3rd Quiz
1) In Shakespeare's "Hamlet", one character describes a common belief
that in the Christmas season:
A) Dogs and cats refrain from fighting
B) Roosters crow all night long
C) Unpenned sheep will gather at the church
D) White horses should be ridden only by children
2) "Oidhche na ceapairi" is a term the Irish use for Christmas Eve. It
means:
A) Come to the dance
B) Day of Waiting
C) End of the fast
D) Night of cakes
3) Which well-known fantasy author also created a book called "The
Father Christmas Letters"?
A) Lewis Carroll
B) J.R.R. Tolkien
C) E. Nesbit
D) C.S. Lewis
4) Santa's reindeer are most closely related to which of the following
animals?
A) Caribou
B) Elk
C) Moose
D) White-tailed deer
5) In E. Nesbit's Christmas story "The Conscience Pudding", what is the
problem with the Christmas pudding?
A) It tastes of soap, and is undercooked
B) The family dog has eaten half of it
C) The children used peppercorns instead of dried currants
D) It has rolled behind the stove, and no one can get it out
6) "Oplatek" is an important part of a Polish Christmas. It is:
A) A decoration made from cherry boughs
B) An empty place left at the table during the Christmas meal
C) A special wafer shared by all who are present
D) The name of the traditional gift-bringer
7) Christmas is often associated with particular flowers (like the
poinsettia) and other members of the plant kingdom such as
"Schlumbergera bridgesii", more commonly known as:
A) The Christmas cactus
B) The holly tree
C) The mistletoe
D) The snowberry bush
8) On December 23 in Oaxaca, Mexico, the "Night of the Radishes"
festival is celebrated. On this night:
A) A spicy pudding of radishes and fenugreek is served
B) Red and white radishes are put up for Christmas decorations
C) Children hunt for hidden radishes
D) Radish carvings of Nativity scenes are displayed
9) Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer made his first appearance in 1939, in
a story that was written to:
A) Advertise a new brand of light-bulb
B) Be read on a Christmas radio broadcast
C) Entertain the author's sick daughter
D) Promote a department store
10) A colorful, musical Santa Claus parade marks the approach of
Christmas in many North American cities. The first one:
A) Was Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City
B) Was held in Toronto, Ontario in 1905
C) Included cowboy singer Gene Autry and his horse Champion
D) Had to be postponed until Boxing Day
11) Many of us are quite familiar with the first verses of the
traditional Christmas carols, but how well do you know the rest of
the lyrics? For instance, what is the first line of the second
verse of "Angels from the Realms of Glory"?
A) "Christ by highest heav'n adored"
B) "Shepherds in the fields abiding"
C) "Shepherds why this jubilee?"
D) "Don we now our gay apparel"
12) The jolasveinar, or "yule lads", are a traditional part of an
Icelandic Christmas. The jolasveinar are:
A) A band of thirteen gift-giving goblins
B) In charge of Santa's reindeer
C) Woodcutters
D) The best male singers from each village
13) Near Christmas time, Scottish children may sometimes "cry up the
lum", meaning that they:
A) Weep, upon being given a lump of coal instead of a gift
B) Shout their Christmas wishes up the chimney
C) Sing carols outdoors
D) Moan from stomach ache after Christmas dinner
14) Which Christmas song contains the line "Susy wants a dolly; Nellie
wants a story book; she thinks dolls are folly"?
A) Up on the Housetop
B) All I Want for Christmas
C) Grandma's Christmas List
D) Jolly Old St. Nicholas
15) After Scrooge has reformed his life at the end of Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol", he proposes getting together with Bob Cratchit
for some "smoking bishop", which was:
A) A fast variation of chess popular in Victorian London
B) A premium pipe tobacco
C) A hot spiced drink
D) A Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy and set alight
16) Tom Smith, an English confectioner, invented the Christmas cracker
in 1847, drawing his inspiration from packaged French sweets, or
"bon-bons". The original crackers were much like those of today,
but the name was different. Smith called his crackers by the French
word for:
A) Bangers
B) Hiccups
C) Goblins
D) Cossacks
17) The popular Christmas song, "Six White Boomers", tells of Santa
Claus making an extra delivery on Christmas Day in a vehicle drawn
by six:
A) Bears
B) Kangaroos
C) Moose
D) Swans
18) In Lithuania, if Kaledu Senelis, or Grandfather Christmas, appears
to the children on Christmas Eve to hand out presents, the
recipient must:
A) Find the gift while blindfolded
B) Guess what the gift is, or pay a forfeit
C) Kneel to receive the gift
D) Perform a song or poem before receiving the gift
19) Because holly remains green even in the depths of December, it has
been credited with many mysterious powers. In England, if prickly
holly is brought into the house before the smooth-leafed kind,
folklore holds that for the next year:
A) There will be many visitors to the house
B) Knives and needles will remain sharp
C) Illness will plague the family
D) The husband will rule the household
20) The custom of hanging out stockings or setting out shoes in the
hope of receiving Christmas gifts is said to have begun with:
A) A promotional campaign by the Cobblers' Guild
B) The traveler's practice of concealing valuable papers in
one's stocking
C) St. Nicholas supplying the gold for a dowry
D) A method of avoiding a Christmas tax
21) The ancient game of Snapdragon has been part of English Christmases
for over 300 years. Participants are egged on by a chant, part of
which goes, "Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in
your clutch, Snip, snap, dragon!" The dragon in this game is:
A) A costumed child
B) Flames of burning brandy
C) The oldest male in the room
D) A "snapper" made from fireplace tongs
22) In many households, part of the fun of eating Christmas pudding is
finding a trinket that predicts your fortune for the coming year.
For instance, finding a coin means you will become wealthy. Finding
a button means that you will be:
A) Poor
B) Famous
C) A bachelor
D) Called away on a trip
23) February 2nd is Groundhog Day in North America, but it is also
Candlemas, which is celebrated by lighting many candles to chase
the winter away. Christmas seems long past, yet there is a
traditional connection. By this day:
A) The last Christmas cake must be eaten
B) Next year's Christmas goose must be chosen and separated
from the flock
C) Persons accused of petty crimes over Christmas must be
released
D) All Christmas greenery must be removed from the house
24) Most of us like to spend Christmas with our families, but sometimes
we must be far away. Even then, most of us get to stay on the
planet. Prior to the continuous occupation of the International
Space Station in 2001, how many people actually spent Christmas Day
in space?
A) None - mission planners have always worked around it
B) Just three - the Apollo-8 team
C) Twelve
D) Thirty-five
25) The idea of Christmas seals began in 1903 with Einar Holboell, a
postal clerk from Copenhagen. By 1904, with the King of Denmark
taking an interest, the first seals were printed and sold, raising
funds that were used to:
A) Help children with tuberculosis
B) Build a statue overlooking the harbor
C) Feed the poor and homeless
D) Throw a Christmas party for the city
26) Christmas tree decorations have changed considerably over the
years. Which of the following well-known products became popular
after being promoted as a Christmas tree "decoration"?
A) The yo-yo
B) Decorative nutcrackers
C) Animal Crackers
D) Doughnuts
27) Christmas is celebrated even at wizard school. On his first
Christmas morning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
Harry Potter receives a number of Christmas gifts, including:
A) A pair of gloves and a pointed hat
B) A hairbrush and a wand of lightning
C) A hand-knit sweater and a cloak of invisibility
D) A pet frog and a magic broomstick
28) The Urn of Fate is part of the Christmas celebrations in many
Italian households. What is it?
A) A jar full of fortunes
B) A game in which players toss coins into a cup
C) An actual urn containing presents
D) A special decoration that recalls the fragility of life
29) In the isolated outports of Newfoundland and Labrador on the
eastern coast of Canada, unique Christmas customs evolved. In the
old days, one of these was called "blowing the pudding". This meant:
A) The pudding had to be eaten in a single sitting
B) Putting out the flames of brandy with the fireplace bellows
C) Boasting extravagantly that this year's pudding was the best
of all
D) A gun was fired as the pudding was lifted from the pot
30) Many movies on Christmas themes have been made for television and
the cinema over the years, including literally dozens of
adaptatations - albeit sometimes rather loose - of Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol". One film that has NOT yet been made, however,
is:
A) "The Jetsons' Christmas Carol"
B) "Popeye's Christmas Carol"
C) "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol"
D) "Mickey's Christmas Carol"
19 December 2010
14 December 2010
Christmas Quiz #2 Answers
2nd Answers
1) If you were given some frumenty at a Medieval Christmas party, you
would probably:
A) Eat it
Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It is
thought to be the forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It has its
origins in a Celtic legend of harvest god, Dagda, who stirred a porridge
made up of all the good things of the earth.
2) The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The
picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but by:
C) A seven-year-old girl
The girl was Jitka Samkova of Rudolfo, a small town in what was then
Czechoslovakia. The town received assistance from UNICEF after the
Second World War, inspiring Jitka to paint some children dancing around
a maypole. She said her picture represented "joy going round and round".
3) "Hot cockles" was popular at Christmas in medieval times. It was:
C) A game in which a blindfolded person was struck
"Hot cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era (if
anyone out there STILL plays it, please email us and tell us all about
it!). The other players took turns striking the blindfolded one, who had
to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. Ouch!
4) During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, it was considered
unlucky to:
A) Let the log in the fireplace stop burning
The log burned at Christmas time was called the "Yule Log". Sometimes a
piece of the Yule Log would be kept to kindle the fire next winter, to
ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule Log
custom was handed down from the Druids.
5) "Mumming plays" with traditional plots have been enjoyed at Christmas
time in Europe since the Middle Ages. In England, the central character
is usually:
D) St. George
Mumming plays were passed down through generations. Some bits seem to
have nothing to do with the overall plot but are demanded by tradition.
In England, St. George fights a Turk, who defeats him, to much booing
and hissing from the audience. A Good Doctor then comes and saves St.
George, to wild cheering.
6) At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks
were sometimes served "endored". This means:
D) The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter
In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in
their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior
to roasting.
7) One of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes takes place during the
Christmas season. The tale hinges upon:
B) A blue diamond found in a goose
In "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" Holmes manages to recover the
jewel but, in the spirit of the Christmas season, allows the repentant
thief to go free - on the condition that he leave England for ever.
8) In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas
morning it is believed to mean:
A) Good luck
One Christmas morning, a poor woman, who could not afford decorations,
found that spiders had trimmed her children's tree with their webs. When
the morning sun shone on them, the webs turned to silver. An artificial
spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian
Christmas trees.
9) Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was
because:
B) Their uniforms were red
The British Post Office grew out of the carrying of royal dispatches.
Red was considered a royal color, so uniforms and letter-boxes were red.
Victorian Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas
mail.
10) "Little Jack Horner" in the nursery rhyme may refer to the man who
was chief steward to the Abbot of Glastonbury in the early sixteenth
century. If so, then the "plum" he pulled from his Christmas pie was
actually:
D) A deed to a manor in Glastonbury
The Abbot of Glastonbury, seeking favor with the king, sent Jack Horner
to the palace with the gift of a pie in which had been placed twelve
deeds to manor houses. When the King received the pie, there were only
eleven deeds - the deed to the Manor of Mells was missing. The Horner
family lives in the Manor of Mells to this day, but they have always
denied that the rhyme refers to them.
11) As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by
the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to
the problem was to:
D) Limit by law the number of cards a person could send
Even though commercial cards were not available at that time, people
were already sending so many home-made cards that sixteen extra postmen
had to be hired in the city. The proposed law was never passed, however,
which in turn made possible Werner Erhard's entry into the Guinness Book
of Records in 1975 for sending the most Christmas cards: 62,824 in a
single year.
12) George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, "The Messiah",
was first performed in 1742, in:
B) Dublin
Handel (1685-1759) seems to have been a kind and generous man. "The
Messiah" was written for the benefit of charities in Ireland, and was a
success at its original performance, though it was not immediately
popular in England. Handel's favorite charity in London was the
Foundling Hospital. He conducted performances of "The Messiah" there
until 1754.
13) For the winter solstice, Druids in ancient Britain would gather a
forest plant that we now associate with Christmas. It was:
C) Mistletoe
In the time of the Druids, mistletoe was believed to have magical
properties. People who met under a tree bearing mistletoe were forbidden
to fight, even if they were enemies, and anyone who entered a home
decorated with mistletoe was entitled to shelter and protection.
Mistletoe may even have been part of Druidic wedding ceremonies.
14) In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners.
Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London.
To get them to London, the turkeys:
D) Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather.
The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from
the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead,
their feet were protected with a covering of tar.
15) America's official national Christmas tree is:
C) Located in King's Canyon National Park in California
The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree", is over 90
metres (300 feet) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925.
16) The Philadelphia Mummers parade is a Christmas tradition of long
standing. Many members of Mummers clubs call themselves "two-streeters".
This is because:
C) The original Mummers clubs were mostly located on Second Street
Twenty Mummers clubs are still located on Second Street. There are four
types of clubs: the Comics, the oldest type; the Stringbands, who play
live music; the Fancies, with enormous costumes; and the Fancy Brigades,
the newest type. The parade takes place on January 1.
17) The first commercial Christmas card is generally agreed to have been
the one illustrated above. The card had a hostile reception from some
people because:
A) It depicted a family, children as well as adults, drinking wine
The card was the brainchild of Sir Henry Cole, a leading cultural light
in Victorian England who was later to become director of the Victoria
and Albert Museum, among many other accomplishments. The card was
painted by John Calcott Horsley. It depicts a family feast, under which
appear the words, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You". Side
panels illustrate Christmas charity - feeding and clothing the poor.
18) The Irish custom of "feeding the wren" on December 26 consists of:
B) Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
The custom is based on a legend of St. Stephen. Once he was forced to
hide in a bush, but a chattering wren gave him away. Children cage the
wren to help it do penance for this misdeed. Often the children carry a
long pole with a holly bush at the top - which is SUPPOSED to hide a
captured wren.
19) A modern Christmas custom borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's
celebrations is:
C) Displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house
Romans wished each other "good health" by exchanging branches of
evergreens. They called these gifts "strenae" after Strenia, the goddess
of health. It became the custom to bend these into a ring and display
them on doorways.
20) St. Nicholas is a very hard-working saint, being the patron saint of
children, merchants, apothecaries, pawnbrokers, scholars and:
C) Mariners
St. Nicholas is reputed to be able to calm storms and rescue sailors.
Even pirates have claimed his protection. There are almost 400 churches
of St. Nicholas in England, more even than churches of St. George,
England's patron. As for the other choices in our question: St. John de
la Salle protects teachers, St. Lawrence librarians, and St. Cecilia is
the patron saint of music.
21) The fifth Sunday before Christmas has been called "Stir-up Sunday".
On this day, it is considered lucky to:
B) Have everyone in the family help to stir the Christmas pudding
The day got its name from a prayer-book verse used on that Sunday. The
verse begins, "Stir up, we beseech..." It was also considered the last
day that cakes and puddings could be made and still be ready in time for
Christmas.
22) The tradition of erecting a tree at Christmas is believed to have
started in:
C) Germany
Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as
the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen
Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of
the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest
known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who
settled in Pennsylvania.
23) In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has
not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian
church service on Christmas Day, and must NOT:
A) Use any kind of vehicle to get to the service
There must be a large number of Britons who break this law every year.
The law may have been intended to encourage humility by forcing even the
wealthy to attend the church on foot, or perhaps it was simply to avoid
the traffic and parking crush that universal attendance would otherwise
have brought about.
24) Some people like to hide a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding.
This may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere,
of concealing a particular object in food. The object was:
D) A dried bean
During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, a dried bean would be hidden in
the food. Whoever found it was then "master of the revels" - a king for
the holidays. Even a slave could be the lucky one. In medieval times, a
cake was eaten on Twelfth Night (January 6), during the most boisterous
party of the year. The "King of the Bean" ruled the whole party.
25) Louis Prang, a 19th-century German immigrant to the United States,
made an important contribution to Christmas in popular culture by:
D) Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards
Prang was a Bavarian-born lithographer who settled in Boston,
Massachusetts in the 1850s and established a successful printing
business. He invented a way of reproducing color oil paintings, the
"chromolithograph technique", and created a card with the message "Merry
Christmas" as a way of showing it off. He went on to produce a series of
popular Christmas cards. By 1881 he was printing more than five million
cards annually.
26) In many countries, Christmas is considered a propitious time for
fortune-telling. In Switzerland, an onion and salt are traditionally
used to predict:
B) The weather for the coming year
On Christmas Eve, the grandmother of the house cuts an onion in two and
peels off twelve layers. Each layer represents one month in the coming
year. Each is filled with salt. If the salt is dry on Christmas morning,
the corresponding month will have fair weather; if damp, there will be
rain.
27) An ancient religion, which has since died out, celebrated the birth
of a god on December 25th. The god was:
B) Mithras, the Persian god of war
Although the cult of Mithras began in Persia, it later spread and became
popular in Rome. Romans celebrated the birth of Mithras on December 25.
28) All through the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could
be found in the houses of the well-to-do. It was:
B) A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
The drink that filled the wassail bowl was known as "lambswool". Sugar,
eggs and spices were added to the ale, and toast floated on top with the
apples. Poor people would bring their mugs to the door hoping for a
share of the steaming drink.
29) One Christmas ritual NOT drawn from an ancient tradition is the
British monarch's broadcast on Christmas day. The tradition began in
1932 with a speech written by:
C) Rudyard Kipling
No doubt Kipling's fine writing contributed to the enormous success of
the broadcast, which was also heard overseas. It began, "I speak now
from my home and from my heart, to you all..." Queen Elizabeth II
continues the tradition to this day.
30) In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the
"goose club", which was:
D) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas
Goose clubs were popular with working-class Londoners, who paid a few
pence a week towards the purchase of a Christmas goose. The week before
Christmas, London meat markets were crammed with geese and turkeys, many
imported from Germany and France.
1) If you were given some frumenty at a Medieval Christmas party, you
would probably:
A) Eat it
Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It is
thought to be the forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It has its
origins in a Celtic legend of harvest god, Dagda, who stirred a porridge
made up of all the good things of the earth.
2) The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The
picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but by:
C) A seven-year-old girl
The girl was Jitka Samkova of Rudolfo, a small town in what was then
Czechoslovakia. The town received assistance from UNICEF after the
Second World War, inspiring Jitka to paint some children dancing around
a maypole. She said her picture represented "joy going round and round".
3) "Hot cockles" was popular at Christmas in medieval times. It was:
C) A game in which a blindfolded person was struck
"Hot cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era (if
anyone out there STILL plays it, please email us and tell us all about
it!). The other players took turns striking the blindfolded one, who had
to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. Ouch!
4) During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, it was considered
unlucky to:
A) Let the log in the fireplace stop burning
The log burned at Christmas time was called the "Yule Log". Sometimes a
piece of the Yule Log would be kept to kindle the fire next winter, to
ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule Log
custom was handed down from the Druids.
5) "Mumming plays" with traditional plots have been enjoyed at Christmas
time in Europe since the Middle Ages. In England, the central character
is usually:
D) St. George
Mumming plays were passed down through generations. Some bits seem to
have nothing to do with the overall plot but are demanded by tradition.
In England, St. George fights a Turk, who defeats him, to much booing
and hissing from the audience. A Good Doctor then comes and saves St.
George, to wild cheering.
6) At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks
were sometimes served "endored". This means:
D) The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter
In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in
their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior
to roasting.
7) One of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes takes place during the
Christmas season. The tale hinges upon:
B) A blue diamond found in a goose
In "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" Holmes manages to recover the
jewel but, in the spirit of the Christmas season, allows the repentant
thief to go free - on the condition that he leave England for ever.
8) In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas
morning it is believed to mean:
A) Good luck
One Christmas morning, a poor woman, who could not afford decorations,
found that spiders had trimmed her children's tree with their webs. When
the morning sun shone on them, the webs turned to silver. An artificial
spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian
Christmas trees.
9) Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was
because:
B) Their uniforms were red
The British Post Office grew out of the carrying of royal dispatches.
Red was considered a royal color, so uniforms and letter-boxes were red.
Victorian Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas
mail.
10) "Little Jack Horner" in the nursery rhyme may refer to the man who
was chief steward to the Abbot of Glastonbury in the early sixteenth
century. If so, then the "plum" he pulled from his Christmas pie was
actually:
D) A deed to a manor in Glastonbury
The Abbot of Glastonbury, seeking favor with the king, sent Jack Horner
to the palace with the gift of a pie in which had been placed twelve
deeds to manor houses. When the King received the pie, there were only
eleven deeds - the deed to the Manor of Mells was missing. The Horner
family lives in the Manor of Mells to this day, but they have always
denied that the rhyme refers to them.
11) As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by
the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to
the problem was to:
D) Limit by law the number of cards a person could send
Even though commercial cards were not available at that time, people
were already sending so many home-made cards that sixteen extra postmen
had to be hired in the city. The proposed law was never passed, however,
which in turn made possible Werner Erhard's entry into the Guinness Book
of Records in 1975 for sending the most Christmas cards: 62,824 in a
single year.
12) George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, "The Messiah",
was first performed in 1742, in:
B) Dublin
Handel (1685-1759) seems to have been a kind and generous man. "The
Messiah" was written for the benefit of charities in Ireland, and was a
success at its original performance, though it was not immediately
popular in England. Handel's favorite charity in London was the
Foundling Hospital. He conducted performances of "The Messiah" there
until 1754.
13) For the winter solstice, Druids in ancient Britain would gather a
forest plant that we now associate with Christmas. It was:
C) Mistletoe
In the time of the Druids, mistletoe was believed to have magical
properties. People who met under a tree bearing mistletoe were forbidden
to fight, even if they were enemies, and anyone who entered a home
decorated with mistletoe was entitled to shelter and protection.
Mistletoe may even have been part of Druidic wedding ceremonies.
14) In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners.
Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London.
To get them to London, the turkeys:
D) Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather.
The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from
the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead,
their feet were protected with a covering of tar.
15) America's official national Christmas tree is:
C) Located in King's Canyon National Park in California
The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree", is over 90
metres (300 feet) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925.
16) The Philadelphia Mummers parade is a Christmas tradition of long
standing. Many members of Mummers clubs call themselves "two-streeters".
This is because:
C) The original Mummers clubs were mostly located on Second Street
Twenty Mummers clubs are still located on Second Street. There are four
types of clubs: the Comics, the oldest type; the Stringbands, who play
live music; the Fancies, with enormous costumes; and the Fancy Brigades,
the newest type. The parade takes place on January 1.
17) The first commercial Christmas card is generally agreed to have been
the one illustrated above. The card had a hostile reception from some
people because:
A) It depicted a family, children as well as adults, drinking wine
The card was the brainchild of Sir Henry Cole, a leading cultural light
in Victorian England who was later to become director of the Victoria
and Albert Museum, among many other accomplishments. The card was
painted by John Calcott Horsley. It depicts a family feast, under which
appear the words, "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You". Side
panels illustrate Christmas charity - feeding and clothing the poor.
18) The Irish custom of "feeding the wren" on December 26 consists of:
B) Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
The custom is based on a legend of St. Stephen. Once he was forced to
hide in a bush, but a chattering wren gave him away. Children cage the
wren to help it do penance for this misdeed. Often the children carry a
long pole with a holly bush at the top - which is SUPPOSED to hide a
captured wren.
19) A modern Christmas custom borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's
celebrations is:
C) Displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house
Romans wished each other "good health" by exchanging branches of
evergreens. They called these gifts "strenae" after Strenia, the goddess
of health. It became the custom to bend these into a ring and display
them on doorways.
20) St. Nicholas is a very hard-working saint, being the patron saint of
children, merchants, apothecaries, pawnbrokers, scholars and:
C) Mariners
St. Nicholas is reputed to be able to calm storms and rescue sailors.
Even pirates have claimed his protection. There are almost 400 churches
of St. Nicholas in England, more even than churches of St. George,
England's patron. As for the other choices in our question: St. John de
la Salle protects teachers, St. Lawrence librarians, and St. Cecilia is
the patron saint of music.
21) The fifth Sunday before Christmas has been called "Stir-up Sunday".
On this day, it is considered lucky to:
B) Have everyone in the family help to stir the Christmas pudding
The day got its name from a prayer-book verse used on that Sunday. The
verse begins, "Stir up, we beseech..." It was also considered the last
day that cakes and puddings could be made and still be ready in time for
Christmas.
22) The tradition of erecting a tree at Christmas is believed to have
started in:
C) Germany
Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as
the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen
Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of
the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest
known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who
settled in Pennsylvania.
23) In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has
not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian
church service on Christmas Day, and must NOT:
A) Use any kind of vehicle to get to the service
There must be a large number of Britons who break this law every year.
The law may have been intended to encourage humility by forcing even the
wealthy to attend the church on foot, or perhaps it was simply to avoid
the traffic and parking crush that universal attendance would otherwise
have brought about.
24) Some people like to hide a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding.
This may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere,
of concealing a particular object in food. The object was:
D) A dried bean
During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, a dried bean would be hidden in
the food. Whoever found it was then "master of the revels" - a king for
the holidays. Even a slave could be the lucky one. In medieval times, a
cake was eaten on Twelfth Night (January 6), during the most boisterous
party of the year. The "King of the Bean" ruled the whole party.
25) Louis Prang, a 19th-century German immigrant to the United States,
made an important contribution to Christmas in popular culture by:
D) Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards
Prang was a Bavarian-born lithographer who settled in Boston,
Massachusetts in the 1850s and established a successful printing
business. He invented a way of reproducing color oil paintings, the
"chromolithograph technique", and created a card with the message "Merry
Christmas" as a way of showing it off. He went on to produce a series of
popular Christmas cards. By 1881 he was printing more than five million
cards annually.
26) In many countries, Christmas is considered a propitious time for
fortune-telling. In Switzerland, an onion and salt are traditionally
used to predict:
B) The weather for the coming year
On Christmas Eve, the grandmother of the house cuts an onion in two and
peels off twelve layers. Each layer represents one month in the coming
year. Each is filled with salt. If the salt is dry on Christmas morning,
the corresponding month will have fair weather; if damp, there will be
rain.
27) An ancient religion, which has since died out, celebrated the birth
of a god on December 25th. The god was:
B) Mithras, the Persian god of war
Although the cult of Mithras began in Persia, it later spread and became
popular in Rome. Romans celebrated the birth of Mithras on December 25.
28) All through the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could
be found in the houses of the well-to-do. It was:
B) A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
The drink that filled the wassail bowl was known as "lambswool". Sugar,
eggs and spices were added to the ale, and toast floated on top with the
apples. Poor people would bring their mugs to the door hoping for a
share of the steaming drink.
29) One Christmas ritual NOT drawn from an ancient tradition is the
British monarch's broadcast on Christmas day. The tradition began in
1932 with a speech written by:
C) Rudyard Kipling
No doubt Kipling's fine writing contributed to the enormous success of
the broadcast, which was also heard overseas. It began, "I speak now
from my home and from my heart, to you all..." Queen Elizabeth II
continues the tradition to this day.
30) In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the
"goose club", which was:
D) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas
Goose clubs were popular with working-class Londoners, who paid a few
pence a week towards the purchase of a Christmas goose. The week before
Christmas, London meat markets were crammed with geese and turkeys, many
imported from Germany and France.
11 December 2010
Christmas Quiz #2
2nd Quiz
1) If you were given some frumenty at a Medieval Christmas party, you
would probably:
A) Eat it
B) Burn it
C) Put it in your sweetheart's hair
D) Use it to polish your boots
2) The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The
picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but
by:
A) A chimpanzee
B) A blind man
C) A seven-year-old girl
D) A Buddhist monk
3) "Hot cockles" was popular at Christmas in medieval times. It was:
A) A dish of oysters and mussels
B) A hot spiced drink
C) A game in which a blindfolded person was struck
D) The title of a popular drinking song
4) During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, it was considered
unlucky to:
A) Let the log in the fireplace stop burning
B) Sneeze
C) Spill wine or ale
D) Hunt reindeer
5) "Mumming plays" with traditional plots have been enjoyed at Christmas
time in Europe since the Middle Ages. In England, the central character
is usually:
A) King Arthur
B) Pinnochio
C) Robin Hood
D) St. George
6) At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks
were sometimes served "endored". This means:
A) The feet and beaks were coated with gold
B) The guests knelt in adoration as the birds were brought in
C) The birds had been raised on grain soaked in brandy
D) The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter
7) One of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes takes place during the
Christmas season. The tale hinges upon:
A) A burglar disguised as Father Christmas
B) A blue diamond found in a goose
C) A cat trapped in an organ pipe
D) A poisoned flask of Napoleon brandy
8) In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas
morning it is believed to mean:
A) Good luck
B) Misfortune will strike in the coming year
C) The winter will be unusually cold
D) Your house needs cleaning!
9) Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was
because:
A) The British postal service was founded by Sir Robin Spence
B) Their uniforms were red
C) They were famous for whistling as they made their rounds
D) They also delivered eggs
10) "Little Jack Horner" in the nursery rhyme may refer to the man who
was chief steward to the Abbot of Glastonbury in the early sixteenth
century. If so, then the "plum" he pulled from his Christmas pie was
actually:
A) A gem - a gift from the abbot for faithful service
B) Six golden guineas
C) An order banishing him from England
D) A deed to a manor in Glastonbury
11) As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by
the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to
the problem was to:
A) Recruit volunteer postmen for the Christmas season
B) Raise the price of postage to reduce the number of cards sent
C) Request that people put holiday greetings in the newspaper instead
D) Limit by law the number of cards a person could send
12) George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, "The Messiah",
was first performed in 1742, in:
A) London
B) Dublin
C) Vienna
D) Jerusalem
13) For the winter solstice, Druids in ancient Britain would gather a
forest plant that we now associate with Christmas. It was:
A) Holly
B) Ivy
C) Mistletoe
D) Poinsettia
14) In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners.
Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London.
To get them to London, the turkeys:
A) Were herded by sheep dogs
B) Flew
C) Rode in huge wagons called "turkey-vans"
D) Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather
15) America's official national Christmas tree is:
A) Displayed at the Rockefeller Center in New York
B) Brought from Canada and erected in Washington each year
C) Located in King's Canyon National Park in California
D) A Scotch pine
16) The Philadelphia Mummers parade is a Christmas tradition of long
standing. Many members of Mummers clubs call themselves "two-streeters".
This is because:
A) The parade route covers the whole of two main streets
B) Two popular Mummers songs are "Easy Street" and "Lonely Street"
C) The original Mummers clubs were mostly located on Second Street
D) The din of the parade can easily be heard two streets away
17) The first commercial Christmas card is generally agreed to have been
the one illustrated above. The card had a hostile reception from some
people because:
A) It depicted a family, children as well as adults, drinking wine
B) A mass-produced card was felt to be contrary to the Christmas spirit
C) The ivy leaves surrounding the design were originally a pagan symbol
D) They feared that overuse of the cards would lead to a paper shortage
18) The Irish custom of "feeding the wren" on December 26 consists of:
A) Taking one's in-laws out to dinner
B) Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
C) Leaving a basket of cakes at the door for passers-by
D) Putting out suet and seeds for the wild birds
19) A modern Christmas custom borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's
celebrations is:
A) Putting up mistletoe to make a "kissing bough"
B) Decorating a tree
C) Displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house
D) Hanging stockings by the fireplace
20) St. Nicholas is a very hard-working saint, being the patron saint of
children, merchants, apothecaries, pawnbrokers, scholars and:
A) Teachers
B) Librarians
C) Mariners
D) Music
21) The fifth Sunday before Christmas has been called "Stir-up Sunday".
On this day, it is considered lucky to:
A) "Stir up" the house by cleaning it from top to bottom
B) Have everyone in the family help to stir the Christmas pudding
C) Rouse the neighbors out for a community sing-song
D) Make a big pot of soup or stew for the poor
22) The tradition of erecting a tree at Christmas is believed to have
started in:
A) England
B) France
C) Germany
D) Norway
23) In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has
not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian
church service on Christmas Day, and must NOT:
A) Use any kind of vehicle to get to the service
B) Consume any meat that day
C) Give presents or put up decorations
D) Sing in public thoroughfares
24) Some people like to hide a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding.
This may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere,
of concealing a particular object in food. The object was:
A) A key
B) A piece of parchment with a fortune written on it
C) A ruby or sapphire
D) A dried bean
25) Louis Prang, a 19th-century German immigrant to the United States,
made an important contribution to Christmas in popular culture by:
A) Printing the first special Christmas edition of a major magazine
B) Being the first to use an image of Santa Claus in an advertisement
C) Publishing the first children's book featuring Santa Claus
D) Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards
26) In many countries, Christmas is considered a propitious time for
fortune-telling. In Switzerland, an onion and salt are traditionally
used to predict:
A) Whether a girl will marry in the coming year
B) The weather for the coming year
C) The outcome of a journey
D) The state of the family's health
27) An ancient religion, which has since died out, celebrated the birth
of a god on December 25th. The god was:
A) Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods
B) Mithras, the Persian god of war
C) Odin, the chief of the Norse gods
D) Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and learning
28) All through the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could
be found in the houses of the well-to-do. It was:
A) Imitation snow used in decorations
B) A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
C) The material used for knitting Christmas gifts
D) A fluffy confection made from almonds and sugar
29) One Christmas ritual NOT drawn from an ancient tradition is the
British monarch's broadcast on Christmas day. The tradition began in
1932 with a speech written by:
A) The king himself, George V
B) Children's author Enid Blyton
C) Rudyard Kipling
D) Sir Winston Churchill
30) In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the
"goose club", which was:
A) A pantomime troupe specializing in slapstick
B) A stout stick used for slaughtering geese
C) A banjo-like instrument used in door-to-door caroling
D) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas
1) If you were given some frumenty at a Medieval Christmas party, you
would probably:
A) Eat it
B) Burn it
C) Put it in your sweetheart's hair
D) Use it to polish your boots
2) The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The
picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but
by:
A) A chimpanzee
B) A blind man
C) A seven-year-old girl
D) A Buddhist monk
3) "Hot cockles" was popular at Christmas in medieval times. It was:
A) A dish of oysters and mussels
B) A hot spiced drink
C) A game in which a blindfolded person was struck
D) The title of a popular drinking song
4) During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, it was considered
unlucky to:
A) Let the log in the fireplace stop burning
B) Sneeze
C) Spill wine or ale
D) Hunt reindeer
5) "Mumming plays" with traditional plots have been enjoyed at Christmas
time in Europe since the Middle Ages. In England, the central character
is usually:
A) King Arthur
B) Pinnochio
C) Robin Hood
D) St. George
6) At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks
were sometimes served "endored". This means:
A) The feet and beaks were coated with gold
B) The guests knelt in adoration as the birds were brought in
C) The birds had been raised on grain soaked in brandy
D) The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter
7) One of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes takes place during the
Christmas season. The tale hinges upon:
A) A burglar disguised as Father Christmas
B) A blue diamond found in a goose
C) A cat trapped in an organ pipe
D) A poisoned flask of Napoleon brandy
8) In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas
morning it is believed to mean:
A) Good luck
B) Misfortune will strike in the coming year
C) The winter will be unusually cold
D) Your house needs cleaning!
9) Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins". This was
because:
A) The British postal service was founded by Sir Robin Spence
B) Their uniforms were red
C) They were famous for whistling as they made their rounds
D) They also delivered eggs
10) "Little Jack Horner" in the nursery rhyme may refer to the man who
was chief steward to the Abbot of Glastonbury in the early sixteenth
century. If so, then the "plum" he pulled from his Christmas pie was
actually:
A) A gem - a gift from the abbot for faithful service
B) Six golden guineas
C) An order banishing him from England
D) A deed to a manor in Glastonbury
11) As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by
the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to
the problem was to:
A) Recruit volunteer postmen for the Christmas season
B) Raise the price of postage to reduce the number of cards sent
C) Request that people put holiday greetings in the newspaper instead
D) Limit by law the number of cards a person could send
12) George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, "The Messiah",
was first performed in 1742, in:
A) London
B) Dublin
C) Vienna
D) Jerusalem
13) For the winter solstice, Druids in ancient Britain would gather a
forest plant that we now associate with Christmas. It was:
A) Holly
B) Ivy
C) Mistletoe
D) Poinsettia
14) In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners.
Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London.
To get them to London, the turkeys:
A) Were herded by sheep dogs
B) Flew
C) Rode in huge wagons called "turkey-vans"
D) Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather
15) America's official national Christmas tree is:
A) Displayed at the Rockefeller Center in New York
B) Brought from Canada and erected in Washington each year
C) Located in King's Canyon National Park in California
D) A Scotch pine
16) The Philadelphia Mummers parade is a Christmas tradition of long
standing. Many members of Mummers clubs call themselves "two-streeters".
This is because:
A) The parade route covers the whole of two main streets
B) Two popular Mummers songs are "Easy Street" and "Lonely Street"
C) The original Mummers clubs were mostly located on Second Street
D) The din of the parade can easily be heard two streets away
17) The first commercial Christmas card is generally agreed to have been
the one illustrated above. The card had a hostile reception from some
people because:
A) It depicted a family, children as well as adults, drinking wine
B) A mass-produced card was felt to be contrary to the Christmas spirit
C) The ivy leaves surrounding the design were originally a pagan symbol
D) They feared that overuse of the cards would lead to a paper shortage
18) The Irish custom of "feeding the wren" on December 26 consists of:
A) Taking one's in-laws out to dinner
B) Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
C) Leaving a basket of cakes at the door for passers-by
D) Putting out suet and seeds for the wild birds
19) A modern Christmas custom borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's
celebrations is:
A) Putting up mistletoe to make a "kissing bough"
B) Decorating a tree
C) Displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house
D) Hanging stockings by the fireplace
20) St. Nicholas is a very hard-working saint, being the patron saint of
children, merchants, apothecaries, pawnbrokers, scholars and:
A) Teachers
B) Librarians
C) Mariners
D) Music
21) The fifth Sunday before Christmas has been called "Stir-up Sunday".
On this day, it is considered lucky to:
A) "Stir up" the house by cleaning it from top to bottom
B) Have everyone in the family help to stir the Christmas pudding
C) Rouse the neighbors out for a community sing-song
D) Make a big pot of soup or stew for the poor
22) The tradition of erecting a tree at Christmas is believed to have
started in:
A) England
B) France
C) Germany
D) Norway
23) In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has
not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian
church service on Christmas Day, and must NOT:
A) Use any kind of vehicle to get to the service
B) Consume any meat that day
C) Give presents or put up decorations
D) Sing in public thoroughfares
24) Some people like to hide a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding.
This may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere,
of concealing a particular object in food. The object was:
A) A key
B) A piece of parchment with a fortune written on it
C) A ruby or sapphire
D) A dried bean
25) Louis Prang, a 19th-century German immigrant to the United States,
made an important contribution to Christmas in popular culture by:
A) Printing the first special Christmas edition of a major magazine
B) Being the first to use an image of Santa Claus in an advertisement
C) Publishing the first children's book featuring Santa Claus
D) Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards
26) In many countries, Christmas is considered a propitious time for
fortune-telling. In Switzerland, an onion and salt are traditionally
used to predict:
A) Whether a girl will marry in the coming year
B) The weather for the coming year
C) The outcome of a journey
D) The state of the family's health
27) An ancient religion, which has since died out, celebrated the birth
of a god on December 25th. The god was:
A) Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods
B) Mithras, the Persian god of war
C) Odin, the chief of the Norse gods
D) Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and learning
28) All through the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could
be found in the houses of the well-to-do. It was:
A) Imitation snow used in decorations
B) A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
C) The material used for knitting Christmas gifts
D) A fluffy confection made from almonds and sugar
29) One Christmas ritual NOT drawn from an ancient tradition is the
British monarch's broadcast on Christmas day. The tradition began in
1932 with a speech written by:
A) The king himself, George V
B) Children's author Enid Blyton
C) Rudyard Kipling
D) Sir Winston Churchill
30) In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the
"goose club", which was:
A) A pantomime troupe specializing in slapstick
B) A stout stick used for slaughtering geese
C) A banjo-like instrument used in door-to-door caroling
D) A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas
08 December 2010
Christmas Quiz #1- Answers
Answers
1) The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was:
C) A guitar
The carol was first sung as part of a church service in Oberndorf,
Austria. The unusual choice of guitar for the accompaniment rather
than the traditional church organ has given rise to a number of
picturesque stories (the organ bellows had been damaged by mice;
the organ had been sabotaged; etc.), but in fact it was simply a
matter of preference on the part of the author, Joseph Mohr.
2) In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated:
B) On December 25
Guatemalan adults, however, do not exchange gifts until New
Year's Day. Children get theirs (from the Christ Child) on
Christmas morning.
3) Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in:
B) 1895
The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an
American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the
traditional candles. NB: A correspondent has informed us that the General Electric
company claims to have originated Christmas tree lighting in
1882, fully 13 years earlier than the date given in our answer.
Unfortunately, we do not have access to an independent authority
who could settle the matter beyond argument. In either case,
however, answer (B) is clearly the best of the four choices
given, so we will let it stand until further information becomes
available.
4) Good King Wenceslas was king of which country?
C) Bohemia
The historical Wenceslas was actually only Duke of Bohemia, not
a king. He lived in the tenth century.
5) Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character?
A) St. Nicholas
In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint - he had not
yet metamorphosed into Santa Claus and had nothing to do with
Christmas.
6) The name of Scrooge's deceased business partner in Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol" was:
D) Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley's spirit was the first of four to appear to Scrooge
on Christmas Eve.
7) In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time.
Their Dutch counterparts use:
C) Shoes
Traditionally, the shoes used are wooden ones called sabots.
8) The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in
which country?
C) Mexico
In Mexico, the poinsettia is known as the 'Flower of the Holy
Night'. It was first brought to America by Joel Poinsett in 1829.
9) Which name does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer?
D) Klaxon
A klaxon is actually an electric horn.
10) In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by:
C) One of the Wise Men's camels
The gift-giving camel is said to have been the smallest one in
the Wise Men's caravan.
11) One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured:
A) A giant, 165-pound pie
The giant pie was nine feet in diameter. Its ingredients included
2 bushels of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 rabbits, 4
wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, 4 partridges, 2 neats'
tongues, 2 curlews, 6 pigeons and 7 blackbirds.
12) In Australia, usual Boxing Day activities include:
D) Surfing
In Australia, as everywhere in the southern hemisphere,
Christmas comes in the middle of summer.
13) In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small
figurine of a goat. It is usually made of what material?
B) Straw
A variety of straw decorations are a usual feature of
Scandinavian Christmas festivities.
14) The real St. Nicholas lived:
C) In Turkey
St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early
4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas
gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his
name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
15) Which of the following was not one of the Three Kings?
C) Teleost
A teleost is actually a bony fish.
16) In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of:
A) Fried fish, lettuce and spinach
The meal was eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in
commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before
Christ's birth.
17) In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", the Nutcracker's main
enemy is:
B) The King of the Mice
The King of the Mice, usually represented with seven heads, leads
his troops against the nutcracker's toy soldiers, but loses the
battle when Clara, the heroine, stuns him with a hurled shoe.
18) The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day.
It is also the holy day of which saint?
D) St. Stephen
And here, we used to say: St. Stephen, a 9th century Swedish
missionary, is the patron saint of horses.
Further research, and a kind note from Pastor Philip A. Gardner
of Lancaster, Ohio, reveals that the Boxing Day St. Stephen has
in fact nothing at all to do with Sweden or with horses. The
Stephen for whom the day is named is the one in the Bible (Acts
6-8) who was the first Christian to be martyred for his faith.
19) In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes
play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. To get rid of them, you
should:
B) Burn either salt or an old shoe
Apparently the stench of the burning shoe (or salt) drives off
the Kallikantzaroi. Other effective methods include hanging a
pig's jawbone by the door and keeping a large fire so they can't
sneak down the chimney.
20) When visiting Finland, Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on:
C) A goat named Ukko
Finnish folklore has it that Ukko is made of straw, but is strong
enough to carry Santa Claus anyway.
21) A boar's head is a traditional Christmas dish. According to a
popular story, the unlucky boar whose head began the custom in
the Middle Ages was killed by:
A) Choking to death on a book of Greek philosophy
The story tells us that a university student saved himself from a
charging boar by ramming a book of Aristotle's writings down its
throat. He then cut off the boar's head and brought it back to his
college.
22) When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by:
B) His servant, Black Peter
Black Peter is responsible for actually dropping the presents
down their recipients' chimneys, but he also punishes bad
children by putting them in a bag and carrying them away to
Spain.
23) At Christmas, it is customary to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of
which plant?
D) Mistletoe
Mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship in ancient
Scandinavia, which may account for the practice of kissing
beneath it.
24) Believe it or not, one Indiana town is called:
D) Santa Claus
There is also a Santa Claus, Idaho.
25) Who was the author of "A Christmas Carol"?
B) Charles Dickens
After "A Christmas Carol" Dickens wrote several other Christmas
stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the
original.
26) Which popular Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving?
C) Jingle Bells
The song was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was
originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh".
27) A favorite Christmas story is Dylan Thomas' "A Child's
Christmas in..."
C) Wales
This charming and poetic story is based partly on Thomas'
memories of his own childhood. Originally a radio script,
"A Child's Christmas in Wales" is now sold as a book and has
been made into a television special.
28) In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that:
A) Made Christmas illegal
Christmas festivities were banned by Puritan leader Oliver
Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry on what was
supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. The ban was lifted only
when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
29) The world's largest Christmas cracker was made (and pulled)
in which country?
B) Australia
The cracker, 150 feet long and 10 feet in diameter, was made by
Ray Price in 1991.
30) The poem commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" was
originally entitled:
B) A Visit From Saint Nicholas
This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some
guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York
newspaper for publication.
1) The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was:
C) A guitar
The carol was first sung as part of a church service in Oberndorf,
Austria. The unusual choice of guitar for the accompaniment rather
than the traditional church organ has given rise to a number of
picturesque stories (the organ bellows had been damaged by mice;
the organ had been sabotaged; etc.), but in fact it was simply a
matter of preference on the part of the author, Joseph Mohr.
2) In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated:
B) On December 25
Guatemalan adults, however, do not exchange gifts until New
Year's Day. Children get theirs (from the Christ Child) on
Christmas morning.
3) Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in:
B) 1895
The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an
American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the
traditional candles. NB: A correspondent has informed us that the General Electric
company claims to have originated Christmas tree lighting in
1882, fully 13 years earlier than the date given in our answer.
Unfortunately, we do not have access to an independent authority
who could settle the matter beyond argument. In either case,
however, answer (B) is clearly the best of the four choices
given, so we will let it stand until further information becomes
available.
4) Good King Wenceslas was king of which country?
C) Bohemia
The historical Wenceslas was actually only Duke of Bohemia, not
a king. He lived in the tenth century.
5) Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character?
A) St. Nicholas
In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint - he had not
yet metamorphosed into Santa Claus and had nothing to do with
Christmas.
6) The name of Scrooge's deceased business partner in Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol" was:
D) Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley's spirit was the first of four to appear to Scrooge
on Christmas Eve.
7) In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time.
Their Dutch counterparts use:
C) Shoes
Traditionally, the shoes used are wooden ones called sabots.
8) The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in
which country?
C) Mexico
In Mexico, the poinsettia is known as the 'Flower of the Holy
Night'. It was first brought to America by Joel Poinsett in 1829.
9) Which name does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer?
D) Klaxon
A klaxon is actually an electric horn.
10) In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by:
C) One of the Wise Men's camels
The gift-giving camel is said to have been the smallest one in
the Wise Men's caravan.
11) One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured:
A) A giant, 165-pound pie
The giant pie was nine feet in diameter. Its ingredients included
2 bushels of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 rabbits, 4
wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, 4 partridges, 2 neats'
tongues, 2 curlews, 6 pigeons and 7 blackbirds.
12) In Australia, usual Boxing Day activities include:
D) Surfing
In Australia, as everywhere in the southern hemisphere,
Christmas comes in the middle of summer.
13) In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small
figurine of a goat. It is usually made of what material?
B) Straw
A variety of straw decorations are a usual feature of
Scandinavian Christmas festivities.
14) The real St. Nicholas lived:
C) In Turkey
St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early
4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas
gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his
name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
15) Which of the following was not one of the Three Kings?
C) Teleost
A teleost is actually a bony fish.
16) In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of:
A) Fried fish, lettuce and spinach
The meal was eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in
commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before
Christ's birth.
17) In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", the Nutcracker's main
enemy is:
B) The King of the Mice
The King of the Mice, usually represented with seven heads, leads
his troops against the nutcracker's toy soldiers, but loses the
battle when Clara, the heroine, stuns him with a hurled shoe.
18) The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day.
It is also the holy day of which saint?
D) St. Stephen
And here, we used to say: St. Stephen, a 9th century Swedish
missionary, is the patron saint of horses.
Further research, and a kind note from Pastor Philip A. Gardner
of Lancaster, Ohio, reveals that the Boxing Day St. Stephen has
in fact nothing at all to do with Sweden or with horses. The
Stephen for whom the day is named is the one in the Bible (Acts
6-8) who was the first Christian to be martyred for his faith.
19) In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes
play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. To get rid of them, you
should:
B) Burn either salt or an old shoe
Apparently the stench of the burning shoe (or salt) drives off
the Kallikantzaroi. Other effective methods include hanging a
pig's jawbone by the door and keeping a large fire so they can't
sneak down the chimney.
20) When visiting Finland, Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on:
C) A goat named Ukko
Finnish folklore has it that Ukko is made of straw, but is strong
enough to carry Santa Claus anyway.
21) A boar's head is a traditional Christmas dish. According to a
popular story, the unlucky boar whose head began the custom in
the Middle Ages was killed by:
A) Choking to death on a book of Greek philosophy
The story tells us that a university student saved himself from a
charging boar by ramming a book of Aristotle's writings down its
throat. He then cut off the boar's head and brought it back to his
college.
22) When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by:
B) His servant, Black Peter
Black Peter is responsible for actually dropping the presents
down their recipients' chimneys, but he also punishes bad
children by putting them in a bag and carrying them away to
Spain.
23) At Christmas, it is customary to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of
which plant?
D) Mistletoe
Mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship in ancient
Scandinavia, which may account for the practice of kissing
beneath it.
24) Believe it or not, one Indiana town is called:
D) Santa Claus
There is also a Santa Claus, Idaho.
25) Who was the author of "A Christmas Carol"?
B) Charles Dickens
After "A Christmas Carol" Dickens wrote several other Christmas
stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the
original.
26) Which popular Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving?
C) Jingle Bells
The song was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was
originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh".
27) A favorite Christmas story is Dylan Thomas' "A Child's
Christmas in..."
C) Wales
This charming and poetic story is based partly on Thomas'
memories of his own childhood. Originally a radio script,
"A Child's Christmas in Wales" is now sold as a book and has
been made into a television special.
28) In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that:
A) Made Christmas illegal
Christmas festivities were banned by Puritan leader Oliver
Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry on what was
supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. The ban was lifted only
when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
29) The world's largest Christmas cracker was made (and pulled)
in which country?
B) Australia
The cracker, 150 feet long and 10 feet in diameter, was made by
Ray Price in 1991.
30) The poem commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" was
originally entitled:
B) A Visit From Saint Nicholas
This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some
guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York
newspaper for publication.
05 December 2010
Christmas Quiz #1
I love Trivia and Christmas time so i thought I would share with you some of my Christmas trivia that I have collected. Later in the Week I will try to remember to Post the answers for you.
Christmas Quizzes Questions
1st Quiz
1) The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was:
A) A harp
B) A pipe organ
C) A guitar
D) A kazoo
2) In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated:
A) On January 6
B) On December 25
C) On October 31
D) Never
3) Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in:
A) 1492
B) 1895
C) 1944
D) 1976
4) Good King Wenceslas was king of which country?
A) Abyssinia
B) England
C) Bohemia
D) Gondor
5) Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character?
A) St. Nicholas
B) The Bold Slasher
C) Father Christmas
D) The Turkish Knight
6) The name of Scrooge's deceased business partner in Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol" was:
A) Bob Cratchit
B) Jerry Cornelius
C) Bill Sykes
D) Jacob Marley
7) In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time.
Their Dutch counterparts use:
A) Old hats
B) Beer mugs
C) Shoes
D) Stockings, just like everybody else!
8) The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in
which country?
A) Canada
B) China
C) Mexico
D) Spain
9) Which name does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer?
A) Comet
B) Prancer
C) Blitzen
D) Klaxon
10) In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by:
A) The Three Kings
B) Tom o'Bedlam
C) One of the Wise Men's camels
D) Father Christmas
11) One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured:
A) A giant, 165-pound pie
B) Snowball fights between rival courtiers
C) A swimming race across the English Channel
D) Huge crackers that sometimes exploded fatally
12) In Australia, usual Boxing Day activities include:
A) Building snowmen
B) Tobogganing
C) Wombat hunting
D) Surfing
13) In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small
figurine of a goat. It is usually made of what material?
A) Candy
B) Straw
C) Uranium
D) Fir wood
14) The real St. Nicholas lived:
A) At the North Pole
B) On the island of Malta
C) In Turkey
D) In Holland
15) Which of the following was NOT one of the Three Kings?
A) Caspar
B) Balthazar
C) Teleost
D) Melchior
16) In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of:
A) Fried fish, lettuce and spinach
B) Square meat pies
C) Broiled partridges with gooseberry sauce
D) Turkey and plum pudding
17) In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", the Nutcracker's main
enemy is:
A) A girl called Clara
B) The King of the Mice
C) Dr. Almond
D) Drosselmeyer the magician
18) The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day.
It is also the holy day of which saint?
A) St. Eustace
B) St. Brigit
C) St. Nicholas
D) St. Stephen
19) In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes
play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. To get rid of them, you
should:
A) Placate them with gifts of rice pudding
B) Burn either salt or an old shoe
C) Sing hymns in a loud voice
D) Throw your sandals at them
20) When visiting Finland, Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on:
A) Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
B) A giant ptarmigan
C) A goat named Ukko
D) A flying carpet
21) A boar's head is a traditional Christmas dish. According to a
popular story, the unlucky boar whose head began the custom in
the Middle Ages was killed by:
A) Choking to death on a book of Greek philosophy
B) King Wenceslas, who speared it from horseback
C) A falling fir tree
D) Remorse, after goring St. Nicholas
22) When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by:
A) His wife Lucy
B) His servant, Black Peter
C) Thirteen elves
D) St. Stephen
23) At Christmas, it is customary to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of
which plant?
A) Ivy
B) Yew
C) Holly
D) Mistletoe
24) Believe it or not, one Indiana town is called:
A) Christmasville
B) Wenceslas
C) Noel
D) Santa Claus
25) Who was the author of "A Christmas Carol"?
A) Mark Twain
B) Charles Dickens
C) Hans Christian Andersen
D) Thomas M. Sawyer
26) Which popular Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving?
A) Away in a Manger
B) Frosty the Snowman
C) Jingle Bells
D) Joy to the World
27) A favorite Christmas story is Dylan Thomas' "A Child's
Christmas in..."
A) Maryland
B) Boarding school
C) Wales
D) China
28) In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that:
A) Made Christmas illegal
B) Recognized Christmas as an official holiday
C) Let prisoners spend Christmas Day at home
D) Gave Santa immunity to break-and-enter charges
29) The world's largest Christmas cracker was made (and pulled)
in which country?
A) Sweden
B) Australia
C) England
D) The United States
30) The poem commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" was
originally entitled:
A) Santa's Secret Visit
B) A Visit from St. Nicholas
C) The Night Before Christmas
D) The Midnight Guest
Christmas Quizzes Questions
1st Quiz
1) The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was:
A) A harp
B) A pipe organ
C) A guitar
D) A kazoo
2) In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated:
A) On January 6
B) On December 25
C) On October 31
D) Never
3) Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in:
A) 1492
B) 1895
C) 1944
D) 1976
4) Good King Wenceslas was king of which country?
A) Abyssinia
B) England
C) Bohemia
D) Gondor
5) Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character?
A) St. Nicholas
B) The Bold Slasher
C) Father Christmas
D) The Turkish Knight
6) The name of Scrooge's deceased business partner in Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol" was:
A) Bob Cratchit
B) Jerry Cornelius
C) Bill Sykes
D) Jacob Marley
7) In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time.
Their Dutch counterparts use:
A) Old hats
B) Beer mugs
C) Shoes
D) Stockings, just like everybody else!
8) The poinsettia, a traditional Christmas flower, originally grew in
which country?
A) Canada
B) China
C) Mexico
D) Spain
9) Which name does not belong to one of Santa's reindeer?
A) Comet
B) Prancer
C) Blitzen
D) Klaxon
10) In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by:
A) The Three Kings
B) Tom o'Bedlam
C) One of the Wise Men's camels
D) Father Christmas
11) One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured:
A) A giant, 165-pound pie
B) Snowball fights between rival courtiers
C) A swimming race across the English Channel
D) Huge crackers that sometimes exploded fatally
12) In Australia, usual Boxing Day activities include:
A) Building snowmen
B) Tobogganing
C) Wombat hunting
D) Surfing
13) In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small
figurine of a goat. It is usually made of what material?
A) Candy
B) Straw
C) Uranium
D) Fir wood
14) The real St. Nicholas lived:
A) At the North Pole
B) On the island of Malta
C) In Turkey
D) In Holland
15) Which of the following was NOT one of the Three Kings?
A) Caspar
B) Balthazar
C) Teleost
D) Melchior
16) In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of:
A) Fried fish, lettuce and spinach
B) Square meat pies
C) Broiled partridges with gooseberry sauce
D) Turkey and plum pudding
17) In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", the Nutcracker's main
enemy is:
A) A girl called Clara
B) The King of the Mice
C) Dr. Almond
D) Drosselmeyer the magician
18) The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day.
It is also the holy day of which saint?
A) St. Eustace
B) St. Brigit
C) St. Nicholas
D) St. Stephen
19) In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes
play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. To get rid of them, you
should:
A) Placate them with gifts of rice pudding
B) Burn either salt or an old shoe
C) Sing hymns in a loud voice
D) Throw your sandals at them
20) When visiting Finland, Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on:
A) Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
B) A giant ptarmigan
C) A goat named Ukko
D) A flying carpet
21) A boar's head is a traditional Christmas dish. According to a
popular story, the unlucky boar whose head began the custom in
the Middle Ages was killed by:
A) Choking to death on a book of Greek philosophy
B) King Wenceslas, who speared it from horseback
C) A falling fir tree
D) Remorse, after goring St. Nicholas
22) When distributing gifts in Holland, St. Nicholas is accompanied by:
A) His wife Lucy
B) His servant, Black Peter
C) Thirteen elves
D) St. Stephen
23) At Christmas, it is customary to exchange kisses beneath a sprig of
which plant?
A) Ivy
B) Yew
C) Holly
D) Mistletoe
24) Believe it or not, one Indiana town is called:
A) Christmasville
B) Wenceslas
C) Noel
D) Santa Claus
25) Who was the author of "A Christmas Carol"?
A) Mark Twain
B) Charles Dickens
C) Hans Christian Andersen
D) Thomas M. Sawyer
26) Which popular Christmas song was actually written for Thanksgiving?
A) Away in a Manger
B) Frosty the Snowman
C) Jingle Bells
D) Joy to the World
27) A favorite Christmas story is Dylan Thomas' "A Child's
Christmas in..."
A) Maryland
B) Boarding school
C) Wales
D) China
28) In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that:
A) Made Christmas illegal
B) Recognized Christmas as an official holiday
C) Let prisoners spend Christmas Day at home
D) Gave Santa immunity to break-and-enter charges
29) The world's largest Christmas cracker was made (and pulled)
in which country?
A) Sweden
B) Australia
C) England
D) The United States
30) The poem commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" was
originally entitled:
A) Santa's Secret Visit
B) A Visit from St. Nicholas
C) The Night Before Christmas
D) The Midnight Guest
Thanksgiving Weekend
Oh I had the best Thanksgiving weekend this year. We Barker's all went down to OBX to visit my Dad. I made the dinner everything except for the turkey on my own, 1st time ever and I think it was great and by Saturday there where only mashed potatoes left, well I did make 10lbs of them. We spend time together on the beach getting our toes wet the water was cold but the times with family is what mattered, I also got my dad to drive us out of the beach in the jeep so that we could look for shells and stuff after a small nor'easter that blew through on Friday night. I found 4 nice pieces of sea glass this now brings my collection to about 12 pieces. We hated to say good bye on Sunday to return home but we were able to stop in Hampton at the Pro-Bass Shop, if you haven't ever been to one of these and you like the outdoors you should definitely stop in sometime. We also stopped in Richmond to visit with the In-laws it was a nice evening I think almost everyone stopped by and brought over their left overs from Thanksgiving diner to share. I think the best part of the weekend was spending it together with Family.
Bus Stuck in the Mud
How can it be December already? And really was the last time I blogged in August? I have got to get better.
Well to the title of this one. the Wednesday after Thanksgiving I got my bus STUCK, and I mean STUCK in the mud. I had a problems with a student that doesn't stay in his seat very well and I was moving him to the front seat where I have a seat belt that was installed a few years ago when there was another problem child. Well I found a safe spot to pull over (you know big Yellow buses can't just pull over anywhere) I took care of the trouble student. When i pulled off the road I remembered that it had been raining for about 24hrs before but I thought I would be OK. BIG mistake at I got ready to pull away I realized I was stuck, No Problem, I'm not a Williams for nothing, we figure things out and try to solve problems ourselves. So I thought I have snow chains in my storage box on the side of the bus, I'll use them to give me some traction. Mistake Number 2, they got lost in the Mud (the Mechanics finally founds them both and returned them to my bus, but now they are all muddy). I finally decided I needed to call the big guys out to help me.They came to the rescue and we evacuated the bus so they could pull the bus out of the mud. All the kids on the bus where great they really wanted to help and most of my 5th graders where a great help. I did have 2 little ones that where upset and crying, they where afraid that mommy wouldn't know where they where (one of them was Spanish and mommy didn't speak English) but 45 minutes later they where all safe and sound at home and I got home. I now have brown-wall-tires and a nice coating of mud on the underside of the bus. Mud coating is good right it protects from sunburn right? Oh yeah I for got that is for pigs and elephants.
Oh Well Just another one for the file of Been There, Now I've done that, and I don't want to repeat it, but I'm not a Williams for nothing (we don't always learn from our mistakes)
Well to the title of this one. the Wednesday after Thanksgiving I got my bus STUCK, and I mean STUCK in the mud. I had a problems with a student that doesn't stay in his seat very well and I was moving him to the front seat where I have a seat belt that was installed a few years ago when there was another problem child. Well I found a safe spot to pull over (you know big Yellow buses can't just pull over anywhere) I took care of the trouble student. When i pulled off the road I remembered that it had been raining for about 24hrs before but I thought I would be OK. BIG mistake at I got ready to pull away I realized I was stuck, No Problem, I'm not a Williams for nothing, we figure things out and try to solve problems ourselves. So I thought I have snow chains in my storage box on the side of the bus, I'll use them to give me some traction. Mistake Number 2, they got lost in the Mud (the Mechanics finally founds them both and returned them to my bus, but now they are all muddy). I finally decided I needed to call the big guys out to help me.They came to the rescue and we evacuated the bus so they could pull the bus out of the mud. All the kids on the bus where great they really wanted to help and most of my 5th graders where a great help. I did have 2 little ones that where upset and crying, they where afraid that mommy wouldn't know where they where (one of them was Spanish and mommy didn't speak English) but 45 minutes later they where all safe and sound at home and I got home. I now have brown-wall-tires and a nice coating of mud on the underside of the bus. Mud coating is good right it protects from sunburn right? Oh yeah I for got that is for pigs and elephants.
Oh Well Just another one for the file of Been There, Now I've done that, and I don't want to repeat it, but I'm not a Williams for nothing (we don't always learn from our mistakes)
28 August 2010
Back to school
Well week 1 of a new school year is done... lets see 1st day had a kid on the bus with diarrhea(you guessed it I had to clean the bus)... Day 2 I forgot to stop for some kids... by day 3 we had everything dialed in and running smoothly... then on day 4 had a 5th grader that wanted to decided for their-self what bus they could ride... So now we wait until Monday and start all over a gain and I have decided to bring out the seating chart on Monday , the kids are going to Love me for this one.
Lets see Elisabeth started 7th grade this year where has the time gone? She will definitely get her exercise this year. Homeroom in up stairs then she goes down stairs for a class then back upstairs again then back down then back up. So if she doesn't come home tired I will know that she must have skipped school...LOL. If you asked her she would tell you that she hates school but I really think she likes it, and not only for the social aspect.
Evelyn is now in the 4th grade and raring to go. She has the same teacher that her sister had in 4th Mrs. Fulk (our favorite 4th grade teacher) This is the one that Evelyn wanted all summer she had talked about wanting Mrs.Fulk. She has complained a few times of not having any real work yet but I keep telling her JUST wait it's coming.
I am also working in the Lunchroom again this year as a monitor again not much has changed their except we are hoping to get another full-time monitor so I get to train a newbie and then we should be all set for the year.
We are hoping for a Fun and Learning filled year and it seems to be off to a good start.
Lets see Elisabeth started 7th grade this year where has the time gone? She will definitely get her exercise this year. Homeroom in up stairs then she goes down stairs for a class then back upstairs again then back down then back up. So if she doesn't come home tired I will know that she must have skipped school...LOL. If you asked her she would tell you that she hates school but I really think she likes it, and not only for the social aspect.
Evelyn is now in the 4th grade and raring to go. She has the same teacher that her sister had in 4th Mrs. Fulk (our favorite 4th grade teacher) This is the one that Evelyn wanted all summer she had talked about wanting Mrs.Fulk. She has complained a few times of not having any real work yet but I keep telling her JUST wait it's coming.
I am also working in the Lunchroom again this year as a monitor again not much has changed their except we are hoping to get another full-time monitor so I get to train a newbie and then we should be all set for the year.
We are hoping for a Fun and Learning filled year and it seems to be off to a good start.
12 August 2010
The Phone
I now have my phone up and running but boy did it take long enough. Below you will see the letter I sent to Best Buy and as of today 8/12/10 I have not heard a word back from them. the Picture below is all five phones in the house lined up waiting for a call. the bottom middle is my new phone waiting to be activated, the house phone is the biggest, the middle top one is my Hubs because that was the number I gave them to call me on. and the other 2 belong to Elisabeth and I was transporting numbers. but my girls thought I had lost my mind with 5 phones in bed with me. Lets just say I like to be connected.
On Thursday August 5 2010 I decided to return a virgin mobile phone that I had bought earlier in the week that was not working and I was going to upgrade and buy a Virgin Mobile LG Rumor Touch at the Best Boys Store in Harrisonburg Va. I declined to have them activate it since I have been a Virgin Mobile customer for about 10 year. I came home and went online to activate the phone, I connected to the Virgin Mobile website at www.virginmobileusa.com went to my account and selected the “Swap phones” link. Then I proceeded to type in the information that was asked for. And I received a message stating that I needed to call Virgins Customer Service and ask for a “Live Advisor” which I did and the told the lady (some ne with and Indian accent that was very hard to understand) there what had happened she then told me that Best Buy had not unlocked my phone and that I needed to return to the store I purchased it from and have them unlock it. I then went back to the store in Harrisonburg a 7 mile drive from my house and told them what I had just been told over the phone from Virgin. They laughed at me and said that that was impossible and then told me that they were having will all of the Virgin Mobile phones. So I was asked for my Name and Phone number and was told that if they got a fix they would call me. So I left the store and went home when I got there I had a message on my home phone from “Zack at Best Buy that they had a fix and if I came back to the store they would be able to fix my phone.” So I returned to the store and talked to Zack he then told me that they didn’t have a fix but they had a phone number that I could call, the phone number was the same one that I called earlier for Virgin Mobile. He told me there was nothing else that they at best buy could do. I questioned him as to why my receipt for my Phone that I bought earlier in the week had the serial # on it and that the LG phone did not he said that that had nothing to do with the unlocking of the phone that when they are scanned into the computer it is automatically unlocked. Again he said that really there was nothing he could do, that I should good home and call Virgin Mobile again.
I didn’t get to call Virgin again until 7am Friday morning; I spoke to another person with a very thick accent and told her the whole story from above. She told me that she could put a work order in and have them expedite it she told me it could take 24 hrs and that I would receive a call from Virgin headquarters. I waited all day Friday for someone to call me and got no call. By Saturday afternoon I was getting very upset because I did not have a cell phone and was out of town and couldn’t stay in touch with my children. I then decided to go back to Best Buy and see if they had had any new fixes. Again I spoke with Zack he took my phone and told me he could help me. Before I knew it he had returned my phone and was handing me back Money, gift cards, etc. (had used to purchase) he never asked me if I wanted to return the phone. I then asked him could I buy another Virgin phone from them because I needed a cell phone that is when he told me that all of the virgin phones had been pulled from the sales floor at all of their store because of the problems that they had been having. So I walked out empty handed with no phone.
When I got home I called another store in the area about 1hour from my home. I asked them if they had Virgin Mobile phones on their sale floor and was told that they did and they also told me that they had the LG Rumor Touch I then drove to their store bought my phone and activated it without any problem. I also noticed that on my sales receipt from this purchase the phone’s serial # was included on the receipt. I had asked Zack if that was the reason Virgin said that my phone was not unlocked and he told me that it had nothing to do with it.
I am very disappointed in the customer service that I received from Best Buy in Harrisonburg Va. I feel as if they didn’t care that I was having a problem and even when I asked them about the problem with the serial # I was laughed at and told that Virgin was trying to blame them but to me it looks like they made the mistake.
From the mouths of Babes
The other night Evelyn got in trouble and was sent to bed early, a little while later she came down and handed me a note which said.
Dear Mom,
I'm very very sorry for what I did.
I'm very very sorry that I am not a perfect child.
I'm sorry you are not a perfect parent.
Sorry, Evelyn
PS. I can go to bed happy or sad it all depends on you.
Dear Mom,
I'm very very sorry for what I did.
I'm very very sorry that I am not a perfect child.
I'm sorry you are not a perfect parent.
Sorry, Evelyn
PS. I can go to bed happy or sad it all depends on you.
16 July 2010
40 things about me (if I can remember enough)
OK I really don't want to admit it but my birthday is coming up soon, too soon for my taste. Nobody will believe me when I tell them that I'm celebrating the 11th anniversary of my 29th birthday just say yeah right! But it's true I am. Now lets see if I can do the list.
1- love chocolate.
2- have over 100 teddy bears.
3- I'm can be a citizen of the Queen if I wish, but I don't wish for that.
4- I was not born in America, as if you couldn't tell by #3.
5- I'm very shy.
6- I have a temper to rival any redheads.
7- I want to travel, to Ireland, Alaska, and Australia then if I have time I want to go to Antarctica.
8- I have a very deep love from my Heavenly Father.
9- Family means the world to me, so glad that mine is an Eternal one.
10- I have worked for a bank.
11- I have worked for a retail home improvement company.
12- I also have worked in a book binding company, we printed and bound the Harry Potter books.
13- My Favorite job is working in the schools especially being a school bus driver.
14- I read all the time, for some reason I can't stop it.
15- I'm OCD at work but not at home.
16- I can play the violin
17- I can play the harmonica
18- I also think that I can play the mandolin, but mine is broken :o(
19- I love listening to music, infact right now I'm listening to music while I write.
20- 1/2 way there
21- I love playing video games, blame my granny she played them and got me hooked.
22- When I was in High school I hated computers and swore that I would never have one in my home.
23- I'm a mother of 2 beautiful daughters that have names start with E so we call them E-squared.
24- I love naps any time of day.
25- Was my favorite year.
26- I was born on a Sunday
27- Red English phone booths mean something to me, I collect them.
28- I love to laugh and see others laugh, even if it means they are laughing at me.
29- I love animals but because I have a child allergic to them I can't have any.
30- Only 10 more now I think I can do this.
31- Did I say I LOVE Chocolate.
32- I wake up some mornings thinking I'm back in high school.
33- Sometimes I wish I was back in high school, I would love to have the carefree life again.
34- I love my girls, I wanted to collect children but I only got a pair but they will do I don't think I have enough love for more.
35- Ok only 5 more, I got this.
36- I'm a Child of God, and so are you.
37- I love living in the mountains but wouldn't mind if we moved to the beach for a while.
38- Being a mom is the best thing that ever happened to me.
39- Did I say I LOVE LOVE Chocolate, the darker the better.
40- OK I got nothing else, I guess this is it.
Been there, Done that, and still enjoying the journey.
1- love chocolate.
2- have over 100 teddy bears.
3- I'm can be a citizen of the Queen if I wish, but I don't wish for that.
4- I was not born in America, as if you couldn't tell by #3.
5- I'm very shy.
6- I have a temper to rival any redheads.
7- I want to travel, to Ireland, Alaska, and Australia then if I have time I want to go to Antarctica.
8- I have a very deep love from my Heavenly Father.
9- Family means the world to me, so glad that mine is an Eternal one.
10- I have worked for a bank.
11- I have worked for a retail home improvement company.
12- I also have worked in a book binding company, we printed and bound the Harry Potter books.
13- My Favorite job is working in the schools especially being a school bus driver.
14- I read all the time, for some reason I can't stop it.
15- I'm OCD at work but not at home.
16- I can play the violin
17- I can play the harmonica
18- I also think that I can play the mandolin, but mine is broken :o(
19- I love listening to music, infact right now I'm listening to music while I write.
20- 1/2 way there
21- I love playing video games, blame my granny she played them and got me hooked.
22- When I was in High school I hated computers and swore that I would never have one in my home.
23- I'm a mother of 2 beautiful daughters that have names start with E so we call them E-squared.
24- I love naps any time of day.
25- Was my favorite year.
26- I was born on a Sunday
27- Red English phone booths mean something to me, I collect them.
28- I love to laugh and see others laugh, even if it means they are laughing at me.
29- I love animals but because I have a child allergic to them I can't have any.
30- Only 10 more now I think I can do this.
31- Did I say I LOVE Chocolate.
32- I wake up some mornings thinking I'm back in high school.
33- Sometimes I wish I was back in high school, I would love to have the carefree life again.
34- I love my girls, I wanted to collect children but I only got a pair but they will do I don't think I have enough love for more.
35- Ok only 5 more, I got this.
36- I'm a Child of God, and so are you.
37- I love living in the mountains but wouldn't mind if we moved to the beach for a while.
38- Being a mom is the best thing that ever happened to me.
39- Did I say I LOVE LOVE Chocolate, the darker the better.
40- OK I got nothing else, I guess this is it.
Been there, Done that, and still enjoying the journey.
Return with Honor
I was blessed to have the best parents for me. I know as a child I always wanted the parents of friends (you know the grass is always greener on the other side stuff) but my parents where the ones that Heavenly Father decided I needed to help me grow here on earth. He even bless our family to find the true Church of Christ on the earth today, I am proud to say that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon). My parents where converted in Italy by 2 very special missionaries. I have had many struggles in my life with my Faith but I always remember that I KNOW the truth. I was also blessed with seeing a vision of my Granny about a year after her death, in the dream I spoke to her for hours but was only allowed to remember 2 things the most important was I asked her if IT was true? her answer was "remember what you have been taught." that is all I have to remember because I have been taught since I was 5 years old (that was the age my parents joined the church). Am I perfect, No not by a very long shot, but does that mean that I should give up? NO!!!! I must "remember all that I have been taught."
What I have been taught is the I have a Heavenly Father that loves me more than I will ever understand in this life. I have been taught that He sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us so that we can return to live with Him forever. Jesus Christ is my elder brother, as a child I always wanted an older brother I just didn't understand that I already had one, and just as an older brother on earth would look after my welfare so will Christ. I have been taught that I have a special guide through this life and that I am never alone even when I think I am, the Holy Ghost is my companion in all that I do. I have also been taught that we have living Prophets on the earth again today, they help to guide us back to our Heavenly Father. These are some of the things I have been taught but they are also the things the I Know without a shadow of a doubt I will not change my mind on any of these things. I pray that Heavenly Father will continue to bless me to Know the truth of all things that I need to return to Him with honor.
I want to have the arms of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ out streched for me and hear them say "well done you have returned with honor."
What I have been taught is the I have a Heavenly Father that loves me more than I will ever understand in this life. I have been taught that He sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us so that we can return to live with Him forever. Jesus Christ is my elder brother, as a child I always wanted an older brother I just didn't understand that I already had one, and just as an older brother on earth would look after my welfare so will Christ. I have been taught that I have a special guide through this life and that I am never alone even when I think I am, the Holy Ghost is my companion in all that I do. I have also been taught that we have living Prophets on the earth again today, they help to guide us back to our Heavenly Father. These are some of the things I have been taught but they are also the things the I Know without a shadow of a doubt I will not change my mind on any of these things. I pray that Heavenly Father will continue to bless me to Know the truth of all things that I need to return to Him with honor.
I want to have the arms of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ out streched for me and hear them say "well done you have returned with honor."
04 July 2010
Reading
As a child I learned to read just Like everyone else, well maybe like everyone else. I was always in the "special" reading group or class, you know the kids that went with another teacher to get help reading. Well I hated to read as a child, but now I can't get enough time to read. I have read all the Harry Potter books (my Favorite) at least twice some of them as many as 5 times. I have read Lord of the Rings series, the Narnia books all 4 of the Twilight Saga. I have even read all of James Herriots books.
The Room-
Well this was the room before I started, you can't even see the floor. I was so glad the Elisabeth wasn't there because she may not have bee alive after I saw really how messy it was.
This is after, it took 2 days and lots of work. I hope it stays this way if not I will be making money because they are going to pay me when it's messy again.
I also only took out 1 large trash bag out.
I also only took out 1 large trash bag out.
End of Another School Year.
Well here it is the end of another school year Elisabeth made it through her 1st year of middle school and for the most part did pretty well. She made new friends, kept some old ones, passed all of her classes and learned to play the clarinet. She even remembered 2 different locker combination's but never brought me home any news about what was going on at school. She has become very independent which has it's up and downs.
Evelyn has also said goodbye to 3rd grade and to a Great Teacher Miss Charity Nussbaum again as her teacher this year, she was Evelyn's 1st grade teacher. Evelyn has learned that it's fun getting to spend extra time with mommy on the bus and at lunch and the having your mother be the bus driver on field-trips does not always mean mom can go with you on the tour, sometimes she has to stay with the bus.
What did I learn this year? Well I learned that driving the school buses is still my favorite job and I think I have some of the Coolest Kids at Peak View. I learned that I I don't have the memory of an Elephant anymore, time to start using a planner. I learned that helping out with volunteering at school is fun, but walking in the snow to do it is not, especially when the snow is past your knee's. I also learned that Boss's do care and appreciate what you do. I also learned that if you use trekking poles to get to and from school EVERYONE is going to ask you if you are going skiing even if there is no snow.
Been There, Done That, and Still Learning
Evelyn has also said goodbye to 3rd grade and to a Great Teacher Miss Charity Nussbaum again as her teacher this year, she was Evelyn's 1st grade teacher. Evelyn has learned that it's fun getting to spend extra time with mommy on the bus and at lunch and the having your mother be the bus driver on field-trips does not always mean mom can go with you on the tour, sometimes she has to stay with the bus.
What did I learn this year? Well I learned that driving the school buses is still my favorite job and I think I have some of the Coolest Kids at Peak View. I learned that I I don't have the memory of an Elephant anymore, time to start using a planner. I learned that helping out with volunteering at school is fun, but walking in the snow to do it is not, especially when the snow is past your knee's. I also learned that Boss's do care and appreciate what you do. I also learned that if you use trekking poles to get to and from school EVERYONE is going to ask you if you are going skiing even if there is no snow.
Been There, Done That, and Still Learning
20 June 2010
Father's Day Dessert
I decided that I didn't want to heat the house up so I decided to try something new. I love my Grill. I try to cook on it as much as possible in the summer time. Today was Steak and Sweet potatoes, I didn't get pictures of them before they where gone sorry. But I did get a picture of the dessert which was a Peaches and Cream Wreath:
Anyone that wants the recipe here it is.
Peaches and Cream Braid
2 package (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, separated
1 can (15 1/4 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup, drained
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
Powdered sugar (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Unroll 1 package of the crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of a rectangle stone. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Using a baker's roller, roll dough to seal seams. On longest sides of baking stone, cut dough into strips 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 inches deep. (There will be 6 inches of uncut dough down center for filling.)
2. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; whisk until smooth. Separate egg (set aside yolk for later use); add egg white to cream cheese mixture, whisking until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly down center of dough. In a bowl, combine peaches and spice blend; toss gently using. Spoon peaches evenly over cream cheese mixture.
3. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid. Combine reserved egg yolk with water; brush egg mixture over dough. Chop almonds; sprinkle over dough.
4. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm.
Yield: 12 servings or 24 sample servings
I make mine in a wreath shape instead of the braid.
Below is in the finished product.
Anyone that wants the recipe here it is.
Peaches and Cream Braid
2 package (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, separated
1 can (15 1/4 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup, drained
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
Powdered sugar (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Unroll 1 package of the crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of a rectangle stone. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Using a baker's roller, roll dough to seal seams. On longest sides of baking stone, cut dough into strips 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 inches deep. (There will be 6 inches of uncut dough down center for filling.)
2. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; whisk until smooth. Separate egg (set aside yolk for later use); add egg white to cream cheese mixture, whisking until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly down center of dough. In a bowl, combine peaches and spice blend; toss gently using. Spoon peaches evenly over cream cheese mixture.
3. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid. Combine reserved egg yolk with water; brush egg mixture over dough. Chop almonds; sprinkle over dough.
4. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm.
Yield: 12 servings or 24 sample servings
I make mine in a wreath shape instead of the braid.
Below is in the finished product.
19 June 2010
Mother Bear on the war path.
OK!!! I will be the 1st to admit that my big E is not the easiest person to get along with, but I can't believe some of the "friends" that she just spent the last 4 days with. I also don't like to interfere with things like this but I can't stand having my child come home from just about every Church meeting telling me someone has threatened her or that someone said something mean.
Today I wanted to tell her next time, Bunch back or dish it out like they did. But I have tried to tell my Children to "do unto others as you would have them do to you" Now this daughter of mine tries to twist that and say well that's what they wanted and today I would've had to agree. If she had bunched back I would have said "YOU GO GIRL" I hope you gave the diva a Black eye.
Been there, done that, but had great friends that excepted me for who I was.
Thanks J & S. you know who you are.
Also waiting to see what the eye looks like in the morning. I can't believe she got hit in it with a fist. I need to teach her how to keep her self protected.
Today I wanted to tell her next time, Bunch back or dish it out like they did. But I have tried to tell my Children to "do unto others as you would have them do to you" Now this daughter of mine tries to twist that and say well that's what they wanted and today I would've had to agree. If she had bunched back I would have said "YOU GO GIRL" I hope you gave the diva a Black eye.
Been there, done that, but had great friends that excepted me for who I was.
Thanks J & S. you know who you are.
Also waiting to see what the eye looks like in the morning. I can't believe she got hit in it with a fist. I need to teach her how to keep her self protected.
06 May 2010
To My Mother and the Mother of the love of my life.
MOTHERS
For those who are lucky to still be blessed with a living Mom, this is beautiful. For those who aren't, this is even more beautiful.
The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked.
And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth.
The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and
covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the
children, A little patience and we are there."
So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.
Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all, unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."
And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is your birthday morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion, happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy,
love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow, and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place
you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space, not even death!
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED!
For those who are lucky to still be blessed with a living Mom, this is beautiful. For those who aren't, this is even more beautiful.
The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked.
And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth.
The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and
covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the
children, A little patience and we are there."
So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.
Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all, unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."
And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is your birthday morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion, happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy,
love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow, and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place
you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space, not even death!
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED!
Dandelion Wishes
Dandelion wishes are dreams,
sent as prayers on the seeds of dandelions.
Blown to freedom by child like faith,
taken on a swift wind to the heavens.
Dandelion wishes are the hopes,
that these prayers will be answered.
By Christina Williams
9/9/99
Written by my sister and with all the dandelions around I was reminded of it.
sent as prayers on the seeds of dandelions.
Blown to freedom by child like faith,
taken on a swift wind to the heavens.
Dandelion wishes are the hopes,
that these prayers will be answered.
By Christina Williams
9/9/99
Written by my sister and with all the dandelions around I was reminded of it.
I'm Just a Mother? Excuse Me???
This was sent to me many years ago and I like to read it every now and again to remind my self that I might only be "JUST A MOTHER" but I'm the best mother for my girls.
A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school another mother I
knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation."Do you know what
you and I are?" she demanded. Before I could answer (and I didn't really have
one handy) she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just
returned from renewing her driver's license at The County Clerk's office. When
asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily had hesitated,
uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do
you have a job, or are you just a.....?" "Of course I have a job," snapped
Emily. "I'm a mother." "We don't list 'mother' as an occupation...'housewife'
covers it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation,
this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title like "Town Registrar" or
"Official Interrogator" "And what is your occupation?" she probed. What made me
say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out."I'm a Research Associate in
the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she
had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most
significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was
written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your
field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have
a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in
the field (normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already have four
credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother
care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the
rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed
the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was
greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (6 months)in the
child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the
official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
"just another mother."
Motherhood...what a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the
door.
Whether a stay at home Mom or a career Mom, we should all carry this title.
A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school another mother I
knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation."Do you know what
you and I are?" she demanded. Before I could answer (and I didn't really have
one handy) she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just
returned from renewing her driver's license at The County Clerk's office. When
asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily had hesitated,
uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do
you have a job, or are you just a.....?" "Of course I have a job," snapped
Emily. "I'm a mother." "We don't list 'mother' as an occupation...'housewife'
covers it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation,
this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title like "Town Registrar" or
"Official Interrogator" "And what is your occupation?" she probed. What made me
say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out."I'm a Research Associate in
the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she
had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most
significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was
written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your
field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have
a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in
the field (normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already have four
credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother
care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the
rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed
the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was
greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (6 months)in the
child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the
official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
"just another mother."
Motherhood...what a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the
door.
Whether a stay at home Mom or a career Mom, we should all carry this title.
02 January 2010
New Year, New Start...
Ok 1st is it Two Thousand Ten or Twenty Ten? Well either way its a New Year and a Fresh new beginning.
Well from looking back over my post this year I started the year with Rainbow Dreams, I wish it had stayed that way. (Just so you know my blogg is more for me than for any one else.)
The year started off good and it was full of many blessings... I think I might list some of them here...
-Last winter was not a cold winter for us but that was a blessing for me because our other car died in January and I had to start walking to work.
-2 of my favorite people got married this year, 1st a very Dear friend of ours Miss Annie the story-time lady, and Benjamin my Brother... I couldn't have been more happier for either of them.
-Big E had a run in at church and end up with a fat lip and a black and blue face but she is mended just like I told her..." It will get better by the time you are married"
-I didn't make it to"Mom of the Year" this year either but I'm not sure I was even trying... But I know my girls love me anyway... because they make mistakes too.
-Lil E was baptized this year and it was special and unforgettable... Remember the ice water.
-I had to have a root canal done and ended up with having 2 done but didn't have to pay for either one of them.
-We lost hamsters getting out of the cage and also they went to heaven but we also added 2 more to the family.
-Big E graduated from Elementary School and started Middle school like a pro this year... GO E!!!!
-E-squared both swam on the swim team this year and loved it and did great.
-I cleaned and cleaned and clean my house but it still needs it and I still can't figure out how it gets so messy... I have also done Mountains of Laundry and I still see another mountain waiting for me.
-We did our Family Vacation to OBX NC and had a blast but on the way home things took a turn for the worse... but there where blessings to be found.
-I really don't want to go over what the last couple of months of this past year have been like but I will say that I found blessings in all that happened to me.
I am hoping that the new year will bring new lessons and blessings but I am hoping that I don't keep Heavenly Father that busy this year.
I would like to leave you with a new years blessing.
Been there, Done that, and starting over again.
Well from looking back over my post this year I started the year with Rainbow Dreams, I wish it had stayed that way. (Just so you know my blogg is more for me than for any one else.)
The year started off good and it was full of many blessings... I think I might list some of them here...
-Last winter was not a cold winter for us but that was a blessing for me because our other car died in January and I had to start walking to work.
-2 of my favorite people got married this year, 1st a very Dear friend of ours Miss Annie the story-time lady, and Benjamin my Brother... I couldn't have been more happier for either of them.
-Big E had a run in at church and end up with a fat lip and a black and blue face but she is mended just like I told her..." It will get better by the time you are married"
-I didn't make it to"Mom of the Year" this year either but I'm not sure I was even trying... But I know my girls love me anyway... because they make mistakes too.
-Lil E was baptized this year and it was special and unforgettable... Remember the ice water.
-I had to have a root canal done and ended up with having 2 done but didn't have to pay for either one of them.
-We lost hamsters getting out of the cage and also they went to heaven but we also added 2 more to the family.
-Big E graduated from Elementary School and started Middle school like a pro this year... GO E!!!!
-E-squared both swam on the swim team this year and loved it and did great.
-I cleaned and cleaned and clean my house but it still needs it and I still can't figure out how it gets so messy... I have also done Mountains of Laundry and I still see another mountain waiting for me.
-We did our Family Vacation to OBX NC and had a blast but on the way home things took a turn for the worse... but there where blessings to be found.
-I really don't want to go over what the last couple of months of this past year have been like but I will say that I found blessings in all that happened to me.
I am hoping that the new year will bring new lessons and blessings but I am hoping that I don't keep Heavenly Father that busy this year.
I would like to leave you with a new years blessing.
"My Wish for You in 2010 - May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips. May happiness slap you across the face and ma...y your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! Happy New Year!!"
Been there, Done that, and starting over again.
Thanksgiving 2009
I know it's January but I just haven't had time to post this, it was written at Thanksgiving.
I have so many things to be thankful for... my Health, my families health especially my dad's (he is recovering wonderfully from Quad- bypass surgery) My sister has recovered from the swine flu, my mother's shoulder is getting better she can now raise it up to about ear level. And Lyston's toe is healing it may take time but it is getting better. I have a wonderful and loving family that includes the 2 most beautiful, smart loving daughters that are growing up too fast. I am thankful for the knowledge that I have of the True and Everlasting Gospel. I am thankful for many, many more thins but you don't have all day to sit and read my blog so I will leave it at that.
I spent my Thanksgiving at OBX, NC with my Dad, Mom and Sister. We came down here because my dad needed to check on his home and get a few things done. Since he will be up at mom's until after Christmas, he has to finish rehab. He also wanted to get his Jeep so that he could have a little more freedom and not have to rely on someone to take him somewhere.
Well we we had a small Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. this was probably the 1st time in 20+ years that the 4 of us had spent Thanksgiving together, it was also the 1st time in that long that the 4 of us had been on a car trip together. What fun asking "how much further?", "she's looking at me!" and "she's touching my side." Christina and I really had to play it up just for old times sake.
It was also the 1st time I have been well and spent Thanksgiving away from my hubby and girls (I miss them dearly). There was a thanksgiving that I got really sick and couldn't so to mom's to eat but they where only gone for a couple of hour's. This time Lyston and E-squared have gone to Richmond to visit his Family (Our tradition) and I am here with my family. I do miss my family and the Barker side, but I am happy to spend sometime with my side of the family. I know that I really needed this time to destress or as my Mother-in-Law calls it a "Mental Health Day" or Vacation I need to remember to offer one to Lyston sometime later on they are Wonderful.
Not my best Thanksgiving but it was a Nice one.
I have so many things to be thankful for... my Health, my families health especially my dad's (he is recovering wonderfully from Quad- bypass surgery) My sister has recovered from the swine flu, my mother's shoulder is getting better she can now raise it up to about ear level. And Lyston's toe is healing it may take time but it is getting better. I have a wonderful and loving family that includes the 2 most beautiful, smart loving daughters that are growing up too fast. I am thankful for the knowledge that I have of the True and Everlasting Gospel. I am thankful for many, many more thins but you don't have all day to sit and read my blog so I will leave it at that.
I spent my Thanksgiving at OBX, NC with my Dad, Mom and Sister. We came down here because my dad needed to check on his home and get a few things done. Since he will be up at mom's until after Christmas, he has to finish rehab. He also wanted to get his Jeep so that he could have a little more freedom and not have to rely on someone to take him somewhere.
Well we we had a small Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. this was probably the 1st time in 20+ years that the 4 of us had spent Thanksgiving together, it was also the 1st time in that long that the 4 of us had been on a car trip together. What fun asking "how much further?", "she's looking at me!" and "she's touching my side." Christina and I really had to play it up just for old times sake.
It was also the 1st time I have been well and spent Thanksgiving away from my hubby and girls (I miss them dearly). There was a thanksgiving that I got really sick and couldn't so to mom's to eat but they where only gone for a couple of hour's. This time Lyston and E-squared have gone to Richmond to visit his Family (Our tradition) and I am here with my family. I do miss my family and the Barker side, but I am happy to spend sometime with my side of the family. I know that I really needed this time to destress or as my Mother-in-Law calls it a "Mental Health Day" or Vacation I need to remember to offer one to Lyston sometime later on they are Wonderful.
Not my best Thanksgiving but it was a Nice one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)