Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree

Choose an answer from the three choices and True or False offered after each question and then "Check Your Answers" at the end of the quiz.

1. The modern custom can be traced to 16th century Germany as the earliest reference a Bremen guild chronicle of 1570 which reports how a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, and erected in the guild-house, for the benefit of the guild members' children, who collected the dainties on Christmas day. Another early reference is from Basel, where the tailor apprentices carried around town a tree decorated with apples and cheese in 1597.

• True or False?

2. The city of Riga, Latvia, claims to be home of the first Christmas tree; an octagonal plaque in the town square reads “The First New Year's Tree in Riga in 1510”, in eight languages. Around this same time period, and subject to much debate as to whether the event occurred before the Riga holiday tree, an early Christian leader is said to have decorated a small tree in house to symbolize the way the stars shined at night. Who was this Christian leader?

• Martin Luther
• John Calvin
• John Wycliffe

3. By the early 18th century, the custom had become common in towns of the upper Rhineland, but it had not yet spread to rural areas. Wax candles are attested from the late 18th century. The Christmas tree remained confined to the upper Rhineland for a relatively long time. It was regarded as a Protestant custom by the Catholic majority along the lower Rhine and was spread there only by Prussian officials who were moved there in the wake of the Congress of Vienna. What was the year?

• 1815
• 1820
• 1860

4. In France, the first Christmas tree was introduced by the duchess of Orleans. What was the year?

• 1840
• 1850
• 1860

5. In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced by King George III’s German wife but did not spread much beyond the royal family.

• Queen Charlotte
• Queen Victoria
• Queen Anne

6. Images of the royal family with their Christmas tree at Osborne House were illustrated in English magazines, initially as a woodcut on December 1848. What was the magazine?

• Illustrated London News
• London New Times
• English News Illustrated

7. The first Christmas tree in America is long debated. What community has NOT claimed “the First Christmas Tree in America”?

• Easton, Pennsylvania
• New Orleans
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania

8. Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought in and decorated until Christmas Eve (24 December), and then removed the day after twelfth night (i.e., 6 January); to have a tree up before or after these dates was even considered bad luck.

• True or False?

9. What was the original method of lighting Christmas trees?

• Gas lights
• Electric lights
• Candles

10. Each year, 50 to 60 million Christmas trees are produced in America, and 33 to 36 million are produced in Europe.

• True or False?

Check Your Answers

• 1. True
• 2. Martin Luther
• 3. 1815
• 4. 1840
• 5. Queen Charlotte
• 6. Illustrated London News
• 7. New Orleans
• 8. True
• 9. Candles
• 10. False. Each year, 33 to 36 million Christmas trees are produced in America, and 50 to 60 million are produced in Europe.

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