Christmas customs & traditions around the world are as varied & colourful as the presents under the tree. The origins of the different religious, cultural & secular Christmas rituals are often quite surprising too. How much do you really know about Christmas?

Grab a pen & paper...Let's go!

Answers at the bottom

1.Which island is the first to celebrate Christmas each year?

a. New Zealand

b. Ireland

c. Christmas Island

d. Easter Island

2. Including Rudolf, how many reindeer does Santa usually have?

a. 15

b. 30

c. 4

d. 9

3.Which is the most popular Christmas ballet?

a. The Nutcracker

b. Sleeping Beauty

c. Giselle

d. Swan Lake

4. In the ballet, who rules the Land of Sweets?

a. The Mouse King

b. Clara

c. The Sugar Plum Fairy & the Prince

d. Mother Ginger

5. In which country is KFC the traditional Christmas dinner?

a. Singapore

b. Japan

c. America

d. Thailand

6. Which reindeer has a "very shiny nose"?

a. Cupid

b. Dancer

c. Rudolf

d.Vixen

7. What is a nativity play?

a. A Christmas snow game

b. A reenactment of the Christmas story

c. Another name for "Hide & Seek "

d. Hiding the presents

8. What is another name for Christmas Pudding?

a. Plum pudding

b. Flaming pudding

c. Spotted dick

d. Brandy ball

9. What is the original colour & flavour for a candy cane?

a. Rainbow coloured with a tuti fruti flavour

b. Red & white with a peppermint flavour

c. Pink & silver with a strawberry flavour

d. Orange & red with a ginger flavour

10. Which US president banned all Christmas trees from The White House?

a. Ronald Reagan

b. Donald Trump

c. Teddy Roosevelt

d. Abraham Lincoln

11. What do you do with a Christmas carol?

a. Eat it

b. Give it

c. Sing it

d. drink it

12. Which famous poet's poem was made into a carol?

a. Christina Rossetti

b. Thomas Hardy

c. William Blake

d. Sylvia Plath

13. What is the name of the carol?

a. Silent Night

b. Away in a Manger

c. In the Bleak Midwinter

d. Figgy Pudding

14. What were medieval Christmas trees called?

a. Snow cone

b. Paradise tree

c. Needles

d. Candle tree

15. What were Paradise trees decorated with?

a. Mistletoe

b. Candles

c. Apples

d. Brussle sprouts

16. When were the first commercially produced Christmas cards sold in the UK?

a. 1367

b. 1598

c. 1843

d. 1875

17. What did some people think was controversial about the first UK Xmas card?

a. It was too expensive

b. It showed a family drinking wine

c. It showed Father Christmas smoking a pipe

d. There were only 3 reindeers

18. What is unusual in the painting "Nativity" by Giotto?

a. Mary is lying down

b. There is a peacock

c. They are on top of a mountain

d. There is a rainbow in the sky

19. When do kids in Spain exchange gifts?

a. Dec 24th

b. Dec 25th

c. Jan 6th

d. Dec 5th

20. Which Saint delivers gifts to kids in Greece?

a. St Nicholas

b. St Basil

c. St Thomas