beginning of Christmas in Sweden?

Accepted Answer

St. Lucia Day

Question 11

What is Hanukkah often called?

Accepted Answer

the Festival of Lights

Question 12

According to Talmud, what miracle occurred during Hanukkah?

Accepted Answer

The menorah's candles flickered for eight nights.

Question 13

To whom was the Second Temple of Jerusalem dedicated after the massacre of thousands of Jews?

Accepted Answer

Zeus

Question 14

How is Diwali also addressed as?

Accepted Answer

Deepavali, Festival of Lights

Question 15

What's the name of the traditional baked goods served for Lucia? NB: you can choose several answers

Accepted Answer

Saffran bread, Lussebullar 🇸🇪, Lussekatter 🇳🇴

Question 16

Yule, also known as Yuletide, was first celebrated by...

Accepted Answer

Germanic peoples.

Question 17

True or False: The events of Hanukkah occurred after the Torah was written.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 18

Each night of Kwanzaa, a child lights a candle on the Kinara. What do the candles represent?

Accepted Answer

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

Question 19

What are some common Lucia traditions? NB: You can choose multiple answers.

Accepted Answer

Processions where kids carry lights and sing, Eating Lussekatter (Saffran bread), Singing traditional Santa Lucia songs

Question 20

What does the word Diwali mean?

Accepted Answer

A row of lighted lamps

Question 21

Yule is the modern-day version of words from Old English.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 22

What do Ukrainians use to decorate their Christmas trees?

Accepted Answer

artificial spider webs

Question 23

When is Diwali usually celebrated?

Accepted Answer

October, November

Question 24

For how many nights does the celebration of Kwanzaa last?

Accepted Answer

Seven

Question 25

People in Finland predict what'll happen in the new year by _______.

Accepted Answer

casting molten tin into water and interpreting the shape

Question 26

Which country has a giant hour glass wheel that needs to be turned on its head at midnight?

Accepted Answer

Hungary

Question 27

Diwali usually lasts ______.

Accepted Answer

5 days

Question 28

On which day do Ethiopians celebrate Christmas?

Accepted Answer

January 7th

Question 29

Kwanzaa begins on December ____ and ends on January ____.

Accepted Answer

26th, 1st

Question 30

What does all the kids in the Lucia procession usually carry?

Accepted Answer

Lights, Candle lights

Question 31

In which two countries did Christmas greeting cards become popular in the mid-1800s?

Accepted Answer

England and the United States

Question 32

In which city in the U.S. do millions of people gather to watch the ball drop at midnight?

Accepted Answer

New York City, NY

Question 33

While people celebrate the holiday in various ways, what do these celebrations often include?

Accepted Answer

playing traditional African drums, telling traditional stories, having large feasts, singing and dancing

Question 34

True or False: Kwanzaa's rich traditions can be celebrated by all people.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 35

Which country holds a tradition that someone must stir Christmas pudding mix clockwise?

Accepted Answer

Great Britain

Question 36

What does the word Hanukkah mean?

Accepted Answer

"dedication"

Question 37

What event caused Dr. Maulana Karenga to want to bring the African-American community together?

Accepted Answer

the Watts riots in Los Angeles

Question 38

Where is the biggest celebration of Diwali outside India?

Accepted Answer

Leicester, UK

Question 39

In Russia, people write down wishes on paper. What do they do with them afterwards?

Accepted Answer

Burn them, throw it in a Champagne glass and drink it.

Question 40

Why do Ecuadorians burn homemade puppets at midnight?

Accepted Answer

As a representation for burning away all bad things., To burn away the old year and start with a clean slate.

Question 41

Stonehenge in England is believed to be a Winter Solstice celebration site built by ancient peoples.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 42

What is the winter solstice?

Accepted Answer

One of the poles of the Earth is tilted the furthest distance from the sun.

Question 43

What is the girl in the lead of of the Lucia procession usually wearing on her head?

Accepted Answer

A crown of lights, A lighted wreath

Question 44

In what year did the holiday of Kwanzaa begin?

Accepted Answer

1966

Question 45

When is Lucia celebrated?

Accepted Answer

December 13

Question 46

Due to the power of advertising, what do many Japanese people do to celebrate Christmas Eve?

Accepted Answer

They eat fast food fried chicken .

Question 47

In which country does the tradition of the Christmas tree hold its roots?

Accepted Answer

Germany

Question 48

Diwali is celebrated by .....

Accepted Answer

lighting homes with lights and oil lamps, called diyas, lighting fireworks

Question 49

Who began the tradition of the yule log?

Accepted Answer

the Druids

Question 50

Which other customs do Indians follow during Diwali?

Accepted Answer

Cleaning and decorating homes, Having food and sweets

Question 51

During the 12 days of Christmas, what do the Greeks believe happens?

Accepted Answer

A race of evil goblins surface and wreak havoc.

Question 52

Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza". What is the English translation?

Accepted Answer

"first fruits"

Question 53

In the eastern part of France, what day is symbolic of the holidays?

Accepted Answer

Saint Nicholas Day

Question 54

The first Book of Maccabees tells a different story from the Talmud. What is not mentioned?

Accepted Answer

the miracle of the oil

Question 55

True or False: The story of Hanukkah is written in the Torah.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 56

What is baked into sweets as a good luck token in Bolivia?

Accepted Answer

Coins

Question 57

How is the holiday often celebrated?

Accepted Answer

with gift-giving and games, with traditional food and feasts, with holiday songs, with the lighting of the menorah

Question 58

Diwali originates from _____.

Accepted Answer

India

Question 59

Which of the following was not a way the Norsemen celebrated Yule?

Accepted Answer

They placed fruits and vegetable atop trees in the forest.

Question 60

For how long does the celebration of Hanukkah last?

Accepted Answer

Eight days

Question 61

People in Colombia believe that _____ will increase their chances to travel in the new year.

Accepted Answer

running around the block with their suitcases

Question 62

Where is Lucia celebrated as "the festival of lights"? (NB: you can choose several answers)

Accepted Answer

Norway, Sweden, Finland

Question 63

This year in the Northern Hemisphere, Yule begins on ________ and ends on ________.

Accepted Answer

December 21st, January 1st

Question 64

Who was St. Lucia?

Accepted Answer

One of the earliest Christian martyrs

History and Traditions of Winter Holidays Around the World

Questions 69

History and Traditions of Winter Holidays Around the World

Questions 69