Christmas Trivia Questions

Thanks to a 1970s KFC marketing campaign, fried chicken became a Christmas staple in Japan—about 3.6 million families partake yearly.

Oregon, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania lead in Christmas tree production. Hawaii and Alaska produce very few commercially.

Composed in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, 'Jingle Bells' was titled 'One Horse Open Sleigh' and intended for Thanksgiving.

The Statue of Liberty was a diplomatic gift, but it was dedicated in October 1886, not given as a Christmas present.

Early German Christmas trees, called 'paradise trees,' were adorned with apples (symbolizing the Garden of Eden), nuts, and candles.

Poinsettias are mildly irritating if ingested, but not deadly. A 50-pound child would need to eat over 500 leaves to risk serious harm.

Coca-Cola popularized the red-suited Santa, but Thomas Nast and others drew him that way decades earlier in the 1800s.

Puritans in Massachusetts banned Christmas from 1659 to 1681, considering it pagan and un-Christian. Violators faced a five-shilling fine.

Coca-Cola popularized Santa's red suit in ads, but his modern look (white beard, red outfit) existed since the 1800s, thanks to cartoonist Thomas Nast.

Legend says St. Nicholas dropped gold down a chimney, which landed in stockings hung to dry. That tale inspired the stocking-hanging tradition.

James Lord Pierpont wrote 'Jingle Bells' in 1857 for a Thanksgiving Sunday school class. Its popularity later made it a Christmas staple.

Rudolph was created in 1939 by Robert L. May for Montgomery Ward's free coloring book, not for toy sales. It was a marketing giveaway.

Puritan-led Massachusetts banned Christmas from 1659 to 1681, viewing it as a pagan and wasteful celebration. Violators faced fines.

Puritans in colonial New England outlawed Christmas from 1659 to 1681, considering it too pagan and unruly. Celebrating meant a fine.

Poinsettias are mildly irritating if eaten but not highly toxic. A 50-pound child would need to eat 500 leaves for serious harm.

X represents the Greek letter Chi, the first letter of Christos. Xmas has been used by Christians since the 1500s.

This is actually true—'X' is Chi, so Xmas means Christmas. But it's a common myth that it's a secular abbreviation to remove Christ.

The Statue of Liberty was a diplomatic gift, but it was not given at Christmas. It arrived in June 1885 and was dedicated in October 1886.

Icelandic folklore features 13 Yule Lads who leave gifts or rotten potatoes in shoes. Each has a distinct prank, like stealing sausages or slamming doors.

In Norse myth, mistletoe was used to kill Baldur. His mother Frigg declared it a symbol of love, leading to the kissing custom.

Mistletoe is typically pruned or cut by hand from tree branches, not shot—though some rural areas may use poles or ladders.

Hawaii has very few Christmas tree farms. The top producers are Oregon, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, shipping millions of trees annually.