Holidays

Now that the end-of-year holiday rush is past, you have time to think back and reflect. How good is your memory? Most of the following refer to holidays celebrated here in the United States.

PART I: Holidays on the Big and Small Screens

Peanuts

The following questions refer to Peanuts holiday specials on TV (now on video & DVD); some/all are also in book form...

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

1. How did Charlie Brown mess up his Halloween costume?
   was supposed to be a ghost; cut too many holes in his sheet

2. What does Lucy dress up as, and why?
   a witch; she advises the other kids that it's good to dress as something you're not.

3. According to Linus, how does the Great Pumpkin decide which pumpkin patch to visit?
   GP goes to the pumpkin patch that's "the most sincere"

4. Who wasted her evening waiting for the Great Pumpkin with Linus, and why is this extra pitiful?
   Sally, Charlie Brown's little sister - she was finally old enough to go trick-or-treating but ends up missing it because she's in the pumpkin patch

5. What does Charlie Brown model at the party?
   
   they draw their jack-o-lantern design on the back of his head

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

6. What does Snoopy set up to serve the food on?
   a ping pong table from the garage

7. What five items make up the Thanksgiving dinner menu?
   Popcorn, toast, pretzels, jelly beans, ice cream (looks like a sundae).

8. Who are the uninvited guests who are being served such delicacies?
   
   Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Franklin

A Charlie Brown Christmas

9. Which three animals does Lucy ask Snoopy if he can play in the pageant?
   Sheep, Cow, and Penguin

10. What two species does Snoopy temporarily become in "A Charlie Brown Christmas"?
    Penguin; vulture

11. The first time "A Charlie Brown Christmas" aired on network TV, which show did it preempt?
    "Gilligan's Island"

12. The first year A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS aired, it finished second in the Nielson ratings for that week. What was FIRST in the ratings?
    Bonanza

13. How did animator Bill Melendez end up as the voice of Snoopy?
    
    He had recorded bits of "dialogue" at various speeds to play assamples for various actors to try to copy, but the production timewas so short they just picked one of his tapes and went with it.

14. In "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown," why can't Charlie Brown enjoy his holiday vacation?
    New Year's: He has to read "War and Peace."

15. Describe the tragic use of echo in "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown."
    When Charlie looks into his mailbox and speaks, his voice echoes on the inside walls, which are very un-insulated by valentines.

16. What mistake does Sally Brown make in her school report on Arbor Day, sparking gales of mocking laughter?
    Sally says, "That's the day when all the ships come sailing into the arbor."

Olive, the Other Reindeer (book and TV movie)

These questions refer to the movie unless otherwise noted.

17. Who wrote/illustrated the book?
    J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh

18. In the book, what almost happens to a sleeping bunny?
    falling flutes landed in a field; one flute is shown piercing the ceiling of a rabbit's den, just above a scared rabbit who's looking up from under the covers in his/her bed

19. The book and movie are totally different other than the basic "Olive helps Santa" idea. Name three major differences between the book and the movie. Name seven or more for extra credit.
    
    in the book it's Olive who mis-hears the song, while in the movie it's her pet flea who tries to convince her that the words aren't what she thinks
    in the book, the postman is only seen in a glimpse, driving the truck - he's not a character
    in the movie, Olive's pet flea has a minor role; don't think he exists in the book (certainly not as a character)
    in the movie, the penguin has a major role; in the book, he's just a drawing on one page with no text referring to him
    in the book, Olive isn't running away because she thinks she's not wanted, she's just trying to help
    in the book, Olive's two buses to the North Pole are just that, and then she's there; in the book, how she gets there is a major part of the story
    in the book, Olive flies because Comet ties her to the reindeer with a ribbon; in the movie, she eats reindeer chow & also attaches Priority Mail envelopes to her arms to use as wings, for more power
    in the book, Santa wouldn't have had any problems other than the fog at the very end if Olive hadn't come along in the first place: his sled crashed into the tree because the reindeer were watching Olive instead of looking where they were going, and then the gumdrops and flutes fell because the tree tore a hole in the sled; in the movie, Santa's problems are all caused by the angry postman
    [there may be others]

20. How does Olive fix Rhoda's Christmas tree problem?
    Olive gives Rhoda a "fresh pine" air freshener that's shaped like a Christmas tree

21. What makes Olive think that Martini is selling fake watches?
    He claims they're "Genuine Rolexes"; Olive looks closely and says something like, "I don't think Rolex has three 'x'es."

22. What are the other hot goods that Martini tries to sell, and where did these come from?
    pens and stationery (including envelopes) from the City Zoo, from which Martini had escaped

23. What is the name of Olive's pet flea?
    Fido

24. When the postman tries to take Olive into custody at the bus station, how does Martini (reluctantly) save her?
    Martini throws a bunch of (City Zoo) pens on the ground; the mailman slips and lets go of Olive, who escapes

25. When Martini and Olive finally get onto the bus, who is their driver? Who are the other two characters in the movie with similar names, and what are the derivations of all three characters' names?
    Richard Stands ("for which it stands" in the Pledge of Allegiance); Round John Virgin, the big guy from the bar, who drives them the rest of the way to the North Pole ("round yon virgin mother and child" from "Silent Night"); Olive herself - Olive, the Other Reindeer ("all of the other reindeer" from the Rudolph song)

26. How do Martini and the Eskimo couple speculate that reindeer are able to fly?
    Eskimo man thinks they have "a diet low in saturated fats"; Eskimo woman thinks it's helium; Martini thinks it's jet packs.

27. What do Martini, Richard, and Olive order at the restaurant?
    Olive: "the bone, dressing on the side"; Richard: "deep-fried candy canes"; Martini: "small dead fish sampler"

28. While captive in the mail truck, Olive finds a package addressed to herself that enables her to escape. Who is it from, and what does the package contain? Do the contents function as advertised?
    "Deus Ex Machina"; a metal file, packaging marked "great for zoo monkeys" (and we do indeed see the monkeys at the zoo filing themselves out of their cage at the end of the movie)

29. When Richard calls the post office to complain about the evil postman, he hangs up in disgust. Why?
    he got their voice mail

30. There's a nice PC addition to the North Pole Village in the movie. What was added that wasn't in the book?
    a menorah atop Santa's complex

31. What does the sign just inside the entrance to the Top of the World bar say?
    "icicles MUST be surrendered at door."

32. What's written on the drum kit (ie. which band is playing)?
    "ELF"

33. What's wrong with Schnitzel?
    he's flightless

34. What does John want for Christmas? The postman?
    John: "a reversible 3-speed cordless electric drill"; postman: a train set (that he'd wanted as a kid)

35. How does Martini get Olive past the Security Elf?
    Martini slips one of his junky watches to the elf in a package supposedly from Santa. The elf opens it, excited until he finds out the watch is broken. He calls the repair number in the box (left there by Martini) and gets Martini on the phone. Martini pretends to be a repairman, takes the watch, and in doing so tricks the elf into killing the alarms on the fence (claiming they interfere with the watch). While the alarms are off, Olive slips into the North Pole Village complex.

36. Where is Rudolph?
    Comet tells Olive: "There is no Rudolph. It's just another one of those urban legends."

37. Olive tires very quickly when she tries to fly. What does Comet offer her, to perk her up?
    lichen-flavored gum

38. What does Santa give the Pope?
    Pope gets a baseball cap marked "P"

39. At the end of both the book and the movie, what does Santa give Olive?
    Olive gets her own set of reindeer antlers

From the movie, complete the following and ID the speaker/singer:

40. "What I wouldn't give for ..."
    ...opposable thumbs; Olive
41. "Check out the Marzipan Shack's pre-...!"
    ...Ramadan clearance sale; on the radio
42. "Tonight on Fox: the world's wildest ...!"
    ...mistletoe accidents; on the radio
43. "What's one more pain in my ...?"
    ...posteriority; mailman
44. "Stay away from the North Pole, or I'll ...!"
    ...hand-cancel you; mailman
45. "First, a message from Grandma's..." -- for this one, explain the reference also.
    ...old-fashioned, partially hydrogenated soybean oil; on the radio; ref. to Futurama - Grandma character there
46. "Stow it, ...!"
    ...tundra breath; Olive
47. "We're not so bad, 'xept for ..."
    ...that bunny (the Easter Bunny); Schnitzel
48. "Now that we know you: if you ever come again, we promise ... "
    ...not to throw you; Schnitzel

49. In the movie, who does the voice of Olive? How about Schnitzel?
    Olive: Drew Barrymore; Schnitzel: Michael Stipe of REM

Miracle on 34th Street

50. Who is that precocious little girl, anyway?
    a very young Natalie Wood

51. Why did Kris Kringle step in as Santa in the parade?
    the man originally hired to be Santa was there, but was falling-down drunk Many groups got this. We did not give credit for "there was a vacancy".

52. Why didn't Susan want to stand in line with the other kids?
    she doesn't believe in Santa

53. How did Kris Kringle get out of trouble?
    all of the "Dear Santa" letters were delivered to him in the courtroom; the judge decided he must be "the real Santa" and let him go free

54. Describe the ending.
    Kris Kringle is free; Mom marries cute neighbor; Mom & Susan, with new stepdad, move into perfect cute house.

Little House on the Prairie

These questions refer to the first few Little House on the Prairie books and the original TV movie (which is now on video)

55. Who or what is Charlotte? Describe/explain.
    this is what Laura named her Xmas rag doll, the doll that Ma had made her. Enough for the point. Those who said corncob doll were not penalized. From the book: "She was a beautiful doll. She had a face of white cloth with black button eyes. A black pencil had made her eyebrows, and her cheeks and her mouth were red with the ink made from pokeberries. Her hair was black yarn that had been knit and raveled, so that it was curly. She had little red flannel stockings and little black cloth gaiters for shoes, and her dress was pretty pink and blue calico.

56. In the book "Little House on the Prairie," why did Laura and Mary think Santa wouldn't visit them?
    no snow, no reindeer; too far away from civilization p. 239: "Laura was anxious because Christmas was near, and Santa Claus and his reindeer couldn't travel without snow. Mary was afraid that, even if it snowed, Santa Claus could not find them, so far away in Indian Territory." Pp. 240-241: big storm; "Santa Claus could not cross that roaring creek

57. 'Santa Claus is too old and fat. He couldn't make it, where a long, lean razor-back like me could do so.' Who tells Laura this in "Little House on the Prairie," and why is this person at their house?
    neighbor Mr. Edwards, who brought them presents from town despite the snow

58. At the beginning of the book "On the Banks of Plum Creek," the Ingalls family has a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner: [p. 81:] "Pa had shot a wild goose for it. Ma had to stew the goose because there was no fireplace, and no oven in the little stove. But she made dumplings in the gravy. There were corn dodgers and mashed potatoes. There were butter, and milk, and stewed dried plums. And three grains of parched corn lay beside each tin plate." But if things were going so well, then why - a little later in that book - do the girls think Santa won't visit them?
    [p. 83:] at the time, their house had no fireplace, thus no chimney for Santa to come down

Grab Bag

59. What is Rosita doing?
    
    Rosita is stuffing her shoes with straw so she'll get presents in them for Three Kings Day (Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos).

60. What was almost the worst year Jingle and Jangle ever had?
    "The Year Without a Santa Claus."

61. In "Here Comes Peter Cottontail," who beat Peter Cottontail in the egg-giving competition? What was the final score?
    Irontail; 1-0.

62. What is the last thing the Grinch takes from Cindy Lou Who's house?
    the log for the fire.

63. What three words best describe the Grinch?
    Stink, stank, stunk.

64. In "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," how does Kris Kringle turn the Winter Warlock good?
    He gives him a choo-choo train.

65. The grumpy old Burgermeister Meisterburger bans toys in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." What's the name of the village he does this in?
    Sombertown.

66. What does Frosty the Snowman say when he comes to life?
    "Happy birthday!"

67. In "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," why is the water gun on the Island of Misfit Toys?
    It shoots jelly. "jam" was, of course, also accepted.

68. Conan O'Brien recently revealed that Chanukah is a very difficult time for the only Jewish movie monster. Who is the only Jewish movie monster? And what problem does he have while celebrating the holiday?
    Frankenstein. He panics every time he tries to light the candles on the menorah.

69. Which two groups of people compete for the manger, in a cartoon from "TV Funhouse"?
    Joseph & Mary vs. the Harlem Globetrotters.

70. Who plays the baby Jesus in the Christmas pageant from "TV Funhouse"?
    An egg. (The other roles are played by ducks.)

71. What is this?
    
    the "ugly reindeer jumper," worn by Colin Firth's character Mark Darcy in the movie "Bridget Jones' Diary"

PART II: Major holidays and memorable dates

72. Was 2002 a Leap Year? Why or why not?
    no; isn't divisible by 4

73. What do bunnies and eggs and candy have to do with Easter?
    bunnies, eggs - rebirth; candy - Hallmark trying to make a profit on the bunnies & eggs

74. Why is it called Passover?
    Biblical: Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Jews who had marked their doors

75. What is this? What's it for? Remember, this is a holiday question - we're not talking The Illuminati.
    
    hamantaschen, before it's folded up. Dough with something sweet in the middle (prunes, poppy seeds, apricots, etc.). Eat it on Purim

76. What is this? When, very specifically, is it used?
    
    a noisemaker, called a grogger - used on Purim to drown out the sound of Haman's name

77. What is the parade that's traditionally shown on TV every year on Thanksgiving day? Where is it held exactly?
    Macy's TG Day parade on Fifth Avenue in NYC; performances are in front of Macy's We accepted anything close to this that mentioned Macy's - Herald Square, 34th Street, Fifth Avenue.

78. Draw a full chanukiah. Label it.
    
    Chanukah menorah. Pic should show a 9-branched candlestick w/ 9 lit candles; 1 candle - end or middle - should be labeled "shamas" or "shammas" or "shammos" or some such - must be apart from the others somehow, preferably higher or to one side.

79. Draw a full kinara.
    
    Kwanzaa candelabra. Pic should show a 7-branched candlestick with three green, then one black, then three red candles (or red-black-green).

80. Translate: "Ness gadol hayah sham"
    "a great miracle happened there"

81. Identify this item. Then assemble and complete it, and show us how it's used when you turn in this bonus.
    
    a dreidel: the four sides should be labeled with letters representing #6 - nun, gimel, hay, shin. Should be in this order going around right-left.

82. With what food/drink is the Ramadan fast traditionally broken?
    dates and water

83. What is this mark for? What's used to make the mark?
    
    Ash Wednesday. Ashes come from blessed palms left over from previous Palm Sunday

84. We all get fat on Thanksgiving. On what other holiday do Americans celebrate FATness?
    Mardi Gras

85. Sweet potato pie, southern fried okra, peanut soup, benne cakes, groundnut stew, just about anything with coconut - when would some combination of these traditionally be eaten together?
    
    Kwanzaa (benne=sesame seeds)

Identify each image as completely as possible and specify the holiday represented therein. You don't have to give the year.

86.   or 
    May Day - that's a maypole.
87.  
    Easter - Ukrainian Easter basket, w/ bread and painted eggsked if it was a challah.
88.  
    The Ghost of Christmas Present confronting Scrooge, as taken from the original Christmas Carol
89.  
    "Rue Montargueil with Flags" by Claude Monet (1898) - trick question - NOT an American holiday; for Bastille Day
90.  
    Easter - egg roll on the White House lawn
91.   and 
    Winter Carnival at Williams in years long past

    ...and the last one for this section...

92. Are Santa's reindeer male or female? How do you know? What about Rudolph?
    
    "Did you know... While both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter,usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen - had to be a girl.

PART III: Extra credit - TONGAn holidays

93. What 3 days in 2003 are Tongan holidays for the Future, Current, and a Past King?
    May 4th, July 4th, December 4th

94. Which of their holidays is similar to our Memorial Day?
    http://www.shagtown.com/days/search.cgi?find=anzac+day&Go%21.x=0&Go%21.y=0: "ANZAC Day, April 25. A holiday in Australia and New Zealand which honors all who died in wars"; http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/tonga/about_destin/lifestyle.html: "Anzac Day is a New Zealand and Australian holiday honouring the armed forces; it is celebrated in Tonga because of the kingdom's close ties with the two larger nations."

95. What is their predominant religion? Who is in charge of it?
    Christian; state church is the Free Wesleyan Church; king is the head of the churc