Obscure Christmas History
1In what year did President Franklin D. Roosevelt change Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November (a change that also affected Christmas shopping season)?
1939.
2What country has the tradition of the Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn) — a giant cat who eats people who don't receive new clothes before Christmas?
Iceland.
3How old is the tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace, according to the most widely cited origin story?
It dates to the legend of St. Nicholas, who tossed gold through a window of a poor family's house at night — and it landed in stockings hung to dry. The legend is medieval (roughly 900–1000 years old).
4What was the first country to declare Christmas a public holiday?
The State of Alabama in the United States (1836). Armenia is often cited as the first nation.
5In the original 1823 poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' (commonly credited to Clement Clarke Moore), what is NOT listed as a reindeer name?
Rudolph — he was created by Robert L. May in 1939, over 100 years later.
Deep-Cut Christmas Movies
6Who played the department store Santa Claus in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street?
Edmund Gwenn (who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role).
7What film holds the record as the highest-grossing Christmas movie of all time?
Home Alone (1990), though exact rankings vary by adjusted vs. unadjusted box office figures.
8In which country was the original film 'Klaus' (2019) produced?
Spain (SPA Studios / Netflix, directed by Sergio Pablos).
9What is the Grinch's dog's name in the original Dr. Seuss story?
Max.
10Die Hard (1988) is famously debated as a Christmas movie. What is the full name of the building where the action takes place?
Nakatomi Plaza (officially Nakatomi Corporation headquarters in Los Angeles).
Christmas Around the World
11In Japan, what fast food chain is a popular Christmas Eve dinner tradition?
KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken — the 'Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii' campaign started in 1974).
12In which country is it traditional to eat KFC on Christmas Day?
Japan (same as above — this tradition has been popular since the 1970s).
13What is the name of the Christmas witch in Italian tradition who delivers gifts to children on January 5th?
La Befana.
14In which Scandinavian country is the figure of Tomte (also called Nisse) traditionally associated with Christmas?
Sweden and Norway (both use the figure, though regional names vary).
15What is 'Jolabokaflod' and in which country does it occur?
The Christmas Book Flood — an Icelandic tradition of gifting books on Christmas Eve and reading them overnight.
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